It’s really no secret that a website is essential for small businesses to establish their brand and connect with their customers. However, many small and medium-sized business owners aren’t skilled at things like web design or coding. That’s where Wix tends to come in… offering a basic platform for spinning up a good looking website quickly.
But, what happens when your business starts to grow? When you need to add versatility and features to your website? When you’re having to actively compete with other businesses online for search results? That’s where a platform like WordPress – a platform that powers almost 40% of the websites on the internet – comes in.
In this guide, we’ll show you the difference between the two and why you should migrate from Wix to WordPress.
Let’s start with defining both platforms and then discuss why, at the end of the day, you should shift from Wix to WordPress!
What Is Wix?
Wix is a website builder that provides all the tools for both beginner and pro web developers. Wix is the easiest platform to use because it doesn’t require coding. Wix offers drag-and-drop templates, which makes it an ideal web hosting service.
Wix provides a 24-hour support team for its users. Wix users don’t have to worry about hosting and technical maintenance. Currently, Wix hosts well over 160 million websites.
What Is WordPress
WordPress is the most popular web-hosting service available. WordPress hosts over 455 million websites. That’s over 37% of all active websites.
WordPress functions on a more technical level. WordPress is an open-source management hosting service. That means anyone can modify or use the software however they want.
Some of the benefits of WordPress include advanced customization options. Unlike Wix, WordPress offers complex website functions.
Why Choose WordPress Over Wix?
Who do more people and businesses go with WordPress? What’s the big advantage of sticking with WordPress? There are three main benefits and it all begins with the breadth of options you get from WordPress compared to Wix:
WordPress Is More Flexible
WordPress offers many valuable web development tools. Anyone with WordPress has access to the code and has full freedom to customize their website. Wix, unlike WordPress, only has tools made by the developers.
While easy to use, it’s clear that WordPress offers a more diverse arsenal of web development tools. WordPress offers thousands of pre-made themes. You may even purchase a premium theme.
Additionally, with Wix, you’re stuck with the same theme for the rest of your life. WordPress allows you to switch between themes without affecting the content you already have.
WordPress Offers Plugin Support
Wix and WordPress offer third-party extensions that can add extra functionality to a user’s website. Wix developers created hundreds of apps to help users manage their websites. But WordPress’s library is full of thousands of plugins.
Anyone in the WordPress community can create a plugin. Knowing this, WordPress users must take care when looking for quality plugins. If you want to know the best WordPress plugins, check out our guide to WordPress plugins!
Manage SEO Better
Websites need SEO because it helps users boost their page to top ranks to gain more visitors.
Wix’s SEO options are very limited. Other than adding a title description and text on images, there’s not much else you can do. Meanwhile, WordPress has multiple built-in SEO features.
46.1% of WordPress sites got more web traffic in a month compared to Wix, whose websites only earned 1.4%. WordPress websites get more organic results because it is more SEO friendly and – depending on the hosting provider – runs 50% faster.
Convinced that WordPress is the right solution? Read on to learn how to switch from Wix to WordPress.
How to Migrate Wix to WordPress
WordPress has more plugins, more updates, better SEO, and a lot more options. It’s not as simple or as easy to use as Wix but in the long run, you’ll get more bang for your buck. Don’t panic if you’re already on Wix because the steps below will help you migrate over to WordPress:
Purchase New Hosting
Wix automatically provides you with web hosting. But if you want to migrate, you need new hosting to store your data. Web hosting stores your website’s files and data. WordPress is free software, which explains why you need to buy your web hosting and domain.
If you’ve been using Wix for a while, a managed WordPress hosting provider is ideal. A managed hosting provider is just that: hosting services that are optimized for WordPress where the hosting provider takes care of management and maintenance for you. They handle the server architecture, CDN, caching, updates, security, and more so you can focus on what you do best: running your business.
Most hosting providers do not sell domain names (also known as your website address). So, if you were using a free version of Wix and do not already own your domain name, you will need to buy one.
Choose and Customize a Theme
Your WordPress website’s default theme is Twenty Twenty. But you can look through WordPress’s extensive library for a theme that fits your website. To find the Theme Directory, navigate and select Install A Theme.
You will find in your dashboard, under Appearance > Theme > Add New. All of WordPress’s themes are customization friendly. Should you find yourself wanting to tinker with your theme, there are many options and tools available on the customization panel.
Manually Import Wix Content to WordPress
There are no direct ways of transferring Wix content because Wix is a closed platform. But worry not, you don’t have to recreate every post manually. To transfer your content, you can instead import Wix’s RSS feed.
Note that this method is only possible for old Wix websites. If you’re using a new Wix website, proceed to the next header.
First, add /feed.xml to the end of your Wix website domain. Chrome users will see a page full of code. Right-click on this page and save it to your computer.
You will find the file under the name feed.xml. For other browsers like Firefox, right-click, and select View Page Source. Afterward, go to your WordPress admin panel and select Tools > Import.
To import your RSS, click on the Run Importer button. Navigate your saved RSS file then select Upload And Import. To check if your site posts were properly imported, go to Posts > All Posts.
If posts are missing from your feed, you can remedy this by editing your XML file and remove posts that were successfully imported. However, images in your posts will remain hosted with Wix. There are two ways of importing your pictures.
First, you can save all your photos one by one then upload them to your WordPress media library. You can also install a plugin that would allow you to import images.
Finally, move your pages from Wix to WordPress. You will need to recreate each page as there is no automatic way to do this. Copy all the content from your Wix page.
Create a new page in WordPress by going to Admin Dashboard > Pages > Add New Menu. When you’re done making all the necessary customizations, select Publish.
Transfer Services
If doing it manually sounds a little daunting, don’t fret. There is another option available. You can always hire experts to conduct the transfer for you.
For example, we recommend WordHerd. These professionals can guarantee to move everything from your Wix site to your WordPress site without losing anything. You’ll get a matching design and they’ll transfer all your posts, media, and files.
This is the recommended method instead of using a plugin for redirecting from Wix to WordPress. Some plugins don’t function at all and those that do either run into too many issues or require too much manual editing. You can try it if you’d like, but they often aren’t worth the hassle!
Yes, outsourcing can cost a bit but you get the guarantee that you won’t lose anything in the transition. This is not only safer but it also saves you resources in the long run. You won’t have to spend more to fix issues or recover lost files.
Additional Steps to Take After Migrating
You’re almost done. There are simply a few more things to work on. The following steps will help you clean up your website before making it go live.
You’ll need to make a WordPress menu.
Doing this will help visitors navigate your website easier. First, go to your Website dashboard and select Appearance > Menus. Give your menu a name and select Create Menu.
On the left-hand side of the screen, select any of your created pages and Add To Menu. When you complete your menu, click Save Menu. Click Manage Locations to implement menus on your site.
Take your time to also ensure every page doesn’t lead to a 404 error. Run a plugin to search for dead pages or dead links and fix them as soon as you can. Optimize all your media files as well, especially your images since they can slow down a poorly re-worked WordPress site.
Don’t forget to get the best hosting service too! Wix offers their own but once you transfer to WordPress, you may need to upgrade to plans with better WordPress hosting features.
Take The Jump From Wix to WordPress Today!
Yes, Wix may be easier to use than WordPress. But if you spend enough time learning basic coding, you’ll find that WordPress is the best platform to host your website.
This guide should walk you through the basics. However, if you have questions about switching to WordPress or need help choosing the best WordPress hosting, feel free to contact us now and let us help you get it done right and in time!
Zach Wiesman
Zach brings a wealth of knowledge to Pressable with more than 12 years of experience in the WordPress world. His journey in WordPress began with creating and maintaining client websites, fostering a deep understanding of the intricacies and challenges of WordPress. Later, his knack for problem-solving and commitment to service led him to pursue a role at Automattic, where he excelled in providing customer support for WooCommerce. His expertise extends beyond technical proficiency to encompass a deep understanding of the WordPress community and its needs. Outside of work, Zach enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, and working on projects around the house.
