How to Migrate from WordPress to Squarespace: Easy Step-by-Step Guide!
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How to Migrate from WordPress to Squarespace?
Migrating your website from WordPress to Squarespace can be a smooth process if you follow these steps carefully:
1. Identify pages to keep and remove
Take this opportunity to audit your current website content and remove any pages that are not adding value. Use Google Analytics to identify low-traffic pages under Behavior > Site Content.
2. Export content from WordPress
In WordPress, go to Tools > Export to get an XML file containing your website content, including pages, blog posts, authors, attachments, comments, categories and tags. Squarespace can import most of this content directly.
3. Create a new Squarespace website
Build your new Squarespace website by choosing a template that fits your brand. You can customize the design and layout without needing to import your old site's styling.
4. Import content to Squarespace
In Squarespace, go to Settings > Advanced > Import/Export > Import. Choose WordPress as the source platform and upload the XML file exported from WordPress. The imported content will appear under the Not Linked section.
5. Transfer SEO settings manually
SEO data from WordPress plugins like Yoast will not transfer automatically. In Squarespace, go to each page's settings and enter the page title and meta description that matches your old WordPress site.
6. Customize Squarespace URL format
Squarespace's default blog post URL format may cause your original links to change. Go to Settings > Blogging and edit the Post URL Format to match your old WordPress site.
7. Redirect pages with URL changes
If some URLs have changed during the migration, create redirects from your old WordPress URLs to the new Squarespace URLs. This will preserve SEO and ensure old links still work.
8. Transfer your domain to Squarespace
When your new Squarespace site is ready, you have two options for your domain:
Connect your existing domain to Squarespace, which takes about 24 hours.
Transfer the domain registration to be managed within Squarespace, which can take up to 15 days depending on your current provider.
By following these steps, you can successfully migrate your website from WordPress to Squarespace while minimizing disruption to your SEO and visitor experience. The key is to keep your old WordPress site live until your new Squarespace site is fully ready to launch
