How to Easily Move a Website from Business Catalyst to WordPress

I have been on the receiving end of this question many times. I have a website built with the powerful Business Catalyst software that I would like to move to WordPress. But what happens when you need to do it yourself rather than hiring someone to do it for you? In this article, I will tell you exactly what you need to do and how to make it go smoothly.

Get A Domain Name

You need to obtain a.com,.org, or.net domain name for your website. But because you are going to be moving the site from one platform to another, you might want to consider getting a custom domain name that is tied to your new platform. Why? Domains that are.com,.org, and.net are considered “generic” domains and might not be as powerful as you think. If you are having trouble getting traction with your existing domain name, you might want to consider getting a new one.

Install WordPress

You have decided to move your website from Business Catalyst to WordPress. Now what? You need to download and install WordPress on your computer. With your domain name safely in hand, you can install WordPress in just a few minutes. When you have installed WordPress on your computer, you will need to configure it to work with your domain.

Create A Blog

WordPress is a “content management system” which means it can serve as a blogging platform or a website. The setup is very straightforward. Once you have created an account with WordPress.com, you will be able to install the WordPress software on a local computer or server. Once you have downloaded and installed WordPress on your computer or server, you will be able to create a blog. You don’t need to know any code to do this. Simply install the WordPress software on your web server and log into your newly created account. From there, you can start building your blog. It only takes a few minutes to get up and running and you can start publishing content immediately. Once you have your blog set up, you can move forward with the steps below.

Create A Page For Live Chat

If you are going to be running a business that serves as a support mechanism for customers, you might want to create a page for live chat. When a customer is having trouble with your product and needs to talk to someone, they will enter their order info and then you will send them a link to your live chat page. Live chat platforms like Hootsuite and Skype enable you to build a community and collect leads while providing exceptional support to customers.

Set Up RSS Feeds

If you want to keep track of what is happening with your blog or website, you can set up Feed Reader accounts for each of your platforms. When you have a Feed Reader account set up for your blog, you can subscribe to any number of RSS feeds that are specifically designed for product news, blog coverage, or company updates. When you have a Feed Reader account set up for your website, you can subscribe to any number of RSS feeds that are specifically designed for content on that site. Remember, RSS is “really simple syndication” and anyone can set it up in less than five minutes. Once you have set up your RSS feeds, you can begin publishing content to your various platforms automatically (as long as you have set up automated email sending on the backend).

Create A Facebook Page

If you have a Facebook account, you can create a business page for your organization. A Facebook page is a great way to build a community and connect with potential customers. You can place ads on your Facebook page to promote your website or blog. You can choose to have your page be “public” or “private” which determines whether or not people can see your content (and whether or not you have to approve people’s requests to join your group). The great thing about a Facebook page is that you already have a built-in audience who is already interested in what you have to say. Simply create a business page and start posting often to start connecting with potential customers.

Setup Email Subscriptions

Once you have a blog or website with content published regularly, you can begin setting up email subscriptions for notifications when new content is published. There are a number of tools like Hootsuite and MailChimp that make it easy to set up email subscriptions and send out regular blog or website notifications. The great thing about email is that it is one of the most-used communication tools around. Everyone has an email address and many people use multiple email accounts. So, if you can get your hands on some email lists, you can begin sending out regular email notifications regarding your blog or website. This is a great way to remain connected with your audience and keep them engaged about what you have to offer. It also means you can continue to promote your blog or website in the future via email campaigns.

Create A Slack Channel

If you have the Slack application on your phone, you can create a business slack channel for your team. Slack is a “collaboration” platform that enables teams to communicate and work together more efficiently. It supports real-time text chats, online whiteboards, and video calls. When you have a business slack channel, you can post updates regarding your blog or website and share links to new content. Additionally, you can ask questions about the product, get feedback, and report issues. The great thing about Slack is that it is easy to use and accessible from almost anywhere. So, if you want to stay connected with your team, create a business Slack channel and get started connecting today.

Move Your Content Across Social Media Channels

You can take your blog or website content and use the various social media channels to reach more people. Once you have set up your blog posts on your website along with a few profiles on the different social media platforms, you can begin cross-promoting content as often as possible. Simply post a new blog article to Twitter, then like or re-tweet that tweet to connect with more people.

At this point, you have a functioning WordPress website. You can continue building out additional pages and establishing yourself as an authoritative source in your industry by regularly creating and publishing content. If you want to learn more, continue reading and come back when you are ready to begin implementing the practices mentioned below.