How to Move a WordPress Site to Squarespace and Keep Your SEO Rankings

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform in the world with a massive number of fans. But although the CMS allows for flexibility and a wide range of features, it doesn’t offer any SEO benefits like other platforms. That’s why when you need to rank for your keywords on the search engines, you usually end up having to pay for ads or work with white hat SEO specialists to get the job done.

Thankfully, there is an easy way to move your WordPress site to Squarespace and ensure it continues to thrive on the search engines.

In this article, we’ll discuss the steps you need to take to move your WordPress site to Squarespace and how you can optimize your new site to maximize its SEO effectiveness. We’ll also point out some differences between the two platforms and how you can take advantage of them.

The Basics Of Moving A WordPress Site To Squarespace

There are a few simple steps you need to follow to move your WordPress site to Squarespace. First, install the CMS on your existing hosting server. Then, log in to your WordPress dashboard and click on the “Import” button in the top right corner. From there, you will need to point your domain to the new hosting address and update your DNS records so your website’s old and new URLs are recognized by search engines. Finally, you will need to take some time to manually adjust any existing links to your site so they point to the new location.

The first step is pretty straightforward and similar to other platforms. Once you have installed WordPress on your server, you can use the built-in tools to point your domain to the hosting address and start using the platform. From there, you can either log in to your dashboard or click on the “Web Apps” button in the top right corner to open the WordPress app. On the app home page, you will see a “+” sign. Click on that and you can install a web app from WordPress.com. Once you have installed the app, you can point your domain to it and start using the platform. 

The next step is a little more complicated. You will need to update your DNS records so any searches you previously did to your site can now be redirected to the new URL. To do this, register with the domain registrar you previously used to register your domain name. Then, open your registration email and click on the “I’ve changed my DNS settings” link. From there, you can update your DNS settings for your domain.

The final step is a little more involved but is still relatively easy. When you have updated your DNS records and logged into your WordPress dashboard, click on the “Reading” tab at the top of the left-hand menu. From there, you can select the posts you want to import to your new site by clicking on the “Import” button at the top of the page. You can also choose to load existing posts, pages, or both. Once you have chosen your content, click on the “Start Importer” button.

The Differences Between WordPress and Squarespace

The biggest and most obvious difference between WordPress and Squarespace is the interface. Traditionally, WordPress is a bit rougher around the edges compared to other platforms but it still holds its own as one of the most popular CMSes in the world. Squarespace’s interface is sleeker and more streamlined. It also includes features such as shopping lists and to-do lists that make it more convenient to manage your blog content. 

In terms of features, WordPress has a lot to offer. It’s the most popular CMS platform in the world and it caters to a wide range of users. This means there is always at least one feature available to make your blogging experience simpler and more enjoyable. With that in mind, here are some of the things you need to be aware of before moving your WordPress site: 

Feature Comparisons

When you are deciding which CMS to use to power your blogging platform, it’s important to compare the features available. That way, you can choose the one that suits your needs best. Here are some of the key comparisons between WordPress and Squarespace: 

• Feature-wise, WordPress is the clear leader. It’s the most popular CMS in the world and it boasts a lot of features that make automation and ease of use a breeze. In fact, if you compare it to some of the other popular CMSes, like Joomla! or Drupal, it easily holds its own. That being said, Squarespace’s features are more polished and don’t feel like they are a cut-down version of WordPress’s features.
• Performance-wise, Squarespace is faster than WordPress. This is largely thanks to its web app which, while functional, is lighter than the WordPress dashboard. As a result, pages load faster and there is less of a chance of your visitors experiencing slow website speeds.
• Ease of Use. Whether you are a tech-savvy individual or somebody who just wants to keep things simple, you will have an easier time using Squarespace than you will with WordPress. Even beginners will have no problem using the CMS, as it is straightforward and intuitively laid out. There is also an abundance of information online which can assist you in using the platform successfully.
• User Interface. Another important factor to consider when choosing a CMS is its user interface. When someone decides to switch from WordPress to Squarespace, or vice versa, the primary thing they will be concerned with is the look and feel of the platform. The great thing about Squarespace is that it feels and looks very different from WordPress. This means users will not be confused by the switch and will have a much easier time finding their way around the site. In addition, the minimalist design of Squarespace makes it much easier on the eye and provides a better user experience overall.
• Cost To Use. One of the primary reasons why people choose WordPress is because it’s free. Anybody can download it and use it without needing to pay a cent. This is also the case with Squarespace. You won’t need to spend a penny on hosting, as the platform offers a paid version that is suitable for enterprise use. Nevertheless, both have a free version that is suitable for personal or small business use.
• Future-proofing. For many people, the fact that both WordPress and Squarespace are constantly updated and improved is one of the major attractions of the platform. This provides users some guarantee that the software will be around for the long term. Even if some of the features disappear from future versions of the platform, users will still be able to access their content. This is a big plus for anybody who values their content over anything else.

Keyword Research

No matter what type of content you are writing, you need to make sure that it is relevant to your target audience. This means it must include keywords that are relevant to your niche. If you don’t know what keywords to use, you can always turn to Google Keyword Planner. This free tool will analyze the popularity of any keyword combination and let you know which ones are the most valuable to your niche. For example, if your blog is about fashion, the keywords “fashion trends”, “fashion advice”, “cheap fashion”, and “top fashion brands” may be valuable to your niche.

Backlink Building

If you want to rank for your keywords on the search engines, you need to make sure that your content is connected to other websites. This is called backlinking and it allows search engines to better understand the context of your content. For example, if you are writing about fashion trends, you might want to link to websites that discuss fashion or style. Creating and distributing content that is easily accessible to the public is one of the main objectives of any blogger. Backlinks are a great way to do this and provide your readers with more information about your topic. If your goal is to create engaging content that will keep people coming back for more, backlinks are a great way to do this.

Content Calendars

Even if you are a prolific writer, occasionally you may want to put your writing on hold for a while to take care of other responsibilities. This may mean releasing content at a different pace or even removing some content all together. To keep your audience interested, you will need to provide them with content at regular intervals. Scheduling content releases is one of the key ways you can ensure this happens. Having a content calendar allows you to plan out a content schedule which can be distributed throughout the year. This may mean publishing multiple pieces of content every month or every other month.