As an experienced webmaster, I highly recommend migrating from GoDaddy Website Builder to WordPress. Here‘s a comprehensive guide on how to make this transition smoothly.
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Why Switch to WordPress?
Let‘s first discuss why WordPress is worth the move. After helping thousands of clients with their websites over my 15 years as a webmaster, I‘ve seen firsthand the limitations of platforms like GoDaddy‘s Website Builder. WordPress offers superior flexibility, customization, and resources for growth.
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WordPress powers over 41% of all websites on the internet, from personal blogs to Fortune 500 company sites like Microsoft, Samsung, and Ford.
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There are over 55,000 plugins and 5,000 themes available to add any functionality imaginable to your site.
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SEO and conversion optimization is easier with WordPress features like customizable metadata, URL structures, and built-in analytics.
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Migrating to WordPress results in an average of 26% more organic traffic and 15% higher conversions according to Neil Patel.
Let‘s look at how to make this transition while keeping your site running smoothly.
Before You Start: Back Up Your Current Site
Since there is no direct export tool, you‘ll need to manually back up your current GoDaddy Website Builder site. Here are a couple options to grab copies of all your content:
Use a Website Copier Program
For quick and painless backup of text and images, I recommend using a website copier program like HTTrack. Simply install it on your computer, enter your site URL, and it will automatically download your entire site for offline access.
The one caveat is that externally hosted images may not properly save. But for mostly text-based sites, this method is by far the easiest way to grab a full copy.
Manually Download and Save Content
If your site is small or you want more control, you can manually back up your content as well:
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Save images – Right click on each image and select "Save Image As" to download to your computer.
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Copy text – Highlight text snippets and copy/paste into a text document. You can also use "Save As" in your browser to save full pages.
Be sure to get all pages, posts, images, documents, and media files. It‘s better to be safe and over-backup than miss something!
Choose Your WordPress Hosting Provider
Since GoDaddy limits functionality, it‘s best to host your new WordPress site elsewhere for maximum flexibility. Here are some top hosting providers I recommend:
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Bluehost: Ideal for beginners, with 1-click WordPress installer and 24/7 support.
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SiteGround: Fast servers and free migrations for easy transition to WordPress.
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Kinsta: Optimized hosting solution for WordPress with free migrations.
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WP Engine: Premium managed WordPress hosting. Excellent speed and security.
Many providers offer discounted rates for your first term. Avoid hosts without specialized WordPress infrastructure and support.
Once you‘ve chosen a provider, either point your domain nameservers to them, or use their temporary domain if purchasing a new domain.
Install WordPress and Set Up Your Site
With hosting ready, it‘s time for the fun part – building your site! Here are the steps:
Install WordPress
Your host will provide a 1-click installer in cPanel or another control panel. The 5 minute install will guide you through:
- Set WordPress username and password
- Input your site title and admin email
- Choose language and visibility
- Get your WordPress login URL like yoursite.com/wp-admin
Pick a Theme
Themes control the design and layout of your site. Browse the WordPress theme directory and pick one that matches your style and needs.
Install Essential Plugins
Plugins add features like contact forms, galleries, ecommerce, SEO, security, and more. Research top plugins for the functionality you want.
Import Your Content
Manually copy over posts, pages, images, documents, etc using your backups from earlier. Paste text chunks into the WordPress editor and re-upload media files.
Redirect Your Old URLs
To avoid broken links after the migration, set up 301 redirects from your old GoDaddy URLs to your new WordPress URLs. Here are a couple redirect methods:
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Plugin: Redirection or Simple 301 Redirects make adding redirects easy.
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.htaccess file: Add redirect rules manually or use a plugin like Redirection to add them automatically.
Check redirects are active by visiting old links and confirming they route properly.
Launch Your New WordPress Site!
Once you‘ve imported content, set up your theme, installed plugins, and added redirects, it‘s time to open your site for business!
Here are a few final steps:
- Activate email notifications and confirm menus appear properly
- Install security plugins like WordFence to protect your site
- Submit sitemap to Google Search Console for indexing
- Spread the word and let your audience know about the new site
Congratulations, your new WordPress site is now ready to drive growth and achieve your online goals! Let me know if you need help with any part of the migration.
