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#Migration #WixtoWordPress #Squarespace #Joomla

How to Migrate to WordPress 6.9 from Other Platforms

Moving from Wix, Squarespace, Joomla, or a custom site? Follow this step-by-step guide to migrate safely with zero data loss and keep your SEO rankings intact. 20 simple steps.

Wix
→ WordPress
Squarespace
→ WordPress
Joomla
→ WordPress
Custom
→ WordPress

Blogs Team

Migration Experts • 2026 Edition

📋 20 Migration Steps - Click to jump:

Prepare (1-4) Export Data (5-8) WordPress Setup (9-12) Import (13-16) SEO (17-18) Launch (19-20)

📋 Before You Start (Tips 1-4)

1

Inventory Your Current Site

Make a list of everything on your site:

  • Number of pages/blog posts
  • Images and media files
  • User accounts
  • Custom functionality
  • Contact forms

Why? This helps you check nothing gets left behind.

2

Choose Your Hosting

Get WordPress hosting ready:

Recommended hosts for WordPress 6.9:

  • SiteGround - Great support, $3.99/mo
  • Bluehost - Official WordPress partner
  • Hostinger - Budget friendly
  • Kinsta - Premium managed hosting
3

Backup Everything

Before touching anything:

  • Export your current site (platform's export tool)
  • Download all images
  • Save your domain settings
  • Take screenshots of important pages

⚠️ Never skip this step!

4

Set Up Local Testing

Install WordPress locally first:

  • Use LocalWP (free) or XAMPP
  • Practice migration here first
  • Test everything before going live
localhost/wordpress → your test site
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📤 Exporting from Your Platform (Tips 5-8)

From Wix
5

Wix Export Process

Wix doesn't allow full export, but here's what you can do:

  1. Go to Settings → Export Data
  2. Download posts as CSV/XML
  3. Manually copy page content
  4. Download all images (right-click → save)
  5. Export contacts from Wix Contacts

💡 Tip: Use "Wix to WordPress" migration plugins (CMS2CMS, FG Wix to WordPress).

From Squarespace
6

Squarespace Export

  1. Settings → Advanced → Export
  2. Choose "WordPress" format (exports XML)
  3. Download the export file
  4. Save all images separately
Squarespace exports: 
- Blog posts
- Pages
- Gallery images
- Some settings
From Joomla
7

Joomla Export

  1. Install "J2XML" component
  2. Go to Components → J2XML
  3. Export content, categories, users
  4. Download SQL database backup
phpMyAdmin → Export database as SQL
From Custom Site
8

Custom Site Export

  1. Export database via phpMyAdmin
  2. Download all files via FTP
  3. Save HTML content
  4. Note any custom functionality
FTP: Download /public_html folder
Database: Export as SQL file
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🔧 Setting Up WordPress 6.9 (Tips 9-12)

9

Install WordPress

Most hosts have 1-click install:

  1. Login to your hosting cPanel
  2. Find "WordPress Installer"
  3. Fill in site details
  4. Click install (takes 2 minutes)
Softaculous → WordPress → Install
10

Choose a Theme

Pick a theme similar to your current site:

  • Astra - lightweight, versatile
  • GeneratePress - fast and clean
  • Kadence - great for beginners
  • Hello Elementor - if using Elementor

Appearance → Themes → Add New

11

Install Migration Plugins

Essential plugins for migration:

All-in-One WP Migration⭐ Easy import/export
WP All Import📤 For custom XML/CSV
Duplicate Post📋 Copy content
Plugins → Add New → Search plugin name
12

Set Up Permalinks

Match your old site's URL structure:

Settings → Permalinks
Choose:
- Post name (best for SEO)
- Custom structure (/%postname%/ )

// Keep URLs the same as old site if possible

📥 Importing to WordPress (Tips 13-16)

13

Use WordPress Importer

For XML files (from Squarespace, Joomla):

Tools → Import → WordPress
Choose your XML file
Assign authors
Import attachments (images)

Built-in tool, works for basic content.

14

All-in-One WP Migration (For Wix/Squarespace)

Best plugin for full site migration:

1. Install plugin on both sites
2. On old site: Export → File
3. On new site: Import → Upload file
4. Wait for process to complete

✅ Includes database, media, plugins, themes

15

Manual Import (Copy-Paste)

For small sites or specific pages:

  1. Open old site and new site side by side
  2. Copy content directly into WordPress editor
  3. Upload images manually
  4. Rebuild pages with blocks
Pages → Add New → Paste content
16

Advanced: Database Import (Custom sites)

For developers - import custom database:

// Using phpMyAdmin
1. Create new database in WordPress
2. Import your old SQL file
3. Update site URLs in database:

UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = 'https://newsite.com' 
WHERE option_name = 'siteurl' OR option_name = 'home';

// Use WP-CLI for large databases
wp db import old-database.sql
wp search-replace 'oldsite.com' 'newsite.com'
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🔍 Preserving Your SEO Rankings (Tips 17-18)

17

Set Up 301 Redirects

Most important SEO step - tell Google where pages moved:

# Add to .htaccess file
Redirect 301 /old-page/ https://newsite.com/new-page/

# Or use Yoast SEO premium (easier)
SEO → Redirects → Add redirect

⚠️ Without redirects, you'll lose SEO rankings!

18

Preserve Meta Data

Keep your SEO titles and descriptions:

  • Install Yoast SEO or Rank Math
  • Import meta data from old site
  • Check all pages have proper meta
Tools → SEO → Import
Choose your old platform
Map fields to WordPress

🚀 Testing and Launch (Tips 19-20)

19

Test Everything

Before going live, check:

  • ✅ All pages load
  • ✅ Images display
  • ✅ Links work
  • ✅ Forms submit
  • ✅ Mobile view
  • ✅ Page speed
  • ✅ 404 pages
  • ✅ Search works
20

Point Domain to WordPress

Final step - switch your domain:

  1. Update nameservers (from your host)
  2. Or change A record to new server IP
  3. Wait 24-48 hours for propagation
DNS Settings:
A Record → @ → Your server IP
CNAME → www → yourdomain.com

📌 Quick Reference by Platform

From Wix

Best method: CMS2CMS plugin

Manual: Copy-paste content, download images

From Squarespace

Best method: WordPress importer (XML)

Export WordPress format, import directly

From Joomla

Best method: FG Joomla to WordPress

Migrates articles, categories, users

From Custom

Best method: Database import + manual

Use WP All Import for structured data

❓ Common Migration Questions

Will I lose my SEO rankings?

Not if you set up 301 redirects properly. This tells Google where your pages moved.

How long does migration take?

Small sites: 2-3 hours. Large sites: 1-2 days. Depends on content volume.

Can I keep my domain name?

Yes! Just update DNS settings to point to your new WordPress host.

What about my email accounts?

Keep them with your current host or move to Google Workspace. Separate from your site.

✅ Migration Checklist (Printable)

  • ☐ Backup current site
  • ☐ Export content
  • ☐ Download images
  • ☐ Choose WordPress host
  • ☐ Install WordPress
  • ☐ Install migration plugins
  • ☐ Import content
  • ☐ Set up 301 redirects
  • ☐ Test everything
  • ☐ Update DNS

📥 Download PDF Checklist

📬 Need Migration Help?

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