Tips & Tricks
Site migration is the process of moving a site from one platform or environment to another. The need to migrate a site may arise due to insufficient hosting capacity, insufficient CMS functionality, or changing business needs. During migration, maximum care is important, as the slightest mistake can lead to a non-working site or malfunctions. In this article, we will analyze what to consider before migrating a site.
Website migration checklist: About proper preparation
The first thing you need to do is determine your migration goals. For example, if your site is on Shopify, but you need more functionality or customization options, you can migrate to WooCommerce.
The second important stage of preparation is creating a site’s backup. If something goes wrong during the migration, the web pages can be easily restored. The final step is choosing website migration tools. Popular options depending on the migration type:
- To other CMS. CMS2CMS is a paid tool that allows you to move from Joomla or Wix to WordPress or vice versa.
- Manual migration. If you choose database migration strategies, pay attention to the phpMyAdmin and Adminer tools. FileZilla will help you transfer important files.
- To preserve SEO. We recommend Screaming Frog SEO Spider to scan the site after migration and compare it with the new version.
If you plan to migrate from one hosting to another, find out if the provider provides tools. For example, Kinsta and Bluehost offer their own migration tools.
Website migration process: Step by step
Site migration is a difficult process that requires special knowledge and programming skills. If you do not have them, the WPWP.BZ team will help you transfer pages in a short time. Learn more about website migration best practices:
- Working with new infrastructure. It needs to be planned and configured. At this stage, hosting requirements are determined, a CMS is selected, and a server is prepared. Developers must check the compatibility of system components.
- Working with the database. Specialists develop a migration strategy. This takes into account everything from the migration method to data conflicts.
- Developing a domain migration guide. At this stage, all URLs are tested, redirects are configured, and internal links are updated. Specialists also notify Google Search Console of changes.
In addition, it is important to update the sitemap.xml and robots.txt files. This is necessary to maintain the site’s position in the Google search engine.
About common website migration mistakes
The biggest risk when migrating a website is its subsequent downtime due to errors. This can be costly for a business, as even a day of downtime means lost orders. We recommend performing the migration during non-business hours or creating a temporary backup solution for accepting orders and notifying customers in advance.
Another error that may occur is a compatibility problem. To avoid such troubles as plugin conflicts, incorrect content display, or broken links, it is important to carefully check compatibility using special tools.
During the migration of a website, “windows” may appear in its security. After the migration, change all passwords, disable access, and update all plugins and system components. Use only a secure connection during migration.
Conclusion
Website migration is a complex process that requires many considerations. If you don’t know how to migrate a website yourself, we recommend that you contact a professional. Our developers will create a backup, strategy to avoid broken links, compatibility issues, and other problems. Contact our team now, get an audit of your existing site, and migration advice from professionals!
