30 July 2024
Move From WordPress.com to WordPress.org: Step-by-Step Guide
Want to move your website from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
Many beginners start with WordPress.com but soon realize its limitations and decide to migrate to the self-hosted WordPress.org platform.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to properly move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
Let’s get started!
Why Move From WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
WordPress.com allows anyone to start a blog or website for free by simply creating an account. It is also one of the free blogging platforms out there.
However, many beginners realize that there are a lot of limitations on their free WordPress.com blog, such as:
- Limited customization options
- Limited ability to monetize
- Can’t install plugins
- Storage and bandwidth limits
- WordPress.com ads and branding on free plans
This is why users often move to the more powerful and popular self-hosted WordPress.org platform. WordPress.org allows you to completely own your website and manage all of its features.
To learn more about these two platforms, see our complete comparison of WordPress.com vs WordPress.org.
Things You Need Before You Migrate Your Site
Are you ready to migrate from WordPress.com to WordPress.org (self-hosted WordPress)?
Not so fast! There are a few steps you must do before proceeding. Let’s take a short look at them.
The Right WordPress Hosting Plan
There are several hosting providers out there. However, not all of them will be right for your needs. If you want to get the best hosting price and features, you should choose a plan that is particularly designed for WordPress.
Without going into depth about the best WordPress hosting plans, we’d recommend Bluehost as your WordPress hosting service:
This is because they provide some of the most affordable plans on the market. They also provide some of the greatest features and support. Not only that, but they are one of just three hosting companies officially recommended by WordPress. Other WordPress hosting providers to consider are:
For a more in-depth look at the best WordPress hosting plans for your WordPress.com to WordPress.org migration, see our article on cheap WordPress hosting providers.
Domain Name Registration
Once you’ve sorted out your hosting, you can go on to the next requirement: domain name registration. Again, Bluehost shines since they provide free domain registration for the first year on all of their plans.
A domain name is crucial to the success of your website and should be considered carefully. While acquiring the right domain name becomes increasingly difficult, it is still possible to get a .com extension for your selected domain name. You just need to take your time.
Check out some of the best domain registrars to register your domain.
Install WordPress.org
Installing WordPress on your hosting platform is easy (Bluehost offer a one-click WordPress install). All you need to do is log into your hosting cPanel and look for the WordPress icon. Click on it and then follow the steps. This will not only help you with installing WordPress but will also allow you to configure your site’s title and generate a username and password for the WordPress dashboard.
With these three steps in place, you’re ready to move your WordPress.com site to WordPress.org. So let’s get started.
Migrate WordPress.com Site to WordPress.org
With self-hosted WordPress installed, it’s easy to migrate your WordPress.com site to its new home. Here are the easy steps you’ll have to follow.
Step 1: Export Data From WordPress.com
To export your WordPress.com data, log in to your WordPress.com site and go to Tools » Export.
From here, you can click on the Export all button.
This lets you export your WordPress site. When the export file is ready, a download link will be available. Simply click on it to download the zip file to your computer.
WordPress.com will also send you an email with the link.
Once you’ve downloaded the file to your computer, you need to unzip it.
Inside it, you’ll find an XML file containing all of your posts, pages, photos, categories, tags, navigation menus, and other data.
Step 2: Setting Up WordPress
Once you’ve exported your WordPress.com data, you’ll need to install WordPress on your web hosting.
WordPress is easy to install, and it just takes a few clicks. If you sign up with Bluehost as described above, WordPress will be installed for you automatically.
If you choose a different hosting service, you can still install WordPress using our step-by-step guide.
Now you’ve installed WordPress, it’s time to import your content into your new self-hosted website.
Step 3: Import Your Data to WordPress.org
To import your WordPress.com content into your self-hosted site, first log in to your WordPress.org dashboard. Once there, go to the menu and click on the Tools » Import.
Here, you will need to install the WordPress importer tool first:
After installation, click on the Run importer tab. It will send you to a page where you will be asked to upload the WordPress.com XML file you downloaded in step 1.
Now, click on the Choose File button to select the file, and then click on the Upload file and import button. This will take you to the next stage in the process, which is the author assignment.
Before assigning authors, check the download and import file attachments box. This is because this file contains all of your posts and media references, and you want all of your content to be available on your new website.
Once done, you can focus on assigning authors to your new website. You can either keep the default authors from your previous site or choose new ones.
If your blog has multiple authors, you’ll have to type them in one by one.
After assigning authors and checking the download and import file attachments box, click the Submit button.
This will start the import process, which may take a few minutes, depending on the size of your file.
Step 4: Setting Your WordPress.com Blog to Private
If you don’t want to redirect your old users to your new site, this is your last step.
First, go to your WordPress.com dashboard. From here, click on Settings » General and scroll down to the Privacy section.
From here, click on the Private option and then click the Save Settings button.
This will make your old WordPress.com website private, only visible to you and other logged-in users that you allow.
Note: If you have a WordPress.com blog website and you have been writing for a while and have a loyal audience, leaving them hanging doesn’t make sense.
Furthermore, if your blog has been there for some time, it is likely that Google and other search engines have crawled it.
By following Step 5, you can keep all of your search engine rankings while easily redirecting old users to your new blog.
Step 5: Redirecting Visitors While Maintaining SEO
Redirecting people to the new address using the 301 header is a common way to maintain search rankings when migrating a site from one location to another.
Because you do not have access to the .htaccess file on WordPress.com, you cannot make changes to maintain search engine rankings.
However, WordPress.com provides similar functionality through a premium upgrade option known as Site Redirect.
Simply go to the Site Redirect page. If you have multiple WordPress.com sites, you will be asked which ones you want to redirect.
On the next screen, you will be asked to enter the domain name to which visitors should be redirected. Enter your new WordPress.org domain name and click the Go button.
And that’s it. You’ve successfully moved your site from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
Conclusion
WordPress.com is a great blogging platform for beginners. However, as your site grows and drives more traffic, the available features become increasingly restricting.
Moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org allows you to add additional functionality, customize the look & design, and grow your site even further with a number of WordPress plugins and themes.
As a recap, here’s how to move your website:
- Export all content and media assets from WordPress.com.
- Set up a new WordPress.org site after purchasing hosting and a domain name.
- Import your articles, pages, and media assets onto the new website.
- Set your previous WordPress.com blog to private.
- Redirect visitors from WordPress.com to the WordPress.org website.
That’s it! We hope this guide helped you easily move your website from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
For more, check out these other helpful resources:
Lastly, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on the latest WordPress and blogging-related articles.
