Looking for Joomla migration to WordPress guide?
Lots of website owners tend to migrate their Joomla site to WordPress these days. Although the task is somewhat complex, it empowers the admins with numerous benefits. The topmost reasons to switch are improved ease of use, a larger plugin ecosystem, and better SEO capabilities. This guide intends to help you understand the fundamental measures to complete the migration successfully.
Table of Contents
Toggle01. Pre-Migration Planning
Assessing Current Joomla Site
Make an inventory list of everything, including – web pages, articles, categories and tags, media files, user accounts, comments, etc. Also, identify all the custom components and modules. Don’t forget to enlist any third-party extensions that are in use.
Planning WordPress Setup
Choose a hosting provider compatible with WordPress first. Now, you need to select a theme that at least resembles your current design. You must identify WordPress plugins to replace Joomla extensions. Know if custom development is needed for specific functionality.
Creating Migration Timeline
You better set a target date for the projected migration. Additionally, allocate sufficient time for each phase of the entire process. Planning for potential downtime during the final switchover also seems like a great idea.
02. Preparing for WordPress Migration
Backing Up Joomla Site
Create a full backup of your Joomla database and download all files through FTP. Store the backups in a secure and off-site location.
Setting Up the Staging
Craft a subdomain or separate hosting account to install WordPress during staging. Also, configure all the basic WordPress settings.
Choosing the Migration
You’re to select from manual, automated, or professional migration. Time-consuming manual migration can offer more control.
03. Content Migration
Automated Migration
Consider plugins like FG Joomla or CMS2CMS for automatic migration. Follow the plugin instructions to connect to your Joomla website.
Manual Content Migration
Manual migration runs test migration to identify issues. Reviewing all the migrated content for accuracy and formatting is also important.
Migrate Articles/Pages
You should export all Joomla articles as XML or CSV. Use WordPress importer or create a custom import script. Map out the Joomla categories to WordPress categories/tags.
Media Files Migration
Copy the media files from Joomla’s directory to your new WordPress website through uploads. Update all the file references in migrated content to avoid potential issues.
User Accounts Migration
Now, start handling Joomla’s user data for careful and secure export. Import the users into WordPress with a plugin like Import Users from CSV with Meta.
Migrating Comments
It’s time to export all the comments from Joomla. You can easily import them to WordPress using a plugin or custom script.
04. Design and Functionality
Recreating Joomla Design in WordPress
Find a WordPress template similar to your current Joomla theme. Customize the theme by color, typography, and layout to match your brand. Use a page builder plugin (Elementor, Beaver Builder) to resolve complexity.
Replacing Joomla Extensions with WordPress Plugins
Identify WordPress equivalents for your Joomla extensions. Install some necessary plugins, like – contact forms, galleries, social media integration, and SEO tools. Test their functionalities to ensure a proper match to Joomla’s capabilities.
Looking into Customized Functionality
Assess individual custom Joomla components/modules. Determine whether existing WordPress plugins can replicate the required functionality. Otherwise, you’ll have to consider custom plugin development or modifications.
05. SEO Considerations
URL Structure Update
Analyze your current Joomla URL structure to configure WordPress permalinks. Plan 301 redirects for changed URLs through redirecting plugins or maps.
Metadata Migration
Ensure meta titles and descriptions are transferred through plugins. Manually review and/or adjust metadata for key web pages with preserved images.
Sitemap Generation
Generate new XML sitemaps using your chosen SEO plugin. Also, submit the new sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools for indexing.
06. Testing and Quality Assurance
Functionality Testing
Verify every web page and content for proper onscreen display. Test navigation menus and internal links. For e-commerce sites, you should check relevant functions.
Performance Testing
Use Google PageSpeed Insights to evaluate the site’s loading speed. Optimize all images and implement caching. You can employ a Content Delivery Network (CDN) if necessary.
Cross-Browser and Device Testing
It’s mandatory to test the new WordPress website on various browsers. Verify the site’s responsiveness on different devices (desktops, tablets, and smartphones).
07. Data Migration
Database Cleanup
Remove all unnecessary data from your Joomla database well before the migration. Clean up unused articles, categories, and media files.
User Data Migration
Ensure user roles are correctly mapped from Joomla to WordPress. Also, emphasize secure and correct migration of user passwords.
E-commerce Data (if applicable)
Migrate the available product information, including – descriptions, prices, images, etc. Also, transfer order history and customer data.
08. Launch Preparation
Final Migration
Perform a final content sync from Joomla to double-check all redirects are in place. Verify functionality right on the staging site.
Backup WordPress Site
Creating a full backup of the new WordPress site may seem overwhelming. But it’s necessary to store the backup in a secure location.
Update DNS Settings
Obtain the IP address of your WordPress host and update your domain record. Implement Cloudflare to update DNS settings.
Switch to WordPress
You better start putting your Joomla site in maintenance mode. Perform final data sync to activate the new WordPress website.
09. Post-Launch Tasks
Monitor Site Performance
Look for technical errors or issues in the first 48 – 72 hours. Take help from Google Analytics to monitor traffic. Also, check the server logs for any distortions.
Update External References
You must update the listings or directories with Joomla website URLs, including social media profiles. Inform the partners and affiliates about the change.
Implement Ongoing Maintenance
Setting up regular backups is an integral part of modern website migration. Keep the WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated via regular reviews on performance.
Wrapping Up
There is always more to handle after completing these lengthy, complex, and sensitive transitions. However, this comprehensive guide should give you a brief insight to let you accomplish a successful migration. The process takes a lot, but the long-term value will overshadow those difficulties. That’s why website owners are increasingly considering the change without second thoughts.
Contact Tectera a web development company in Toronto for more information.