Migrating a blog from Wix to WordPress is not that hard what you think. Rather it has added advantages once you make this decision. If you want to chack what is the basic difference between Wix and WordPress then check out my post.
You’ve been rocking it on Wix, but now you’re eyeing WordPress for its flexibility, plugins, and total control. I get it—I’ve been there myself. Switching platforms sounds daunting, especially when you’re worried about tanking your SEO rankings. Good news: you can migrate your blog from Wix to WordPress without losing that precious Google juice. I’ve helped dozens of folks make this move over the years, and I’m here to walk you through it step-by-step. Grab a snack, and let’s dive into this friendly guide to keep your SEO intact while moving from Wix to WordPress!
Why Move from Wix to WordPress?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s chat about why this switch makes sense. Wix is excellent for beginners—drag-and-drop ease, sleek templates, and all-in-one hosting. But as your blog grows, you might crave more. WordPress offers endless customization, killer plugins (think Yoast SEO!), and site ownership. Plus, it’s a champ at scaling—perfect if you’re dreaming big. The catch? You’ve got to migrate smart to keep your SEO rankings humming. Let’s make it happen!
Step 1: Plan Your Migration Like a Pro
First things first—don’t just wing it. Planning is your secret weapon to avoid SEO hiccups. Here’s what to do:
- Audit Your Wix Blog: List every page, post, and URL. Open Wix, click through your site and jot down titles, slugs (e.g., yoursite.com/blog-post), and any tags or categories. I use Google Sheets for this—it’s quick and keeps me organized.
- Check Your SEO Stats: Log into Google Analytics or Wix Analytics. Note your top-performing pages and keywords driving traffic. For example, my friend Sarah found her “best hiking boots” post to be her goldmine—she made sure it stayed perfect after the move.
- Backup Everything: Wix doesn’t let you export content directly (ugh, right?), so screenshot pages or copy text manually. Better safe than sorry!
This prep sets the stage for a smooth switch from Wix to WordPress.
Step 2: Set Up Your WordPress Site
Now, let’s get your new home ready. WordPress needs more setup than Wix, but it’s worth it. Here’s the drill:
- Pick a Hosting Provider: Go for reliable ones like Bluehost, SiteGround, or Hostinger. I love SiteGround for its speed—SEO loves fast sites! Plans start around $3- $7/month, but if your budget is low, you can also consider Hostinger.
- Install WordPress: Most hosts offer a one-click install. Log into your hosting dashboard, find the WordPress option, and follow the prompts. It’s like setting up a new phone—easy peasy.
- Choose a Theme: Choose a lightweight, SEO-friendly theme like Astra or GeneratePress. You can customize it later to match your Wix vibe, but keep it simple.
With your WordPress site live, you can bring your Wix content over.
Step 3: Move Your Content from Wix to WordPress
Here’s where the magic happens—transferring your blog without breaking a sweat. Wix doesn’t have a built-in export tool, so we’re doing this the hands-on way:
- Copy Posts Manually: Open your Wix editor, select a post, and copy the text. In WordPress, go to Posts > Add New, paste it in, and set the title. Repeat for every post. For images, download them from Wix (right-click > Save) and upload to WordPress via the media library.
- Recreate Pages: The same is true for pages like “About” or “Contact.” Copy text and images, then rebuild them under Pages > Add New in WordPress.
- Match URLs: SEO lives or dies by URLs. In Wix, your post might be yoursite.com/blog/my-post. In WordPress, go to Settings > Permalinks, choose “Post name,” and edit each slug to match (e.g., yournewdomain.com/my-post). This keeps Google happy.
- Case Study: My buddy Mike moved his 50-post cooking blog. It took him a weekend, but by keeping URLs identical (e.g., wixsite.com/recipes/pasta to wordpresssite.com/recipes/pasta), his traffic didn’t budge!
It’s tedious, but this manual move ensures nothing gets lost.
Step 4: Import RSS Feeds (The Shortcut Option)
If you’ve got tons of posts and manual copying feels like climbing Everest, try the RSS feed trick:
- Find Your Wix RSS: Your Wix feed URL is usually yoursite.com/feed.xml. Type it into your browser to check.
- Use a WordPress Plugin: Install “WP RSS Aggregator” on your WordPress site. Go to RSS Aggregator > Add New, paste the Wix feed URL, and import. It pulls in titles, content, and dates.
- Tweak It: The plugin might miss images or formatting, so double-check each post and add visuals manually.
I used this for a client with 100 posts—it cut her workload in half. Just note: URLs won’t auto-match, so adjust slugs afterwards.
Step 5: Set Up Redirects to Protect SEO
Here’s the SEO lifeline: redirects. When you move from Wix to WordPress, your domain might change (e.g., wixsite.com to yournewdomain.com). Without redirects, Google thinks your old pages vanished—bye-bye rankings!
- Grab Your Wix Domain: If you own a custom domain on Wix (not the free wixsite.com), transfer it to your WordPress host. In Wix, go to Domains > Transfer Away, get the EPP code, and give it to your new host (e.g., SiteGround). Takes 5-7 days.
- Set 301 Redirects: If you’re stuck with a new domain, use WordPress’s “Redirection” plugin. Install it, then map old URLs to new ones (e.g., wixsite.com/blog-post > yournewdomain.com/blog-post). Test with a redirect checker tool online.
- Example: Sarah’s hiking blog switched domains. She redirected 20 key pages, and within a week, her top post was #3 on Google for “hiking boots.”
Redirects tell search engines, “Hey, I just moved—update your map!”
Step 6: Boost Your WordPress SEO
You’re almost there! Let’s polish your new site to shine brighter than ever:
- Install Yoast SEO: This plugin is your SEO bestie. Add it, then set up meta titles and descriptions for each post, matching Wix data if possible.
- Submit a Sitemap: In Yoast, generate a sitemap (e.g., yournewdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml). Please submit it to Google Search Console under Sitemaps > Add New. It will help Google reindex your site quickly.
- Check Speed: Use Google PageSpeed Insights. Optimize images with a plugin like Smush and enable caching with WP Rocket if it’s sluggish.
Mike’s cooking blog loaded 2 seconds faster after Smush, and his bounce rate dropped 15%. Speed matters!
Step 7: Test and Launch
Before you pop the champagne, double-check everything:
- Test Links: Click every page and post. Broken links? Fix ’em with Redirection or edit manually.
- Mobile Check: View your site on your phone—WordPress themes can glitch if not tweaked.
- Announce It: Tell your readers via email or social media. “Hey, we’ve moved to WordPress—same great content, new look!”
Once it’s smooth, your migration from Wix to WordPress is live!
Final Thoughts: You’ve Got This!
Migrating from Wix to WordPress might sound like a big leap, but with this plan, you’re golden. I’ve seen bloggers like Sarah and Mike nail it—keeping their SEO strong and growing even more with WordPress’s power. It’s all about planning, carefully moving content, setting redirects, and boosting your new site’s SEO. Sure, it takes a weekend or two, but the freedom and growth? Worth it.
Have you moved a blog before? Do you have questions about switching from Wix to WordPress? Drop a comment—I’d love to help! And if this guide saved your bacon, share it with a fellow blogger. Happy migrating, friends!