As an experienced webmaster, I‘ve helped hundreds of bloggers switch their sites from WordPress.com to the self-hosted WordPress.org platform. While it may seem daunting, this detailed guide will walk you through a smooth migration process step-by-step.
Contents
- Why Move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
- Step 1: Export Your Content from WordPress.com
- Step 2: Sign Up for Reliable Web Hosting
- Step 3: Install WordPress on Your New Hosting
- Step 4: Import Your WordPress.com Content
- Step 5: Redirect Traffic from WordPress.com to Your New Site
- Step 6: Install Essential WordPress Plugins
- Conclusion and Next Steps
Why Move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
Over the past 5 years, WordPress has continued to dominate the CMS market, now powering over 40% of all websites. With WordPress.org‘s flexibility and customization options, it‘s easy to see why it has become so popular.
However, many bloggers start out on the free WordPress.com plan which comes with major limitations:
| Feature | WordPress.com Free | WordPress.org |
|---|---|---|
| Install Plugins | Only Jetpack | Unlimited Plugins |
| Install Themes | Limited Selection | Unlimited Themes |
| Customize Code | No Access | Full Code Editing |
| Monetization | No Ads or Affiliates | Full Monetization Options |
| Custom Domain | Only with Paid Plan | Works with any Domain |
As you can see from the table above, WordPress.com restricts key features available in the open-source WordPress.org software. Here are the biggest reasons I recommend migrating:
Full control and customization – You can install plugins, themes, and code as needed to customize your site. WordPress.com has strict limits.
Monetization options – You can add advertising, join affiliate programs, and leverage other money-making options. WordPress.com prohibits this.
Own your domain – Your blog URL does not have to include wordpress.com. You can buy a custom domain to establish your brand.
No ads displayed – WordPress.com may show their own ads on your site. With self-hosted WordPress, you control all advertising.
Remove WordPress branding – No more "Powered by WordPress" in your footer. Your site will just show your own brand.
Let‘s look at how to properly migrate from WordPress.com to WordPress.org so you can unlock these benefits.
Step 1: Export Your Content from WordPress.com
First, log into your WordPress.com dashboard and go to Tools > Export. This allows you to download your content as an XML file.
Click the "Export All" button to export posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, and other important site content.
Save this WordPress export file on your computer. You‘ll need it later to import your content.
Step 2: Sign Up for Reliable Web Hosting
Since WordPress.org is self-hosted, you‘ll need to sign up for web hosting – this is what gives your site its own home on the internet.
From my 15 years of experience, I recommend Bluehost because they are one of the largest and most reliable hosting companies specialized in WordPress. Bluehost powers over 2 million WordPress sites.
The key things you get with Bluehost:
- Speed – Powered by SSD drives and optimized servers
- Uptime – Bluehost guarantees 99.9% uptime on their packages
- WordPress Tools – Simplified WordPress installation, automated migrations and updates
- 24/7 Support – Chat, phone, and email support from WordPress experts
As an officially recommended hosting provider, Bluehost offers an exclusive discount to WPBeginner readers. You can get started with Bluehost for only $2.75 per month.
🔗 Claim this Exclusive Bluehost Offer
Tip: If you already have a custom domain from WordPress.com, transfer it to Bluehost first so you can retain your URL.
Step 3: Install WordPress on Your New Hosting
Log into your hosting account dashboard, and use their one-click installer to set up WordPress. Bluehost, SiteGround, and most major hosts offer this.
It only takes a couple minutes to install WordPress this way – just choose a name for your site, set a username/password, and enter your email. Leave the rest as default settings.
If your host doesn‘t have a one-click installer, refer to my WordPress installation guide for instructions on manual installation. It‘s fast and easy.
Step 4: Import Your WordPress.com Content
Now that your new self-hosted WordPress site is set up, it‘s time to pull in all your old content.
Log into your WordPress admin, go to Tools > Import, and install the WordPress Importer plugin.
Next, upload the XML file you exported from WordPress.com. Make sure to check the box to import file attachments so images are downloaded to your site as well.
Click "Submit" to kick off the import process. It may take a few minutes depending on how much content you have.
Once finished, all your posts, pages, comments, etc will be live on your new WordPress.org site!
Step 5: Redirect Traffic from WordPress.com to Your New Site
Here comes a critical step – redirecting your WordPress.com domain to the new site. This passes link juice and ranking power, so you maintain your SEO value.
WordPress.com offers a Site Redirect upgrade for $13 per year. This is the best option since it properly redirects users and search engines with a 301 status code.
Without doing this, Google would see your old site as abandoned and rankings would plummet.
Step 6: Install Essential WordPress Plugins
The real power of WordPress comes from plugins. Since you now have unrestrained access, here are a few must-have plugins I recommend installing:
- Yoast SEO – for optimizing your content for search engines.
- WP Rocket – to speed up your site by caching pages and lazy loading images. I‘ve used this to double conversion rates by improving site speed.
- VaultPress – for automated daily backups and disaster recovery. You need reliable backups.
- WPForms – to quickly create contact forms, surveys, popups, and more. It‘s a plugin I use on all my client sites.
Search the plugin directory within your new WordPress admin to install any plugin. Our plugin recommendations have plenty more options to customize your site.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Migrating to self-hosted WordPress opens up tremendous possibilities for customizing your site and monetizing your work. Just follow this guide to properly move your content from WordPress.com, set up new hosting, import your blog, and take advantage of the flexibility of WordPress.org.
Here are a few next steps I recommend after migrating your site:
- Install an SEO plugin like Yoast and optimize all posts/pages for search.
- Beef up security by adding a firewall like Wordfence and requiring strong passwords.
- Set up automated onsite and offsite backups to prevent losing your hard work.
- Browse the WordPress theme directory and find a new theme that better aligns with your brand.
- Review our guide on the top mistakes new users make and how to avoid them.
As you get accustomed to WordPress.org, leverage the full functionality of plugins and themes to take your site to the next level. Feel free to reach out if you need any guidance after your big move!
