How to Transfer a Site from a Hosting Company to WordPress
The most common question we get asked at this point is, “How do I transfer my site from one host to another?” It is a common question because people see the benefits of moving their sites to WordPress: speed, performance, customization, etc. It is a common question because it is a common scenario for a site owner to want to move their site. However, because it is common, there are also a lot of ways to do it wrong. That is why we are sharing this article. Hopefully, it will save you some time and avoid some of the pitfalls that most people fall into.
Find The Best Suitable Hosting For You
The first step to moving a site is deciding what kind of hosting you need. There are a lot of hosting companies out there, and not all of them offer the same level of service. Some specialize in providing high-quality hosting for photographers, designers, and other people in the creative industry, while other companies are aimed at the general public. Finding the best suited host for you is essential because you cannot expect the service you get to be good if you are not paying for premium hosting. The good news is that we have you covered on that front. Here are some of the best suited hosts for creative professionals:
1)Value For Money
The cheapest hosting you can get has some major drawbacks. Their servers are very slow, and even the cheapest option ends up costing you quite a bit of money in the long run. However, for those looking for a free blogging platform or a low-cost solution to get started, Fast Hosting is a great choice as they are one of the pioneers in the space and have been around for a while. If you are looking for a free blogging platform with your hosting plan, you can check out Blogger as it is one of the most popular and most known providers out there. There are also some great alternatives, like Squarespace and Wix, that offer a free basic blog with their services.
2)Supportive Community
If you are a creative person whose work revolves around creating and designing websites, you will benefit a lot from having a supportive community. For those looking for a free blogging platform with their hosting, the best option is to look into Blogger’s community. It is a great place to get inspiration from other bloggers, learn new things, and get help when you need it. If you run a creative business, this is a must. Whether you are a graphic designer, photographer, or a creative strategist, having a supportive community is essential for your wellbeing.
Now, you might be thinking that all of this is great but doesn’t really have anything to do with you. Maybe you have already found the perfect host and are wondering how to move your site. If that is the case, then read on.
The Importance Of Having A Readable Address
One of the most frustrating things about moving a site is having an unreadable address. When we say address, we mean the URL or the web address, the thing that you will find at the end of a web browser when you navigate to a site. If you want to move a site and access it from a new location, then you will have to update the address of the website. For those looking for a free blogging platform, this can be a hassle. For those who use WordPress, it can be quite an annoying process to find out the right address for your content.
The Biggest Pitfall
One of the biggest pitfalls most people fall into when trying to move a site is forgetting to backup first. As a matter of fact, this is the number one reason why people have trouble moving their sites. When you start doing everything on the Internet, it can be really easy to forget about the little things like backing up your site or transferring your domain to a new hosting provider. Things can go wrong, and when they do, you will end up wasting a lot of time figuring out why something is not working as it should. This is why we are saying it again: back up first, don’t depend on your hosting company to be up and running 24/7/365, and don’t expect the process to be easy. Most people underestimate the complexity of moving a site and the amount of work that goes into it. They try to do it themselves but either don’t know how or don’t have the patience for it. WordPress has a handy tool that can help you with the backup process which we will discuss in a bit.
The Difference In Quality
Just like with any other product or service, there is a difference in quality when it comes to hosting. Some host on fast, reliable servers with a ton of storage. Others are on a budget and choose for shared hosting where they share the server resources with a lot of other sites. You should expect to pay a bit more for the flexibility of choosing what type of hosting you want. If you are looking for a quality product at a decent price point, then GoDaddy is a great option as they offer some great features for free. If you are looking for a no-brainer choice for a free blog with WordPress, then you can’t go wrong with Hostgator as they are one of the biggest providers of shared hosting.
Choosing The Right Backup Solution
If you are looking for a backup solution to save your site in case it gets deleted or damaged, then you have a few options. The first and probably the most popular option is using a cloud backup service. The benefit of using a cloud service is that you don’t have to think about the backup process as much because it is taking care of by someone else. The second option is using an online backup solution like Dropbox or OneDrive. The advantage of these platforms is that you don’t necessarily need to have special software installed on your computer as you can access and use the service from any device. The last option is using an offline backup solution like Clone or BackupBuddy. The benefit of these two solutions is that they allow you to back up your site without Internet access which makes it much easier to use in case you lose connection for a while or the Internet is down for maintenance. Which one you will choose depends on your needs and what is available to you.
WordPress Basics
If you are new to the WordPress world or just want to learn more about it, here are some basics that you need to know.
1. The Name of Your Site
The first and most vital step to setting up a WordPress blog or a website is to choose a name for it. The choice of a name for your site can be a bit tricky, and we recommend trying to choose a name that is as unique as possible while also using keywords in the name to improve your rankings.
2. The Description Of Your Site
Just like the name of your site, the description of your site is another important piece of the puzzle. The description is a short blurb that will appear below the logo of your site in the search results. The description of your site should be between 75 and 120 words. If you want to choose a longer description, you can make multiple posts on your site and link them all together.
3. The Category Of Your Site
Once you have a blog or a website with content, you will start to see the value in keeping it organized. If you want to start a creative blog about fashion or lifestyle, for example, you can use the categories in WordPress to help you organize your content. There is a category for that! You can use the same categories to help you structure your content no matter what genre or topic you are covering.
4. The Logo Of Your Site
Your logo is the visual identity of your site. It is used to represent you and your blog in online searches and on social media platforms. Choosing a logo for your site can be a daunting task, and we recommend using one of the free online logo makers available on the Internet to save you the effort and time.
5. The Header Image For Your Blog
The header image of your blog is the image that will appear at the top of every page on your site. It is a good idea to keep it at the same size as the rest of your site’s elements because it will help keep the balance. It also serves as a good lead-in for the text that follows because the eye naturally scans downwards as you read.
6. The Navigation Bar At The Bottom Of Your Blog