Your current website host might have been a good fit when your business was just starting out or when you just didn’t need much from your plan, but things have changed. Maybe they let you down in some way, or perhaps you’ve just outgrown the service. Regardless of the reason, you’ve found yourself contemplating a WordPress migration and you’re probably questioning if you can pull it off successfully.
A WordPress migration can feel scary, but it doesn’t have to be. If you follow best practices, everything can go smoothly. In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about website transfers so you can feel confident in your decision and process flow.
Why Migrate Your WordPress Site?
There are a number of reasons why you might consider migrating your WordPress sites to a new hosting provider. Let’s look at some of the most common motives…
Boosting Site Performance
A shift to a new host can significantly boost your website’s speed, ultimately enhancing user experience and positively impacting SEO. A superior host can efficiently handle higher traffic volumes without compromising speed, ensuring your website gets optimal performance even during peak times.
Pro tip: Contrary to popular belief, Google is indifferent to IP changes as long as other essential elements are well-maintained. You can migrate to a new provider without compromising the site’s search engine rankings.
Experiencing Customer Service Dissatisfaction
Many users value solutions-oriented hosts that prioritize prompt and effective assistance. If you’ve dealt with poor customer service with your current host, you’re probably highly motivated to explore alternatives that prioritize your needs and concerns.
Seeking Cost-Effective Solutions
As you look to optimize your resources, you’ll find new hosting providers often present opportunities for cost-effective solutions. Whether offering more features at the same price point or providing flexible pricing options, migrating allows you to access improved services without compromising your budget.
Addressing Security Concerns
Security is a critical consideration online. If your current host lacks robust security features or exhibits vulnerabilities, you may choose to migrate for the safety of your data and to protect your user’s information.
Essential Pre-Migration Checklist
Moving a WordPress site can be intimidating due to the sheer amount of busy work involved, even if, individually, the steps aren’t overly complex. But don’t worry, with a clear checklist, it can be a far less daunting experience. Here is an essential pre-migration checklist for you.
1. Back Up Your Website
The foundational step in any migration is backing up your website. This includes all content, themes, plugins, and the database. This precaution ensures that, in the event of any issues during transfer, the original data remains intact. You can manually download files through SSH, the hosting provider’s file manager (like cPanel), or SFTP clients like FileZilla. Alternatively, simplify the process using a backup plugin, such as UpdraftPlus.
2. Perform a Website Audit
Remove unnecessary or outdated content, themes, and plugins. A cleaner site results in a faster migration process. Make a note of everything you delete for potential restoration or to create an updated backup. This measure ensures your website is optimized for the transition.
3. Address Plugin Incompatibility
Determine potential compatibility issues between your old and new hosting environments, especially concerning banned plugins or themes for security reasons. Contact your new hosting provider to verify the suitability of your existing plugins and replace or delete any that may pose a problem in the new environment.
4. Plan Your Migration Timing
Choose a low-traffic period for scheduling your site move to minimize performance issues. This ensures a smoother process with less impact on users and allows you to display an “under maintenance” message during the migration. By moving your site during periods of reduced traffic and implementing this message, you effectively mitigate the risk of leaving a negative impression on your audience.
5. Create a Site Map
Develop a clear site map detailing every page on your website and the link paths between them. This document will help restore your site to its original state in case of complications. Beyond that, a site map can uncover organizational inefficiencies, providing an opportunity for optimization and improved results and conversions.
Depending on the way you migrate your site, some of these steps may be managed by your hosting provider. Investigate their services to see what gaps you need to fill. A fully managed migration will be as hands-off as possible, but you should still see to it these steps are taken – even if you don’t take them yourself.
The Simple Solution for WordPress Migrations
A managed WordPress migration involves outsourcing the task to experienced professionals who are well-versed in the intricacies of moving a website. Pressable’s managed migration service is free with all hosting plans, alleviating any additional cost concerns.
The advantages of using a managed service are huge. Firstly, hosting providers can easily identify and address any compatibility issues with plugins or themes from your old site, ensuring an efficient transition. Secondly, entrusting the transfer process to experts provides peace of mind, as you can be confident that everything will migrate properly and without data loss. Should any migration-related issues arise, a dedicated support team is readily available to assist you throughout the process!
Speed is another significant benefit. Depending on the provider, the process can be completed much faster compared to other approaches. Pressable, for instance, guarantees that the migration process will be completed in less than 24 hours from start to finish.
Managed migration services save both time and stress for website owners. As Amanda Tsourakis, Head of Sales and Enablement at Pressable says, “Business owners usually have bigger things to think about than migrating their website. We’re all about making site hosting as easy as possible, and that starts with ensuring a stress-free transition to our service.”
Plugin-Assisted Migrations
Depending on your project, your technical proficiency, and your budget, choosing a plugin-assisted migration can be a viable solution.
Firstly, you will need to evaluate your requirements, considering factors such as:
- Data size: Determine the volume of data you plan to migrate.
- Compatibility: Make sure it is compatible with your WordPress themes and plugins.
- Migration speed: Assess how fast the migration process will be conducted.
- Reliability: Consider the reliability of the plugin and the risk of data corruption.
- Website complexity: If your website has a multisite installation, factor in complexity.
- Price and budget: Consider the cost implications and your budget constraints.
Pressable Automated Migration Plugin
If you’re considering a move to Pressable and prefer a hands-on approach rather than relying solely on the managed service, the Pressable Automated Migration Plugin is a great option. This WordPress plugin simplifies the process with its one-click function, transitioning your website onto Pressable’s hosting service.
Here are some of the additional features:
- One-click migration: Effortlessly migrate your site to Pressable with just a single click, minimizing the hassle associated with manual transfers.
- Staging site access: Preview changes before making them live by using staging sites, ensuring a smooth transition without impacting your live website.
- Automated database handling: The plugin takes care of database changes automatically, sparing you from the intricacies of managing database modifications.
- Integration with BlogVault: Collaborating with BlogVault enhances the migration process, offering insights into your site’s migration progress.
This free plugin streamlines the process and it provides a comprehensive solution for those looking to switch to Pressable’s hosting service.
While the Pressable Automated Migration Plugin is an excellent in-house option, there are also alternative options you can use.
All-in-One Migration Plugin
All-In-One WP Migration is a plugin that simplifies the often complex process of migrating WordPress sites. Known for its user-friendliness, it caters to both novices and experienced users looking to move their websites.
Pros:
- Free: The basic version is free to use, making it a cost-effective choice.
- Beginner-friendly: User-friendly interface, suitable for those new to website migrations.
- URL replacement: Automatically replaces URLs during the process.
Cons:
- Limited free features: Free version has limitations, and users may need to invest in premium features.
- Size restrictions: The free version is capped at 300MB so only suitable for smaller websites.
- WordPress to WordPress only: Can only handle transfers between WordPress sites and doesn’t support moving sites onto or off of WordPress.
Duplicator Plugin
Duplicator is available in both free and pro versions and is particularly notable for its capacity to handle complex tasks such as multisite migrations and large-scale transfers. Duplicator doesn’t just stop at transferring websites; it goes the extra mile by generating automatic backups, adding an extra layer of security to your website.
Pros:
- Free with pro versions: A free option is available, and there are pro versions with additional features.
- Multisite support: Capable of handling multisite website moves and large site transfers.
- Migration wizard: Provides step-by-step instructions through a migration wizard.
- Automatic backups: Generates automatic backups for added security.
Cons:
- SFTP access required: Even the free version necessitates SFTP access, which might be too technical for some users.
- More manual steps: The migration process is not entirely managed, requiring more user involvement compared to other tools.
Choosing the right WordPress plugin depends on your specific needs and preferences, and each option presents a unique set of advantages and considerations.
When and How To Manually Migration Your WordPress Site
While automated solutions offer convenience, there are scenarios where a manual migration becomes practical and beneficial for website owners.
Three reasons to manually migrate a website:
- It offers more control.
- You can address unique or complex website setups that automated solutions might struggle with.
- It removes budget constraints by eliminating the need for premium migration plugins or services.
However, it’s important to acknowledge the challenges a manual migration poses, including technical difficulties and the increased risk of errors. There are some practical steps you’ll want to consider.
Follow these six steps for a successful site migration:
- Back up your site.
- Create a fresh WordPress installation on the desired host.
- Use SFTP or SSH to move all WordPress files from the old host to the new one. To do this, you need to download all of the WordPress files from your current host onto your computer and then proceed to upload them onto the new host.
- Import database:
- Set up a new database on the new host.
- Import the backed-up database.
- In the root directory of the website on the new host, find the wp-config.php
- Edit this file to update the database name (DB_NAME), username (DB_USER), and password (DB_PASSWORD) with the details of the database you created on your new host.
- Transfer and maintain the original site settings on the new host. To do this:
- Go to the domain registrar’s website and log into your account.
- Go to the DNS settings section for the domain.
- Update the nameservers or a record to point to your new hosting provider. The exact details should be provided by the new host.
- DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally.
- Ensure a thorough check of the migrated site, verifying data and functionality.
Undertaking a manual website move demands a fair amount of technical know-how. While it provides a hands-on approach, it’s essential to note the higher risk of problems compared to automated solutions. Any migration can encounter issues, but tackling it yourself amplifies the importance of expertise and meticulous attention to detail.
Navigating Potential Migration Pitfalls
While website transfers are a critical process, it’s not without its challenges. Here’s a guide on common errors during manual WordPress migration and strategies to address or prevent them:
Risk: Downtime during transfer
Prevention: Perform migrations during off-peak hours, and employ temporary domain redirects or maintenance mode pages to minimize downtime impact on user experience and SEO rankings.
Risk: Data loss
Prevention: Make sure you back up website files, databases, and emails before transfer. After migration, verify the integrity of all data.
Risk: SEO impact
Prevention: Maintain URL structures where possible, implement proper 301 redirects for changed URLs, and update the sitemap to prevent adverse SEO effects caused by changes in URLs, website structure, or data loss.
Risk: Compatibility issues
Prevention: Check and adjust the website’s compatibility with the new hosting environment before going live, considering potential differences in server configurations or software versions.
Risk: Security vulnerabilities
Prevention: Make sure all software and plugins are up-to-date, and implement necessary security measures in the new environment to mitigate exposure to security risks during migration.
Risk: Performance Degradation
Prevention: Monitor site performance post-migration and optimize as necessary, focusing on aspects like loading speed and server response time in the new hosting environment.
Risk: Database corruption
Prevention: Back up and restore databases correctly, and use tools to verify data integrity during migration to prevent database corruption.
Risk: Email service disruption
Prevention: Plan for email migration, and configure DNS settings correctly to avoid disruption to email services during site migration.
Risk: Neglecting post-migration tasks
Prevention: After migration, update DNS settings, monitor for 404 errors, and inform search engines about changes through tools like Google Search Console to avoid neglecting essential post-migration tasks.
Migrate Your Site the Easy Way With Pressable
Site migrations are often seen as a difficult task, leading many site owners to hesitate when considering a change of hosts. However, the reluctance to undertake this detailed process can hinder your business’s growth.
Pressable is a great solution with its managed service and a dedicated plugin, providing users with both hands-off and hands-on migration options. While alternative plugins and manual options exist, Pressable’s stands out, ensuring an easy transition and optimal performance.
Make the switch to Pressable for a performance boost, enhanced site security, and automated backups. Check out Pressable’s hosting plans today.
Alfred Bassetti
With over a decade of invaluable experience. Alfred is not just about numbers; he's dedicated to bringing customers closer to their hosting needs through his expertise in Inbound sales, WordPress support, and Google Data Analytics Certifications. His skills in project planning, web design, and development make him a well-rounded contributor to the Pressable team. He focuses in helping people get the best possible experience with hosting by bringing customers closer to their needs!
