In today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, businesses often find themselves needing to switch content management systems (CMS) to better align with their goals, improve functionality, or reduce costs. If you’re currently using Umbraco but are considering a move to WordPress, you’re not alone. WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms globally, known for its flexibility, ease of use, and extensive plugin ecosystem. However, migrating from Umbraco to WordPress requires careful planning and execution to ensure a seamless transition.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process for migrating your website from Umbraco to WordPress, ensuring minimal downtime and data loss.
Step 1: Evaluate Your Current Umbraco Website
Before diving into the migration process, take the time to evaluate your existing Umbraco website. Identify the following:
Content Structure: Review your pages, posts, and media files.
Custom Functionality: Note any custom features, integrations, or third-party tools.
SEO Elements: Check your metadata, URLs, and redirects to ensure they’re preserved.
User Roles and Permissions: Understand how user roles are structured in Umbraco.
This evaluation will help you plan the migration and ensure nothing is overlooked.
Step 2: Set Up Your WordPress Environment
Next, prepare your WordPress environment:
Choose a Hosting Provider: Select a reliable hosting provider that supports WordPress.
Install WordPress: Most hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installation.
Select a Theme: Choose a WordPress theme that matches your design requirements or customize one to fit your brand.
Install Essential Plugins: Add plugins for SEO, security, and functionality (e.g., Yoast SEO, Wordfence, or WP Rocket).
Step 3: Export Data from Umbraco
Umbraco doesn’t have a built-in export tool for WordPress, so you’ll need to manually export your data:
Export Content: Use Umbraco’s backoffice to export pages, blog posts, and other content. This may involve copying and pasting content into a spreadsheet or using a custom script.
Export Media Files: Download all media files (images, videos, documents) from the Umbraco media library.
Export Database: If you have custom databases, export them for later use in WordPress.
Step 4: Import Data into WordPress
Once your data is exported, it’s time to import it into WordPress:
Import Content: Use WordPress’s built-in import tool or a plugin like WP All Import to upload your content. Map Umbraco fields to WordPress fields during the process.
Upload Media Files: Use the WordPress media library to upload your media files. Ensure they’re linked correctly to your content.
Recreate Custom Functionality: If your Umbraco site had custom features, recreate them in WordPress using plugins or custom development.
Step 5: Set Up Redirects and Preserve SEO
Maintaining your SEO rankings is critical during a CMS migration:
Map Old URLs to New URLs: Create a spreadsheet of your Umbraco URLs and their corresponding WordPress URLs.
Set Up 301 Redirects: Use a plugin like Redirection to implement 301 redirects, ensuring users and search engines are directed to the correct pages.
Update Metadata: Transfer meta titles, descriptions, and keywords to your WordPress site.
Step 6: Test Your WordPress Site
Before going live, thoroughly test your new WordPress site:
Check Content Accuracy: Ensure all content has been migrated correctly.
Test Functionality: Verify that all features, forms, and integrations are working.
Test Responsiveness: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly and displays correctly on all devices.
Check for Broken Links: Use a tool like Broken Link Checker to identify and fix any broken links.
Step 7: Go Live and Monitor Performance
Once testing is complete, it’s time to go live:
Update DNS Settings: Point your domain to the new WordPress hosting server.
Monitor for Issues: Keep an eye on your site for any errors or performance issues.
Optimize Performance: Use caching plugins and optimize images to ensure fast load times.
Inform Stakeholders: Notify your team and users about the migration.
Step 8: Post-Migration Maintenance
After the migration, continue to maintain your WordPress site:
Regularly update plugins, themes, and WordPress core.
Monitor SEO rankings and traffic using tools like Google Analytics.
Backup your site regularly to prevent data loss.
Conclusion
Migrating from Umbraco to WordPress may seem daunting, but with careful planning and execution, it can be a smooth and rewarding process. By following this step-by-step guide, you can ensure a successful migration that preserves your content, functionality, and SEO rankings. Whether you’re looking for greater flexibility, a more user-friendly interface, or access to a vast plugin ecosystem, WordPress offers a powerful platform to grow your online presence.
If you’re unsure about handling the migration yourself, consider hiring a professional developer or agency with experience in CMS migrations. They can help streamline the process and ensure a hassle-free transition.
Ready to make the switch? Start planning your Umbraco to WordPress migration today and unlock the full potential of your website!
Top comments (1)
I have been working with both platforms quite a bit. Saying "WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms globally" is putting it lightly, as it is by far the most popular CMS. But setting the popularity contest aside, I would argue that it is cheaper to build and host a WordPress site, though Umbraco isn’t much more expensive either. However, the real issue is the total cost of ownership and how WordPress sites are built.
I have seen and cleaned up countless solutions with dozens of plugins stacked on top of Astra/Divi + Elementor, making the site slow and vulnerable to hackers. At this point, the site often becomes too difficult to maintain, sluggish, or even compromised due to an unpatched plugin. Just like building a house, if the foundation isn’t properly constructed, fixing it later costs more than building it right from the start.
That said, I don’t think WordPress is a bad platform. Quite the opposite. I believe it’s a great CMS for creating websites when the developer understands the platform well. Especially nowadays, the no-code/low-code approach that Gutenberg offers makes it an excellent foundation for building beautiful sites in the "WordPress way," ensuring a simple and maintainable architecture that you can actually update, integrate and perhaps later migrate from.
I’d be really interested to hear arguments for migrating from Umbraco to WordPress. If the reasoning is usability and design, then why not move to Framer or another fully managed service?