Moving a website to WordPress sounds complicated. It doesn't have to be. Whether you're on Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, a static HTML template, or an AI-generated design, the process follows the same basic pattern. This guide covers every starting point, what actually transfers, and how to go live without touching PHP.
What "moving to WordPress" actually means
WordPress is software you install on hosting you control. You own the files, the database, and the code. That's different from Wix or Squarespace, where the platform owns everything.
Moving to WordPress is two separate jobs: moving your design, and moving your content. Most guides focus on content and skip design. That leaves you with a generic theme that looks nothing like your original site.
This guide covers both. And you don't need to rebuild from scratch. There's a URL-based approach that captures your existing design exactly as it looks in a browser, then packages it as a WordPress theme.
Step 1: Set up WordPress hosting
You need hosting before you do anything else. Pick a host that matches your budget and traffic.
Premium options: Kinsta and WP Engine. Both offer fast servers and good support. Budget options: SiteGround and Bluehost. Both start under $10/month and include a one-click WordPress installer.
WordPress installs in one click on most hosts. Look for the "WordPress" option in your hosting control panel. It takes about two minutes.
Don't point your domain yet. Use the temporary staging URL your host gives you. Test everything there first. Once you're happy, you point the domain.
Your WordPress admin lives at yoursite.com/wp-admin. That's where you'll manage everything from here on.
Step 2: Migrate your design
Your design is the part most migrations get wrong. Here's how to handle it depending on where you're starting.
If you're on Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Shopify, or Framer
Your site already has a live public URL. That's all you need. Paste that URL into StaticToWP.
StaticToWP renders the page in a real browser. It captures all CSS, fonts, animations, and layout exactly as they appear. Then it packages everything as a WordPress theme zip file.
Download the zip. In WordPress, go to Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload Theme. Upload the zip and activate it. Your design is now live in WordPress.
If you're moving from Wix, check the Wix to WordPress guide for platform-specific tips. For Squarespace, the Squarespace to WordPress guide has the full walkthrough. For Webflow, see the Webflow to WordPress guide.
If you have a static HTML site
You need a public URL to use the tool. If your HTML files only live on your computer, deploy them first. Netlify's free tier works great for this. Drag your folder into Netlify and you get a live URL in seconds.
Then paste that URL into StaticToWP. Same process as above.
If you'd rather do it manually, follow the HTML to WordPress theme guide. It walks you through converting your HTML files by hand.
You can also find more detail on how to convert a static site to WordPress from the ground up.
If you're using an AI design tool (v0, Lovable, Bolt, Framer)
These tools generate code or designs that need to be published first. Publish or deploy your design to a live URL inside the tool.
Once it's live, paste the URL into StaticToWP. The rest of the process is identical.
For a detailed breakdown of each tool, read the v0, Lovable and Bolt to WordPress guide.
Step 3: Migrate your content
Content migration depends on how much you have and where it lives. Here's what to do for each type.
Blog posts
Each platform exports differently. Here's the quick version:
- Wix: Export an RSS feed from your blog settings, then use the RSS importer in WordPress under Tools > Import.
- Squarespace: Go to Settings > Advanced > Export and download the XML file. Use the Squarespace importer in WordPress under Tools > Import.
- Webflow: Export a CSV from your CMS Collections, then use the WP All Import plugin to map and import your posts.
- Static HTML: Copy and paste manually, or use an HTML-to-WordPress content import tool if you have a large number of pages.
Pages
Most platforms don't export static page content cleanly. But here's the good news: if you used StaticToWP for your design migration, your homepage and inner page layouts are already inside the theme.
Re-enter the page text using the WordPress page editor. If your theme was generated by StaticToWP, it may include ACF fields that map to editable regions in your design. You edit the text there, and it appears on the front end.
Images
Download your images from your current platform's media section. Then upload them to WordPress via Media > Add New.
If you have a lot of images, use a bulk upload plugin. If your theme references images hosted on an external CDN, they'll break after you move. Use the "Auto Upload Images" plugin to pull them into your WordPress media library automatically.
eCommerce
If you're running a store, you'll want WooCommerce installed on your WordPress site first. Then import your products:
- Shopify: Export a product CSV from Shopify, then import it using the WooCommerce product importer.
- Squarespace Commerce: The XML export includes products. The Squarespace importer in WordPress handles them.
- Wix Stores: Export a product CSV from Wix, then use the WooCommerce importer.
Step 4: Install essential plugins
WordPress plugins add the functionality you need. Don't install dozens. Start with these.
- SEO: Yoast SEO or Rank Math. Use this to re-enter your meta titles and descriptions for each page.
- Redirects: Redirection. Any URL that changed during migration needs a 301 redirect set up here.
- Caching: W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache. These make your site load faster without any configuration needed.
- Security: Wordfence. The free tier handles malware scanning and login protection for most sites.
- Optional: Advanced Custom Fields (ACF). If your theme was generated by StaticToWP, ACF fields let you edit content in the WordPress admin without touching code.
Step 5: Protect your SEO rankings
This step is the one people skip. Then they wonder why their traffic dropped. Don't skip it.
First, match your URL structure. Go to Settings > Permalinks and choose "Post name." That gives you clean URLs like /blog/post-title instead of /?p=123.
Second, set up 301 redirects for every URL that changed. Even a trailing slash difference counts. Google treats /page and /page/ as different URLs. Use the Redirection plugin.
Third, re-enter your meta titles and descriptions. They don't transfer from other platforms. Open Yoast or Rank Math on each page and fill them in.
Fourth, verify your site in Google Search Console and submit your new sitemap. Your SEO plugin generates a sitemap automatically at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml.
Fifth, keep your old platform live for at least two to four weeks after switching. Watch Google Search Console for crawl errors. Fix any that appear.
Step 6: Go live
You've tested everything on the staging URL. Now it's time to point your domain.
Log into your domain registrar. Update the DNS A record to point to your new WordPress host's IP address. Or update the nameservers to your host's nameservers if they ask for that instead.
DNS propagates in 0 to 48 hours. Usually it's faster. You can check propagation at dnschecker.org.
Once DNS propagates, test everything: homepage, key pages, any forms, and eCommerce checkout if you have one.
After you're confident everything works, cancel your old platform subscription. Keep the old hosting active for at least 30 days just in case.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
These are the four mistakes that cause the most pain.
Switching domain before testing. Always test on the staging URL first. Switching DNS before you're ready means your visitors see a broken site.
Forgetting 301 redirects. This costs you rankings. Google sees missing pages and drops them from search results. Recovery takes months. Set up redirects before you go live.
Not re-entering meta tags. Your title and description disappear in search results if you don't enter them manually in your SEO plugin. Do this for every page, not just the homepage.
Cancelling old hosting too soon. Keep your old platform active for at least 30 days after the switch. If something goes wrong, you have a working backup.
Frequently asked questions
How long does moving a website to WordPress take?
The design migration takes under 60 seconds with StaticToWP. Content migration typically takes one to four hours for most sites. Full setup including hosting, plugins, and DNS usually takes one to two days. You don't need to do it all at once.
Can I move my website to WordPress for free?
WordPress software itself is free. You pay for hosting, which runs $5 to $30 per month depending on the host and plan. You may also pay for the design migration tool. Everything else, including plugins for SEO, redirects, caching, and security, has a solid free tier.
Will my Google rankings drop when I move to WordPress?
They can if you don't set up redirects. With proper 301 redirects covering every changed URL, and a matching URL structure, rankings are preserved. Most sites that follow the steps in this guide see no ranking drop. Sites that skip redirects often see a significant drop that takes months to recover from.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. StaticToWP handles the theme generation. WordPress handles the CMS. Plugins handle SEO, caching, and security. You don't write any PHP or edit any template files. If you want to edit content in your design, ACF fields in the generated theme let you do that from the WordPress admin.