Website Migration Guide
Overview
Safe website migration between platforms: pre-migration audit, content export/import, redirect mapping, functionality verification, post-migration validation. Covers WordPress→SSG, Wix→WordPress, host migration, and HTTPS migration.
When to Use
- "Migrate my site from [platform] to [platform]"
- "Change hosting providers"
- "Move from HTTP to HTTPS"
- "Migrate WordPress to Hugo/11ty"
Migration Phases
Phase 1: Pre-Migration Audit
- Content inventory: List all pages, posts, media, custom post types. Use a sitemap or database export.
- URL mapping: Map every existing URL to its new URL. Critical for SEO preservation.
- SEO baseline: Record current rankings, traffic, backlinks, Domain Authority (use web_search for tool data)
- Functionality inventory: Search, forms, ecommerce, membership, comments, analytics, redirects
- Performance baseline: Record current page speed, Core Web Vitals, uptime
Phase 2: Setup Staging (Parallel)
Set up the new site on staging:
- New platform installed and configured
- Content imported/migrated
- Theme/design recreated
- Plugins/extensions replaced (find equivalent tools on new platform)
- Functionality tested (search, forms, nav, etc.)
Phase 3: Execution
- Final content sync: Export any content changes since the initial audit
- DNS change: Update DNS records to point to new hosting
- SSL certificate: Install and verify on new host
- Redirects: Implement 301 redirects for every changed URL (use redirect map)
- Submit sitemap: Submit new XML sitemap to Google Search Console + Bing Webmaster Tools
Phase 4: Post-Migration Validation
| Check |
Method |
Pass |
| All URLs resolve |
Crawl site with Screaming Frog or similar |
No 4xx errors |
| Redirects work |
Spot-check 20-30 mapped URLs |
301 ✓ |
| SSL valid |
SSL checker |
No warnings |
| Search works |
Test internal search |
Results as expected |
| Forms submit |
Manual test on all forms |
Email/data received |
| 404 page |
Visit domain.com/sjdhfsjkdhf |
Custom 404, not default |
| Mobile responsive |
Manual check on phone |
No layout issues |
| Page speed |
Lighthouse on 5 key pages |
Within 10% of baseline |
| Search console |
Check for crawl errors, index coverage |
Down 24h then recovering |
Specific Migration Paths
WordPress → Static Site (Hugo/11ty)
- Export WordPress content with
wordpress-export-to-markdown or wp2md
- Map WordPress categories/tags to SSG taxonomies
- Recreate menus manually (SSGs don't have dynamic menus)
- Handle comments (disqus migration, or drop them)
- Migrate media files (download from wp-content/uploads, store in static/media)
- Set up contact form (Netlify Forms, Formspree, or similar)
Wix/Weebly/Squarespace → WordPress
- Export content via platform's RSS or export tool
- Use WordPress importers or manual copy-paste
- Rebuild page layouts with a page builder (Elementor, Gutenberg)
- Set up SEO plugin (Yoast/Rank Math — not available on Wix)
Common Pitfalls
- Skipping redirect mapping — every changed URL needs a 301 redirect or you lose SEO value
- Not monitoring search console — crawl errors spike post-migration; check daily for first 2 weeks
- Content drift — user-generated content (reviews, comments, forum posts) is often lost
- Downtime during DNS propagation — set DNS TTL to 300 (5 min) a few days before migration
- Broken forms — form handlers don't automatically transfer; test ALL forms post-migration
Verification Checklist
1---2name: website-migration-guide3description: Use when migrating websites. Platform moves, SEO.4license: MIT5---67# Website Migration Guide89## Overview10Safe website migration between platforms: pre-migration audit, content export/import, redirect mapping, functionality verification, post-migration validation. Covers WordPress→SSG, Wix→WordPress, host migration, and HTTPS migration.1112## When to Use13- "Migrate my site from [platform] to [platform]"14- "Change hosting providers"15- "Move from HTTP to HTTPS"16- "Migrate WordPress to Hugo/11ty"1718## Migration Phases1920### Phase 1: Pre-Migration Audit211. **Content inventory**: List all pages, posts, media, custom post types. Use a sitemap or database export.222. **URL mapping**: Map every existing URL to its new URL. Critical for SEO preservation.233. **SEO baseline**: Record current rankings, traffic, backlinks, Domain Authority (use web_search for tool data)244. **Functionality inventory**: Search, forms, ecommerce, membership, comments, analytics, redirects255. **Performance baseline**: Record current page speed, Core Web Vitals, uptime2627### Phase 2: Setup Staging (Parallel)28Set up the new site on staging:29- New platform installed and configured30- Content imported/migrated31- Theme/design recreated32- Plugins/extensions replaced (find equivalent tools on new platform)33- Functionality tested (search, forms, nav, etc.)3435### Phase 3: Execution361. **Final content sync**: Export any content changes since the initial audit372. **DNS change**: Update DNS records to point to new hosting383. **SSL certificate**: Install and verify on new host394. **Redirects**: Implement 301 redirects for every changed URL (use redirect map)405. **Submit sitemap**: Submit new XML sitemap to Google Search Console + Bing Webmaster Tools4142### Phase 4: Post-Migration Validation43| Check | Method | Pass |44|-------|--------|------|45| All URLs resolve | Crawl site with Screaming Frog or similar | No 4xx errors |46| Redirects work | Spot-check 20-30 mapped URLs | 301 ✓ |47| SSL valid | SSL checker | No warnings |48| Search works | Test internal search | Results as expected |49| Forms submit | Manual test on all forms | Email/data received |50| 404 page | Visit `domain.com/sjdhfsjkdhf` | Custom 404, not default |51| Mobile responsive | Manual check on phone | No layout issues |52| Page speed | Lighthouse on 5 key pages | Within 10% of baseline |53| Search console | Check for crawl errors, index coverage | Down 24h then recovering |5455## Specific Migration Paths5657### WordPress → Static Site (Hugo/11ty)581. Export WordPress content with `wordpress-export-to-markdown` or `wp2md`592. Map WordPress categories/tags to SSG taxonomies603. Recreate menus manually (SSGs don't have dynamic menus)614. Handle comments (disqus migration, or drop them)625. Migrate media files (download from wp-content/uploads, store in static/media)636. Set up contact form (Netlify Forms, Formspree, or similar)6465### Wix/Weebly/Squarespace → WordPress661. Export content via platform's RSS or export tool672. Use WordPress importers or manual copy-paste683. Rebuild page layouts with a page builder (Elementor, Gutenberg)694. Set up SEO plugin (Yoast/Rank Math — not available on Wix)7071## Common Pitfalls721. **Skipping redirect mapping** — every changed URL needs a 301 redirect or you lose SEO value732. **Not monitoring search console** — crawl errors spike post-migration; check daily for first 2 weeks743. **Content drift** — user-generated content (reviews, comments, forum posts) is often lost754. **Downtime during DNS propagation** — set DNS TTL to 300 (5 min) a few days before migration765. **Broken forms** — form handlers don't automatically transfer; test ALL forms post-migration7778## Verification Checklist79- [ ] Content inventory completed (all pages, posts, media listed)80- [ ] URL mapping: every old URL → new URL documented81- [ ] SEO baseline recorded (rankings, traffic, backlinks)82- [ ] Staging site set up and verified (all content, functionality)83- [ ] DNS TTL lowered (300 sec) before migration day84- [ ] 301 redirects implemented and tested85- [ ] SSL certificate installed and valid86- [ ] Sitemap submitted to Google + Bing87- [ ] Post-migration: crawl for 4xx errors, test forms, check search console88- [ ] Performance within 10% of baseline
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