Move Wix Website To Wordpress

Six Steps to Migrating a Wix Website to WordPress

You've built your website with Wix and now feel you've reached the site builde's limits because your business is growing? Then maybe it's time to think about switching from Wix to WordPress. When and why it makes sense to say goodbye to Wix and how you can move your Wix website to WordPress in six steps, we'll tell you in this article.

What is Wix?

Wix is a cloud-based, modular website builder that can be used to create websites, landing pages and online stores of varying complexity via drag-and-drop without any programming knowledge. The main target group is small and medium-sized enterprises, but also self-employed persons and private individuals. The construction kit contains various elements, templates and designs that can be flexibly combined.

Wix website
The website builder Wix

Wix's pricing structure is also modular: The free basic version can be used to create and publish a fully functional website, but the domain is always labeled with the uncharming addition "wixsite". An own domain is available from about 6.54 Euros. If you want to keep your website free of advertising, you will have to pay at least 11.90 Euros per month. Overall, the more complex the website and the more tools and features are needed, the more expensive Wix becomes. The all-round carefree package costs up to 52.36 Euros per month.

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What is WordPress?

With WordPress, users also can start directly without any programming knowledge. Unlike Wix, however, WordPress is not just a website builder: WordPress is an open source software and the most popular content management system (CMS) worldwide. With the CMS, all types of websites can be professionally implemented - whether blogs, corporate websites, online stores or personal portfolio pages.

Wordpress website
The CMS WordPress

WordPress shines with flexibility: Through themes (templates), plugins and page builders it can be expanded and individualized almost indefinitely. Thus, WordPress is aimed at freelancers, bloggers and agencies as well as small, medium and large companies. WordPress simply grows with your business and is also well positioned for websites with many pages and extended features.

Why switch from Wix to WordPress?

At first glance, you probably thought Wix was a good and practical choice when it came to creating a website for your business. The site builder offers numerous templates and an intuitive interface that even beginners can use to get started.

Already on WordPress but unhappy with your current hosting?

Our support team will assist you free of charge with WordPress migration. We create a copy of your website on a temporary domain, you can compare both sites and switch only if you are really satisfied.

However, as your business grows, the weaknesses of Wix - and the strengths of WordPress - become clearer. You are still not sure that it's time to switch from Wix to WordPress? Here are some arguments that might help you decide:

  • Costs: If you want to use Wix ad-free and with your own domain, you have to expect at least 11 Euros per month. Hosting is then included, but depending on the functions and complexity, a website with Wix can become quite expensive. WordPress itself costs nothing. You only have to pay for the hosting. You can freely choose your hosting provider and compare prices.
  • Customizability: Wix is relatively inflexible. For example, once you have decided on a certain template, it is not easy to change it later. You have to create a whole new website, should you no longer like the design of your old one. In WordPress, on the other hand, almost everything can be changed at any time via themes, plugins and integrations. Using a page builder (e.g. Elementor) you can also create the design of your WordPress website completely free. If you have programming skills, you also have unlimited access to the code of the WordPress website.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Wix is not very search engine friendly and offers only basic SEO settings. Thus, your Wix website has worse chances to achieve good search engine rankings. WordPress is much better positioned in terms of SEO and supports you with plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
  • Navigation and structure: The Wix construction kit is not suitable for large websites (more than 30 pages). Only two levels are possible in the menu, so a complex navigation cannot be realized. WordPress, on the other hand, is a much more professional CMS. Large websites and a lot of content are no problem here.

Further information

You can already find a WordPress vs. Wix comparison in our magazine. You want to know in general how migration works from another system to WordPress? We also tell you what is important when you want to move a Jimdo website to WordPress.

Move Wix website to WordPress - here's how in six steps

You have decided for a migration? Then it's getting serious now. Switching from Wix to WordPress is not straightforward because Wix (unlike WordPress) is a closed platform. That means, unfortunately, there is no direct way to transfer the content from your website with just a few clicks.

However, the migration does not have to be done completely manually in tedious copy-and-paste work. There is a middle way: You can import part of your content via the RSS feed instead of creating everything from scratch. We'll take a closer look at how to do that in a moment.

But first you should take care of two things: the hosting including domain and the WordPress installation. In addition, you need to find a new design for your WordPress website and check if you can implement all previous functions with WordPress plugins.

Tip

For the time being, you should not change anything on your current website and leave it online until migration is completed. It is therefore best to cancel your current contract with Wix only in the very last step, when you are sure that you really don't need the old website anymore.

1. Find WordPress hosting and domain

Before migrating from Wix to WordPress, your first step should be to find a suitable hosting and domain. Because unlike Wix, WordPress doesn't come as a complete package in that respect. You need a place where all your data will be stored and an address where your WordPress website will be accessible for visitors.

The selection of hosting providers on the market is now huge. There are many host, who write "WordPress Hosting" on their flags and entice with particularly low prices. But not all of them actually offer professional WordPress hosting. For the all-round carefree package, it is best to opt for aManaged WordPress Hosting. Hosts who offer this type of hosting are only specialized in WordPress and take care of backups, updates, security and performance for you.

If you have already purchased a domain name, you can transfer it to the new provider via your Wix account.(Domains → Advanced → Transfer → Send code) If you don't have a domain name yet, you need to get one first.

2. Install WordPress

Domain and hosting found? Then the next step is the WordPress installation. You can do this manually or via your host. If you install WordPress manually, it will be uploaded to your server via FTP access. This takes a little more time. Almost all host offer an automatic 1-click installation for WordPress.

You can learn how the installation works with Raidboxes in the article Create your own WordPress website - in 8 steps. In it, we also tell you how to make the most important settings at the start, so that your website is ready for the next step.

And we guide you through the (mostly complex) setup of WordPress. Especially important for the migration are design and functionality, so we go into this in more detail here.

3. Find design and research plugins

WordPress is completely "naked" after installation. So before importing your content from Wix and recreating the pages, you need to start looking for a new theme for your WordPress website. In doing so, you'll probably find a similar theme, but not all the elements you used on Wix. So you may have to get a little creative and rebuild your design.

What is the best WordPress theme for you?

Not sure which theme suits you and how to find the right theme? We have compiled 8 tips for the right WordPress theme. You can also find an overview of the 15 best WordPress themes 2023 and the best free WordPress themes in our magazine.

You also need to take a close look at the features of your old Wix website and see if there are WordPress plugins that can be used to implement them. If not, you may have to compromise and find new solutions.

The bottom line is that this step can be tedious - but it's also a good opportunity to give your website a new look and question whether you even want and need to keep all the features 1:1.

4. Posts import from Wix

Importing blog posts via the RSS feed works like a manual transfer: all data from your Wix website is copied and pasted into the new WordPress website. But instead of doing it all by hand with Ctrl +C and Ctrl + V, the process is automated.

Here's how you do it:

Create RSS button

Create (if you haven't already done so already) an RSS button on your Wix website via the Add Elements panel. To do this, select the site where you want the RSS feed to appear. Then select Blog → RSS Button and drag it to the desired location on site.

Display and save RSS file

Click on the button to display the RSS file for your Wix website. Save the displayed XML file to your computer by right-clicking it (just anywhere on site). Important: The RSS feed contains only text information, no images. You have to download them separately and insert them into WordPress later (more about this later).

Wix Rss Feed Xml File Example
Save the RSS file of your Wix website on your computer

Import RSS data to WordPress

Go to your WordPress Dashboard and install the RSS option via Tools → Import. Then start the import and select the XML file you just saved with your Wix RSS feed. Then click on Upload file and import. After a few seconds your posts will appear in the CMS at posts → All posts.

Wordpress Install Rss Importer
Import your Wix RSS feed to WordPress

Check import

Check if all posts have been transferred correctly. Sometimes the first attempt does not import the entire RSS feed. If this happens, simply remove the posts in your XML file that were successfully imported and then try again.

5. Migrate images

Next, take care of the migration of your images. Unfortunately you have to do this manually. Save all images locally on your computer and upload them from there to the WordPress library. Then paste them into the imported post texts.

Tip: You can also use plugins like Auto Upload Images to speed up the image transfer. The plugin searches for image URLs in the imported posts, uploads the images to the WordPress media library and inserts them into the post.

6. Transfer pages

In the last step, transfer your pages (About me, Imprint etc.) from Wix to WordPress. Unfortunately, there is no automatic option for this (as with the images). So you have to create each site manually. Depending on how many pages your website has, this can be a bit tedious. But in the end it is worth it. And: If you copy the content anyway, you can check directly if they are all still up to date.

Frequently asked questions about switching from Wix to WordPress

Which is better, Wix or WordPress?

The question of whether Wix or WordPress is better cannot be answered in a blanket way. The answer depends on the individual requirements: Wix is especially good for small websites with simple navigation. For larger websites and stores, professional blogs or special designs, WordPress is better suited. Those who want to be ahead in SEO are also better off with WordPress.

Where are Wix sites hosted?

When you create a Wix website, hosting is included in the price. Wix hosts your website in a global content delivery network (CDN).

Where is my WordPress website hosted?

Your WordPress website is hosted on a server that belongs to a hosting provider. The hosting provider provides a certain web space for a (usually monthly) fee. Your website is then stored there and can be accessed online by users. Which hosting you choose is up to you. The best is a package that fits your needs and is specifically tailored to WordPress.

Your questions about WordPress

You have questions about the CMS WordPress? Then contact us at any time. You want to be informed about posts about WordPress and WooCommerce? Then follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or via our newsletter.

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