How to Migrate a WordPress Site to a New Host or Domain

When looking at how to migrate a WordPress site, it can seem like a long and complicated process, but with the right knowledge, it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re switching to a new WordPress Hosting provider or want to change your domain name, this guide will walk you through the steps to move your WordPress site to your new provider smoothly and safely. We’ll cover backing up your site, transferring files and databases, updating DNS settings, and making sure everything on your site functions after the move. Following these instructions allows you to migrate your WordPress site with minimal downtime and avoid common mistakes.

Understanding WordPress Site Migration

WordPress migration is relocating your website from one hosting server to another. This process ensures that your WordPress site functions on its new server identically to the original one by moving over the WordPress core, files, and data.

The most important element is the database, which holds all your website’s content – posts, pages, comments, users, and settings.

You’ll also need to migrate your active theme, while inactive themes can be left behind as they’re not essential for your site to function. Similarly for plugins, focus on migrating the ones that are critical to your website’s features, along with their settings. Your WordPress site’s media including images, videos, documents, etc., need to be transferred to the new server.

While not technically part of the migration itself, updating your Domain Name Server (DNS) settings is important. This step tells the internet where to find your website’s new server. Additionally, if your WordPress site uses an SSL certificate for HTTPS security, you’ll need to reinstall or reconfigure it on the new server.

By ensuring all these components are migrated and properly configured, you can successfully move your WordPress site to its new location.

Reasons To Migrate Your WordPress Website

There are several reasons to migrate your site, including:

Improved Performance

Moving to a faster, better WordPress hosting provider can improve your website’s speed and overall user experience. This can involve factors like server environment, bandwidth allocation, and more resources.

Better Security

Upgrading to a host with enhanced security can provide peace of mind. Look for features like automatic backups, malware scanning, firewalls, and secure socket layers (SSL) certificates.

Scalability

If you anticipate significant growth for your WordPress website, switching to a host that can accommodate that growth is crucial. Look for providers offering scalable solutions that allow you to easily upgrade resources as your traffic increases.

New Features

Some hosting providers offer additional features that can enhance your workflow. This could include staging sites for testing changes before making them live, built-in caching mechanisms for faster load times, or integration with popular tools.

Dissatisfied with Current Host

If you’re experiencing issues with your current host, such as poor customer support, frequent downtime, or limitations on what you can do with your WordPress website, migration can be a solution.

What is Domain Migration?

While domain names and hosting may seem the same, they are different. Site migration involves moving your website’s files and databases to a new hosting environment, domain migration focuses on changing the web address itself. This involves changing the primary URL that users type to access your site.

For example, moving from “www.oldwebsite.com” to “www.newwebsite.com”. However, it’s more than just purchasing a new domain name – it involves ensuring search engines recognize the change and redirecting traffic from the old domain to the new one.

Note: You can migrate your WordPress site to a new host without changing your domain, but domain migration always involves a change in your website’s URL.

There are several reasons why someone might choose to change their website’s domain name, such as if you are rebranding and want your domain to reflect the new name.

Similarly, you might want to switch to a Top-Level Domain (TLD) that conveys a more professional image (e.g., moving from “.net” to “.com”). Migrations can also be used for consolidating multiple websites under a single domain.

Companies might decide to localize their domain names by using country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) like “.us” for the United States or “.co.uk” for the United Kingdom to cater to specific markets.

Preparing To Migrate

Once you’ve decided on a new domain and hosting provider for your business, you can start getting ready to move your website.

Thorough preparation is key to a successful WordPress migration. Taking the time to plan and assess your website beforehand minimizes risks and ensures a smooth transition. Here are some essential steps for preparing to transfer your hosting and domain:

1. Content Inventory: Create a comprehensive list of all your website’s content, including pages, posts, media files (images, videos, documents), and any other elements you want to migrate. This helps ensure nothing gets left behind during the transfer.
2. Audit Plugins and Themes: Identify all active plugins and WordPress themes currently in use on your website. It’s also helpful to note any inactive plugins or themes, as you might decide to remove them entirely during the migration process.
3. Identify Customizations: Make a list of any custom code modifications you’ve made to your theme or website functionality. This could include custom plugins, scripts, or theme edits. Knowing these customizations beforehand helps ensure they’re properly transferred or recreated on the new server.
4. Performance Analysis: Before migrating, it’s wise to identify any existing performance issues, such as slow loading times or broken elements. Addressing these issues during migration can help ensure a faster and more efficient website on the new server.
5. Document Settings: Take note of important settings such as permalink structure, SEO, and security settings. Having this information documented beforehand allows you to easily replicate these settings on your new server after the migration.
6. Allow for Time: Choose a time when your site typically experiences low traffic, try to ensure you have enough to complete the migration and troubleshoot if necessary. Be prepared for some downtime and plan accordingly.

Backing Up Your Site

Before starting the process, you need a comprehensive backup of your WordPress site. This step allows you to restore your site if anything goes wrong during the migration. A full backup ensures you can restore your website to its previous state if needed.

Several popular WordPress plugins offer backup functionality. These plugins can automate backups at scheduled intervals, making it a convenient and reliable solution. You can manually export your database through the phpMyAdmin tool and download your website’s files via an FTP client.

For even more convenience, WordPress Hosting plans from Hosted.com include daily automated Acronis backups for your site.

No matter which method you choose, ensure your backup includes all essential components of your website:

• Database: This contains all your site’s content, including posts, pages, comments, users, and settings.
• Core Files: These are the essential files that make up the WordPress CMS software.
• Themes and Plugins: Back up all active themes and plugins, along with their settings.
• Uploads: This includes all your media files, such as images, videos, and documents.

Once you have a complete backup, you can begin the migration process, knowing you have a safety net in place in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Transferring Files and Databases

With a solid backup in place, it’s time to move the core elements of your website to your new hosting environment. This stage involves transferring your WordPress files and database, ensuring all your content, settings, and customizations are accurately migrated.

WordPress Files

You’ll need access credentials (username and password) for FTP (File Transfer Protocol) on both your old and new hosting servers. These credentials allow you to connect and transfer files between your computer and the servers.

There are several ways to transfer your WordPress files. You can use an FTP client application on your computer or utilize a file manager tool provided by your new hosting provider’s control panel.

While it might be tempting to transfer everything, focus on migrating the core WordPress files and folders. This excludes any temporary files or folders like uploads/cache, which can be recreated on the new server.

Upload the entire wp-content folder to the new server. This folder contains your themes, plugins, and uploads. Ensure you maintain the original folder structure during the upload and pay special attention to the wp-config.php file, you may need to update it with new database credentials.

If your new host has a different PHP version, check the compatibility of your WordPress version.

Database

You’ll need to export your database from your old server. This is often done using a tool like phpMyAdmin within your old hosting control panel. The export process creates a compressed file containing your website’s database information.

Once transferred to your new server, you’ll need to import the database file into your new database on the new server. Again, tools like phpMyAdmin are commonly used for this purpose.

To do this, open the wp-config.php file on your new server and update the database name, username, and password to match the new database. If necessary, update the database host (usually “localhost”).

If you’re changing domains, you’ll need to update the site and home URLs in the database.

Updating DNS Settings

Once your files and database have been transferred, you’ve completed the technical migration of your website. But before your website goes live on the new server you need to update your Domain Name System (DNS) settings. Properly updating your DNS settings is how you direct traffic to your new host with minimal downtime. Here are the steps:

1. Log in to the control panel of your domain provider – the company you purchased your domain name from.
2. Find the section for managing your domain’s DNS records. This might be labeled “DNS Management,” “Domain Settings,” or similar.
3. Look for specific record types like A records or CNAME records. The exact record types and values you need to update will depend on your hosting provider’s instructions.

When you change DNS settings, it takes time for these changes to propagate worldwide, which takes anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours, sometimes longer.

During this time, some users could see the old site while others are shown the new one. Factors affecting propagation time include TTL (Time to Live) settings and the speed at which ISPs update their DNS caches.

Once you’ve changed the settings, use online DNS lookup tools to check the progress of propagation and monitor your site during the transition period for any issues.

Domain migration often requires additional steps to maintain SEO value and ensure users can still find your site. Search engines need to be informed about your new address so they can re-index your website under the new domain. This process can take some time, and your search ranking might be temporarily affected.

Your existing backlinks won’t automatically transfer and will point to the old domain, potentially losing their SEO value. Additionally, regular visitors may be confused by the change and if your email uses the old domain, it will need to be updated.

Keep in mind that your email might be affected during DNS changes. Have a backup email system in place if possible and inform your contacts and users about potential email disruptions.

Configuring Your New Environment

After transferring your files and database, properly configuring your new WordPress environment ensures your site functions correctly on the new server or domain. This stage involves:

Install WordPress

Install WordPress on your new server. Hosted.com offers a 1-click WordPress installation option in our control panel. This simplifies the installation process and gets you started quickly.

Updating Site and Login URLs

After migration, some internal website URLs might still point to the old server location. You’ll need to update these URLs within your WordPress settings. This might involve changing the WordPress URL and Site URL settings in the General settings section. Additionally, update your login URL if it has changed due to the migration.

Permalinks Settings

Permalinks determine the structure of your website’s URLs (e.g., /category/post-name/). Verify that your preferred permalink structure is set correctly in the Settings > Permalinks section of your WordPress dashboard.

Theme and Plugin Activation

While core files are transferred, you’ll need to activate your themes and plugins within your new WordPress environment. Navigate to the Appearance > Themes and Plugins > Installed Plugins sections to activate the necessary ones. Deactivate any themes or plugins you no longer need.

Security Settings

Review any security plugins you use and ensure they are properly configured for your new environment. Update any plugin or theme versions if necessary to benefit from the latest security patches.

SSL Certificate Installation

If your website uses an SSL certificate for HTTPS security, you’ll need to install or reconfigure it on the new server. With Hosted.com you get a free SSL certificate when you migrate your website or domain to us.

Testing

After configuration, thoroughly test all aspects of your website’s functionality. This includes checking forms, comments, user accounts, media displays, and overall website responsiveness.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. WordPress site migration involves moving your entire website to a new hosting environment, often to improve performance, security, or cost-effectiveness.
2. Domain migration changes your website’s address, requiring careful planning to maintain SEO and user experience.
3. Thorough preparation minimizes risks and ensures a smoother migration process.
4. A comprehensive backup of your WordPress files and database ensures you can recover your site if any part of the migration process fails, minimizing the risk of data loss or extended downtime.
5. Careful file and database transfer is crucial for preserving your site’s functionality and content.
6. Proper DNS management minimizes downtime during the transition.
7. Correct configuration ensures your site works as expected in its new hosting or domain location.
8. Testing helps to find and rectify issues before they impact your users.

FAQs

Other Blogs of Interest:

– Creating an Effective Website Maintenance Plan

– What is Managed Hosting? The Definitive Guide

– What Is WordPress Hosting? Definition, Features & Benefits

– Essential Website SEO Tools to Boost Your Online Presence

– How to Use cPanel and WordPress Hosting