How to Switch Your Website from Wix to WordPress

Wix initially appears as a user-friendly platform for website creation. It allows for easy construction of basic sites, yet its limited capabilities often lead to users seeking more advanced options. A common upgrade path is transitioning to WordPress.

The idea of moving your site without data loss might seem overwhelming, but this challenge is more manageable than it looks. The transition from Wix to WordPress is straightforward with the right approach, including selecting an appropriate WordPress hosting service.

In this guide, we’ll explore why migrating from Wix to WordPress is beneficial. We’ll then guide you through each step to maximize your chances of a smooth transition.

While Wix is a convenient starting point for beginners, it falls short in scalability and customization. WordPress, conversely, is not only user-friendly but offers extensive customization through a wide variety of plugins and themes due to its open-source nature.

Wix restricts users to its in-house tools and applications, limiting website capabilities. WordPress allows for a broader choice in hosting providers, giving users more control over site security, performance, and other aspects.
Migration Process from Wix to WordPress:

The migration involves several key steps, including securing hosting and setting up WordPress, followed by redirecting your site traffic. We’ll break down these steps for you.

Step 1: Domain Name Acquisition and Registration

Your first task is to purchase a domain name, easily done through various registrars. Some hosting services offer domain registration as well. It’s important to pick a unique domain to avoid confusion with similarly named sites.

Choose a domain that is available and preferably similar to your Wix site’s domain. Once selected, you can purchase it and proceed.

Step 2: Selecting a WordPress Hosting Service

Post-domain acquisition, your next step is to find a suitable WordPress hosting provider. Unlike Wix, which offers hosting, WordPress requires installation on a server. There are numerous hosting options to consider, each varying in bandwidth, storage, uptime, and support. Your choice should match your site’s needs, with options ranging from shared hosting to more secure VPS hosting. Managed WordPress hosting is also available for those preferring technical support.

Step 3: WordPress Installation

Installation methods vary by host. Some offer easy, dashboard-based installations, while manual installation is also an option. For instance, with CainHosting, you would use 1-Click WordPress installation  in your user dashboard for installation.

Step 4: Adding a Theme to Your WordPress Site

Post-installation, the next step is to choose and apply a theme to define your site’s appearance and layout. There are numerous free and premium themes available.
Choosing and Installing Your WordPress Theme

Selecting a theme can be overwhelming due to the sheer number of options. Focus on your site’s purpose and desired functionality to narrow down choices. Ensure the theme is well-supported and updated regularly to avoid security risks. For premium themes, additional costs apply.

Step 5: Importing Blog Content from Wix

To transfer your blog content from Wix, utilize the RSS feed method since Wix lacks a direct export feature. Add an RSS button to your Wix site, save the generated feed, and import it into WordPress through the Tools > Import function.

Step 6: Moving Wix Pages to WordPress

Since RSS only migrates blog posts, you’ll need to manually recreate your Wix pages in WordPress. Alternatively, tools like CMS2CMS offer automated migration of pages and images for a fee.

Step 7: Implementing Redirects from Your Wix Site to the New WordPress Site

With your website now migrated, it’s crucial to redirect traffic from your old Wix site to the new WordPress site. This step is essential for guiding your existing audience and users of old links to your updated website.

Redirecting is feasible for custom URL users on Wix. However, if your Wix site was set up with a free account and you don’t have a custom URL, redirecting isn’t possible. In such cases, consider adding a notice on your old Wix site to inform visitors about the move and provide a link to your new WordPress site.

For those with a custom URL on Wix, the following JavaScript code is required for redirection

var hashesarr = { 
"#!somepage/jkka4”:’/some-page/‘,
"#!about-us/ehas8”:’/about-us/',
“#!my-article/c8aj”:’/my-article/'
 };
for (var hash in hashesarr) {
    var patt = new RegExp(hash);
    if (window.location.hash.match(patt) !== null) {
        window.location.href = hashesarr[hash];
    }
}

To implement this code:

This script includes placeholder URLs that need to be customized for your specific website. Each URL on your Wix site must be listed in this code snippet to ensure proper redirection. The first part of each URL (e.g., “#!somepage/jkka4”) corresponds to the Wix URL, while the second part (e.g., “/some-page/”) represents the slug of the new page on WordPress.

Copy the code into a text editor like Notepad, adjust the URLs to match your site’s structure, and save the file as “redirects.js”.

Using a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) client, upload the “redirects.js” file to the /js/ directory on your WordPress website. If this directory doesn’t exist in your theme, create it.

Modify your WordPress theme’s functions.php file by appending the following function at the end

After these modifications, test the redirects by visiting your old Wix URL. This should seamlessly direct you and your visitors to the corresponding page on your new WordPress site.

On your old site with a link to your new WordPress site.

For custom URL users, redirection involves specific coding steps:

Prepare the Redirection Code: You’ll need a JavaScript snippet that maps old Wix URLs to their new WordPress counterparts. For example, redirecting from “#!somepage/jkka4” on Wix to “/some-page/” on WordPress. Adjust this script with your website’s specific URLs.

Implement the Code: Copy this code into a text editor, adjust for your site’s URLs, and save it as “redirects.js”. You then upload this file to your WordPress site’s /js/ directory using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). If this directory doesn’t exist in your theme, you’ll need to create it.

Edit Your WordPress Theme’s Functions File: Add a function to your theme’s functions.php file that enqueues the redirect script. This ensures the redirection code is active on your site.

function wpb_wixjs () { 
wp_enqueue_script( 'wixredirect', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/js/redirects.js', array(), '1.0.0', true);
} 
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'wpb_wixjs');

Migrate From Wix to WordPress With CainHosting