How To Migrate Your WordPress Site
Website migration is the process of moving an existing website from one hosting provider to another. It is essential that during this process, you need not disrupt your business and ensure that there are no errors or any downtime on your current site.
The steps below will help you with the migration process:
1. Install WordPress on New Hosting
Once you have decided to migrate your website, you must install WordPress on new hosting. Installing WordPress on new hosting will allow for a seamless transition and ensure no errors or downtime during this process.
2. Create A Copy Of Your Old Website
Once WordPress is installed on your new hosting provider, the next step would be to create a copy of your existing website on your local computer. You can use any good content management system (CMS) like WordPress or Joomla to make a copy of your current site easily. Once you have created an exact copy of your website, you must upload the copy to your new site.
3. Migrate To New WordPress Site
Once you have created a copy of your website, the next process would be to upload the site to your new hosting provider. This can be done by just uploading the file via File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Once this is complete, you will need to run a WordPress update to ensure that the new codebase syncs with your local instance.
4. Check DNS Settings
Once WordPress is updated, you must make sure to check your domain's DNS settings. Usually, this requires the user to change CNAME and A records for their domain.
5. Force Save Old Pages For Search Engines
Once you have updated your DNS settings, you must save the old pages to ensure that search engines know that these pages are still available on your previous site. You can do this by just forcing a page save in WordPress and 301 redirecting the page.
6. Consider Using Redirection Plugin Or 301 Redirects
You mustn't delete the old pages as they will be useful if there are any issues with your new site. This can be done by using a plugin or custom coding the 301 redirects to ensure that the old pages are redirected to your new site.
7. Try The New Site Out & Make Sure It's Working Properly
Once you have made sure that your old website is appropriately redirected, it is essential to try the new site out. If there are any issues with the domain or hosting provider, you can always switch back to your old website.
9. Make Sure To Update Contact Info
At this stage, you will need to make sure that your contact details are up-to-date on the new website. This is an essential aspect as it ensures that users get in touch with you easily and quickly.
11. Delete The Old Site When You Are Positive It Works Properly
Once you are sure that your new site is working properly, it is important to check with the hosting providers and make sure your old website has been completely removed.
12. Do A Post On Your Blog To Inform Readers Of The Change
It is also essential to do a blog post informing your readers of the change in domain or ownership. You must keep them up-to-date with other changes on your website and make sure they find it easy to reach out to you for any issues related to browsing and accessing your content.
Migrate Your WordPress Website Easily
Migrating your website from one place to another is not a complicated process. However, it is important that you do it properly and don't let any errors or downtime affect your business in the long run. The steps above will ensure that you are well prepared for this task and ensure no issues with your new site once you have migrated to a new domain and hosting provider.
