How to Migrate from Wix to WordPress: A Beginner-Friendly Guide 

Key highlights 

• Migrating from Wix to WordPress gives you complete ownership and customization freedom. 
• WordPress offers advanced SEO plugins, faster loading times and improved site scalability. 
• WordPress allows for unlimited design and functionality options with themes and plugins. 
• Avoid platform limitations and gain more value with affordable hosting and plugins. 
• Choose between manual, plugin-based or automated migration for a smooth transition. 

Introduction 

Imagine pouring hours into designing your website, only to run into frustrating design limitations, SEO challenges and increasing costs as your site expands. Sound familiar? If you’re using Wix, you might have experienced these roadblocks. While Wix is an excellent starting point for beginners, it falls short in flexibility, scalability and control key factors for growing businesses and content creators. 

Now, picture a website where you have complete creative freedom, full control and powerful SEO tools at your disposal. That’s the advantage of WordPress. Powering over 40% of websites worldwide, WordPress is the platform of choice for those looking to elevate their online presence. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of migrating Wix to WordPress, ensuring your content, SEO and functionality stay intact. Let’s make the move to a more powerful and customizable website today! 

Reasons to migrate Wix to WordPress 

If you’re considering moving from Wix to WordPress, you might be wondering if it’s the right decision. Wix is known for its simple, user-friendly interface, making website building feel like a breeze. However, while Wix works well for many users, WordPress offers greater control, better performance and future scalability. That’s why many website owners choose to migrate Wix to WordPress. Below, we’ll explore the key reasons why switching to WordPress can be a game-changer for your website. 

Customization & flexibility 

One of the biggest reasons to migrate Wix to WordPress is the enhanced customization and flexibility it offers. Wix is limited when it comes to advanced customization, while WordPress allows you to modify almost every aspect of your WordPress website, from themes to functionality. With WordPress, you have access to thousands of themes and plugins, allowing you to tailor your website to your exact needs. 

SEO & performance 

If you’re serious about driving traffic to your site, SEO is essential. WordPress offers a range of SEO-friendly tools and plugins. One popular option is Yoast SEO, which helps you optimize your content. These tools make it easier to rank higher in search engines. Wix, however, has more limited SEO capabilities. WordPress is also faster and more reliable. This means your site’s performance and load times will improve. Better performance benefits both your visitors and your search engine rankings. 

Cost efficiency 

Wix offers free and paid plans, but as your website grows, the cost can increase significantly for essential features. WordPress is open-source and free to use. However, you’ll need to pay for hosting and may choose to invest in premium themes or plugins. If you select a cost-effective hosting provider, it can be more affordable in the long run, especially as your website grows. 

Scalability 

As your business expands, your website must keep up with growing demands. While Wix works well for small to medium-sized websites, it may become restrictive as you expand, limiting design flexibility and functionality. WordPress, on the other hand, is built for scalability. Whether you’re adding new features, launching an eCommerce store or expanding your blog, WordPress can seamlessly accommodate your growth. 

Enhanced performance & speed 

WordPress sites tend to load faster than Wix websites, especially when you optimize images and implement caching. Faster load times improve user experience, reduce bounce rates and contribute to better SEO rankings. By migrating from Wix to WordPress, you can significantly improve the performance and speed of your website. 

Best ways to migrate Wix to WordPress (step-by-step) 

There are several methods for migrating your website from Wix to WordPress. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the one that best fits your needs. 

Manual migration 

Manual migration requires transferring your content, design and settings from Wix to WordPress manually. While this method gives you complete control over the process, it can be time-consuming and may require some technical knowledge. It typically involves setting up a temporary domain as part of the process: 

• Setting up a new WordPress site on your hosting account. 
• Manually copy and paste your content from Wix to WordPress. 
• Rebuilding your design using WordPress themes or custom code. 
• Installing plugins to add functionality. 

RSS feed method 

The Wix RSS feed method is a simple way to migrate your site’s content, specifically blog posts, from Wix to WordPress. With this method, you can export your site’s RSS feed and import it into WordPress. You will need to add an RSS button to utilize this method effectively. While it works well for migrating blog content, it doesn’t carry over other elements like design, images or non-blog content. 

Plugin-based migration 

Several plugins can automate the migration from Wix to WordPress, including Bluehost one-click migration plugin. This plugin simplifies the migration process by transferring all your content pages, posts, images and media to the WordPress media library from Wix to WordPress with just a few clicks. Additionally, you might want to explore our list of the best WordPress migration plugins as part of your options. It ensures minimal downtime and eliminates the need for manual work, making the migration process faster and easier. Secure and reliable, it helps you smoothly move to your new WordPress site hosted on Bluehost. 

Hiring experts 

If you’re not comfortable with the technical aspects of migration, you can always hire an expert to handle the process for you. Hiring a professional ensures that the migration is done correctly without losing any meaningful content, design elements or functionality. 

How to migrate Wix to WordPress using Bluehost (step-by-step) 

Bluehost provides a straightforward and efficient way to migrate your website to WordPress. We offer powerful features that make the transition smooth, especially for users looking to switch from Wix. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started: 

Step 1: Sign up for Bluehost hosting 

The first step is to sign up for a Bluehost web hosting plan that supports WordPress and includes a free custom domain name. Bluehost offers robust features, excellent customer support and seamless integration. Once you’ve selected your hosting plan and completed the sign-up process, you’ll be granted access to your Bluehost dashboard, which is similar to the WordPress dashboard. This is where you’ll manage your hosting settings and install WordPress. 

Also read: What is a Domain Name? Everything You Need to Know 

Step 2: Install WordPress 

After signing up for Bluehost and logging into your dashboard, it’s time to install WordPress. We make this process incredibly easy with our one-click WordPress installation feature. 

Here’s how you can do it: 

1. Log in to your Bluehost account. 

2. Navigate to the control panel. 

3. Look for the “Install WordPress” option under the website section. 

4. Click the “Install Now” button and follow the prompts to install WordPress on your domain. 

This process typically takes just a few minutes and once completed, you’ll have your WordPress site up and running. 

Step 3: Choose a WordPress theme 

Once you have WordPress set up, it’s time to choose a theme that fits your website’s style and functionality. Bluehost offers a wide variety of themes and one of the best options for users migrating from Wix is WonderBlocks. With WonderBlocks, you don’t need complex page builder plugins or advanced coding skills to create a unique and professional website. 

WonderBlocks allows you to: 

• Easily build and customize your pages using drag-and-drop blocks. 

• Create a unique design with various pre-made blocks (text, images, buttons and more) that can be tailored to your specific needs. 
• Speed up the process of building your website by eliminating the need for heavy, third-party page builders. 
• Maintain flexibility and creativity without technical expertise perfect for those transitioning from Wix. 

Step 4: Migrate your content 

Easily transfer your Wix website to WordPress using Bluehost’s web hosting migration tool in just a few steps: 

1. Access migration tool – Log in to Bluehost, go to WordPress migration and click Start Migration. 
2. Connect Wix site – Enter your Wix website URL and authenticate access for your Wix page.
3. Select content – Choose pages, posts, images and copied content media to transfer to a new page.
4. Start migration – Click Migrate Now and the tool will transfer your content automatically. 
5. Review & optimize – Check formatting, update SEO settings and adjust layouts as needed. 

Step 5: Customize your WordPress site 

Once your content is migrated, it’s time to customize your site’s design and functionality. You can start by adjusting the layout of your pages using WonderBlocks. With this block-based theme, you can easily change colors, fonts and the structure of each page. 

Additionally, install important plugins that will add useful features to your WordPress site. Here are some key plugins to consider: 

• Yoast SEO is used to optimize your site’s search engine performance. 
• Jetpack for performance, security and social sharing tools. 
• WooCommerce if you’re planning to add an online store to your site. 

These plugins will help enhance your site’s functionality and make it easier to manage. 

Also read: WordPress SEO 2024: Everything you Need to Know! Optimization Tips + Best Practices + Plugins 

Step 6: Test and launch 

Before making your site live, it’s important to test everything. Check that all the pages are working properly, links are not broken and images are showing up as they should. Don’t forget to test your forms or any other interactive elements as well. 

Bluehost offers free SSL certificates, which ensure that your site is secure and encrypted. Enable this feature to make sure your visitors’ data is protected. 

Once everything looks good, it’s time to launch your site! We make the launch process easy and once you go live, your WordPress site will be accessible to your visitors. 

Step 7: Post-launch considerations 

After launching, there are a few more things to consider: 

• Set up regular backups using plugins to protect your content. 
• Optimize your site’s speed by using caching plugins or integrating a Content Delivery Network (CDN), which Bluehost supports. 
• Monitor your site’s performance and ensure everything is working smoothly. 

Post-migration checklist: What to do after moving from Wix to WordPress 

Once you migrate Wix to WordPress, it’s important to go through a detailed post-migration checklist. This helps ensure your new WordPress site runs smoothly, preserves SEO rankings and delivers the best user experience. 

1. Check URL structure and set up redirects 

One of the most important steps after migration is ensuring that your URLs remain intact to prevent broken links. Wix uses a different URL structure than WordPress, so you may need to adjust and set up 301 redirects for your old Wix URLs. 

Also read: 4 Ways To Create a 301 Redirect in WordPress 

How to check and fix URLs: 

• Compare your old Wix URLs with your new WordPress URLs. 
• Use a 301-redirect plugin to map old links to their new WordPress equivalents. 

2. Configure SEO settings 

Migrating from Wix to WordPress means you now have access to powerful SEO tools that can boost your site’s rankings. 

Steps to optimize SEO: 

• Install an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO to manage meta titles, descriptions and schema markup. 
• Verify your website in Google Search Console and submit your new XML sitemap. 
• Check for any missing metadata (title tags, meta descriptions) and update them for better search engine visibility. 
• Set up permalinks in WordPress by going to Settings → Permalinks and choosing a search-friendly structure (e.g., “Post name”). 

3. Optimize website speed and performance 

A slow website can drive visitors away and harm your SEO rankings. Wix websites often come with built-in optimizations, but WordPress allows you to take complete control over your site’s performance. 

How to improve site speed: 

• Enable Bluehost’s built-in caching or use a caching plugin  
• Optimize images using plugins like Smush to reduce file sizes without losing quality. 
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to deliver content faster to global users. 
• Minimize unnecessary WordPress plugins to keep your site lightweight. 

4. Test website responsiveness and mobile friendliness 

Your new WordPress site should look and function well across all devices, including desktops, tablets and smartphones. 

How to test for responsiveness: 

• Use Google’s mobile-friendly test to check if your site is optimized for mobile. 
• Browse your site on multiple devices and adjust layout issues if needed. 
• Use a responsive WordPress theme like WonderTheme from Bluehost, which adapts automatically to different screen sizes. 

5. Verify website security and enable backups 

Website security is crucial, especially after migration. Bluehost provides built-in security features, but additional steps can help keep your site safe. 

Security measures to take: 

• Install SSL (Secure Socket Layer) (Bluehost provides a free SSL certificate). 
• Use a security plugin like Wordfence to monitor and block threats. 
• Enable automatic backups to prevent data loss. 

Final thoughts 

Now that you’re ready to migrate Wix to WordPress, you have the opportunity to take full control of your website’s design, functionality and growth. WordPress gives you flexibility, customization and scalability that Wix simply can’t match. 

You’re no longer limited by a closed platform—you have the freedom to design, optimize and grow your site exactly how you want. Whether it’s improving SEO rankings, boosting site speed or adding new features, WordPress provides all the tools you need. 

This is the perfect time to migrate Wix to WordPress and take full advantage of what WordPress has to offer. Whether you’re a blogger, business owner or eCommerce seller, the switch will give you more control, better performance and greater opportunities to grow. 

Ready to upgrade your website? Get started with Bluehost WordPress hosting today and enjoy a powerful, flexible and SEO-friendly website built for long-term success!

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