Migrating the Content
In most cases, the two big steps to make here is migrating the visual assets and migrating the written content.
Migration of Pictures and Other Visual Assets
Preparation and Export from WordPress
Inventory: Start by taking an inventory of all visual assets on your WordPress site. This includes images, videos, PDFs, and any other media files used across your site.
Optimization: Before migration, it's a good practice to optimize these assets for web use. This means resizing images, compressing files, and converting them to web-friendly formats (e.g., JPEG, PNG for images, MP4 for videos) to ensure fast loading times and high performance on your new Webflow site.
Export: Use WordPress's export tools or plugins to gather your media files. Some tools allow you to download all media files in a single archive, making it easier to manage the migration.
Importing to Webflow
Manual Upload: Currently, Webflow does not support a direct import of media files from WordPress. You will need to manually upload each visual asset to your Webflow project. This can be done through the Assets panel in Webflow's Designer, where you can upload, manage, and organize your files.
Asset Replacement: As you rebuild your site's design in Webflow, replace the placeholder images or outdated assets with the newly uploaded media from WordPress. Ensure that each image and media file is correctly linked and displayed within your Webflow site's pages and templates.
Migration of CMS Content (Blogs and Other Pages)
Here, there's what's called the ideal approach, and then there's the manual approach.
The ideal approach looks something like this:
Step 1: Download the WP plugin called “Export any WordPress data to XML/CVS” and install it
Step 2: Activate the plugin for the WordPress website that you want to migrate.
Step 3: Configure your export settings and click on Migrate Posts.
Step 4: Click on Confirm & Run Export if all is well and download the CVS file.
Step 5: Create a new Webflow project (and a Webflow account, if you already don’t have one).
Step 6: Go to the Collections panel and choose the option to import the CSV.
Step 7: Import the WP CSV file and map the fields from the file to the fields in you Webflow.
If you get stuck on the last step, we recommend checking this lesson from Webflow University. It’ll guide you through the process of importing CSV fields to Webflow CMS.
In reality, however, WordPress sites are often messy and the content migration process cannot be speed-run. Moreover, the CSV exported from WordPress often needs in-depth configuration to make it suitable for Webflow.
When the automated import of CMS content from WordPress to Webflow is not feasible or preferred, a more manual, hands-on approach is required. This method involves a meticulous process where a developer or content manager manually enters data into Webflow's CMS, ensuring precise control over the migration and organization of content. Here's how to approach this manual migration process:
Step 1: Setting Up Collections in Webflow
Before any content can be transferred, you must first create collections in Webflow to house your content. Collections in Webflow are similar to post types in WordPress, such as blog posts, authors, or products.
Define Collection Structure: For each type of content (e.g., blog posts), create a corresponding collection in Webflow. Define the fields for each collection based on the content you'll be migrating (e.g., title, post body, featured image, publication date).
Custom Fields: Make sure to include custom fields that match any specialized content from WordPress, such as categories, tags, or custom metadata.
Step 2: Manual Content Recreation and Entry
Once your collections are set up in Webflow, you can start the manual process of recreating and transferring content.
Content Mapping: Begin with identifying the key sections and elements of your WordPress content. For a blog post, this might include the title, body text, featured image, author information, categories, and tags.
Manual Recreation: In Webflow, recreate the structure for each piece of content within the appropriate collection. This involves manually creating a new item in the collection and then copying and pasting content from WordPress to the corresponding fields in Webflow.
Formatting and Media: Pay special attention to formatting text and embedding media. You may need to adjust text formatting (headings, lists, bold or italic text) to match the original content. For images and other media, upload these assets to Webflow and insert them into the appropriate collection fields or directly into the content body.
Step 3: Detailing and Optimization
With the basic content transferred, it's time to refine and optimize each entry for the best performance and user experience on Webflow.
SEO Details: Update SEO settings for each piece of content, including meta titles and descriptions, to ensure they are optimized for search engine visibility.
Responsive Design: Ensure that images and embedded media are responsive and display correctly across all devices. Webflow offers tools and settings to help you adjust how these elements behave on different screen sizes.
Internal Linking: Manually update any internal links within your content to point to the correct pages or posts within your new Webflow site.
Step 4: Review and Testing
After all content has been manually entered into Webflow, a comprehensive review and testing phase is crucial.
Content Review: Go through each piece of content to ensure that all information has been correctly transferred and formatted. Check for any missing elements or discrepancies from the original WordPress site.
Functionality Testing: Test all interactive elements, such as links, forms, and buttons, to ensure they work as intended. Also, review the site on various devices and browsers to ensure compatibility and responsiveness.
Performance Optimization: Utilize Webflow's built-in tools to optimize site performance, including image optimization and site load testing.
Alternatively, you can always get in touch with me if you want your entire site migrated from WordPress to Webflow by a professional.