What is the Best Way to Migrate a WordPress Website?
What is the best way to migrate a website from one server to another? Let’s explore…
The Three Most Popular Methods
WordPress is the most popular open source content management system (CMS) used to build websites. In fact, it is the second most popular website platform (after Google’s own G+), with hundreds of millions of websites built with it globally. This makes it a perfect candidate for migrating.
If you’re looking to migrate a WordPress website, you have two options: manual or automated.
- The manual method is the simplest approach and usually involves removing the old hosting, installing the new host, and then manually transferring all of the site’s content over to the new server.
- The automated method involves using a tool to take care of all the tedious work involved in migrating a website. The most popular tool in this space is called Algolia’s WordPress Transporter. This tool makes it easy to migrate a WordPress website by taking care of all the heavy lifting for you.
- The third and arguably the best approach is a hybrid method that combines the benefits of both tools. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Manual Migrating Method
If you’re looking to migrate a WordPress website manually, you’ll need to remove your site’s current hosting and then install the new host. Once this is done, you’ll need to connect the two servers using either a secure or non-secure tunnel depending on whether your old host was https or http. (more on this in a moment).
The next step is to manually transfer all of the site’s content over to the new host. This can be a tedious task, especially if you have a lot of content. To make the process easier, you can use a tool like Myvinew or WP Migrate to create a complete content and structure backup before you begin the transfer. This will ensure your site’s content is not damaged during the process.
After the content is successfully transferred, you’ll need to login to your new host and then merge your old site’s database with that of your new server. (more on this in the sequel)
The manual method is the simplest approach and usually involves the least amount of setup time. However, it can be the most difficult approach as well, especially if you’re a beginner. If you’re looking for a challenge, this is the option for you. But if you’re looking for a quick and easy method to migrate your site, this is not for you. This is also the most expensive option as you’ll need to pay for the new hosting as well as the cost of a premium transfer service like Cloudflare’s Global Translator. (more on this in the sequel)
Automated Migrating Method
If you’re looking to migrate a WordPress website using an automated approach, you’ll first need to install the WordPress Transporter tool on your new server. Once this is done, you can use the tool to connect to your old host and then use the automation feature to take care of the tedious work for you. To do this, simply follow the steps listed on the Transporter’s dashboard.
The first step in the automation process is to take a complete backup of your site. In case something goes wrong during the process, this will save you a lot of time trying to fix things manually. To ensure the backup is a complete one, use tools like Myvinew or WP Migrate to create a backup before you begin. (more on this in the sequel)
The next step is to login to your old host and then use the Transporter’s dashboard to point your domain at the new server. When this is done, you can sit back and relax while the tool does all the work for you. The tool will make sure your site’s content is uploaded to the new server and then optimized for Search Engine ranking. (more on this in the sequel)
The beauty of this approach is that you don’t need to worry about anything as the tool takes care of all the technical details for you. But like any automated tool, this one has a learning curve and you’ll need to spend a little bit of time to get up to speed with it. Once you’re done, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered doing things manually in the first place.
Hybrid Method
If you’re looking to migrate a WordPress website using a hybrid approach, you’ll first need to install the Transporter tool on your new server. Once this is done, you can login to your old host and then use the tool to connect to your new server and do the following:
- Take a complete backup of your site
- Remove all of the site’s content from the old server
- Install a fresh copy of WordPress on the new server
- Point your domain at the new server
This method combines the simplicity of the manual process with the ease of automation. It also gives you the flexibility to migrate at any time without having to worry about anything. The only downside is that you’ll need to spend a little bit of extra time to get everything setup and configured properly. However, this is a small price to pay for an effortless and worry-free site migration.
In any case, you’ll need to keep in mind that this is a manual process and therefore has its limits. For example, you’ll need to be able to log in to your new server and make changes to settings and configurations. (more on this in the sequel)
The Pros and Cons of Each Approach
Each approach to migrating a website has its perks and cons. Here are some of the things you should know about each one.
Manual Migrating Method
Pros:
- The simplest approach and usually the least expensive
- No technical know-how is required to use this approach
- The least amount of downtime as you don’t have to rebuild the entire site from scratch
- This method requires the least amount of effort, so if you’re a one-person-operation, it’s the perfect fit
Cons:
- The least amount of control
- The most time-consuming approach
- The most expensive option
- Need to know exactly what you’re doing, and there’s no flexibility in terms of when you can do it
Automated Migrating Method
Pros:
- The most control
- The most flexibility
- The ability to scale as you need to
- The least amount of downtime as everything is automated
- This is the preferred method for sites with a lot of content because it makes sure all of the articles, images, and videos are uploaded to the new server
Cons:
- More complex to setup
- More expensive than the manual method
- The need to have access to a server with SSH or FTP (depending on which one you use)
- Able to be interrupted during the process (as there’s no way to stop it once it’s started)
Hybrid Method
Pros:
- The ability to scale as you need to
- The perfect balance between automation and control
- No downtime as everything is automated
- The most versatile approach
Cons: