Migrating your website from WordPress to HubSpot should be a seamless, exciting upgrade – not a headache! Whether you’re doing it yourself or working with a HubSpot migration service, let’s dive into the key steps for a smooth and successful move.
Here’s the 10-step guide on how to migrate WordPress to HubSpot
1. Do a Website Checkup
Your first step is taking inventory. Just like organizing a messy garage, you need to know precisely what you have before making improvements.
List every page on your WordPress site, along with its address (URL). Don’t forget to include every blog post, image, and downloadable file.
Why do this? It’s easy to overlook older pages or content that may seem unimportant but might still bring people to your website or have valuable links pointing to them.
2. Redirect Management
Moving your website to a new server is like moving to a new house – you must tell everyone your new address!
The redirects you set up in WordPress are like your forwarding address instructions. To avoid confusing visitors and getting ‘lost’ pages, you must take these instructions. First, you’ll export the redirects from your old WordPress website.
Then, just like putting your address change information into a new mailbox, you’ll import your redirects into HubSpot. This ensures that anyone looking for your old website pages will automatically get sent to the correct ones on your new website.
3. Check Your Connections
Your website might be talking to other software or tools without you even realizing it! You may have a special section for customers to log in, or your website uses a program to help with payments. These extra tools often have their own web addresses linked to your main website.
List all these connections because changing your website could accidentally break them. You’ll need to make sure those connections are moved along with the rest of your website to keep everything working smoothly.
4. Set up HubSpot
Setting up your domain in HubSpot before your website goes live is smart! Here’s why: when you connect your domain name, for example, digitalfeet.com, to HubSpot beforehand, the website you build will automatically use the correct addresses.
Plus, you can activate security features to keep everything safe. This means your website will launch smoothly, without delays or hiccups for visitors.
5. Build on HubSpot
Now for the fun part – constructing your new site on HubSpot! Choose from these options:
- HubSpot’s migration service: This is where HubSpot’s experts will help you move your entire existing website to their platform. They’ll make sure everything looks and works just like it did before.
- DIY with a HubSpot marketplace theme: Would you like to put a premade design on your site? HubSpot’s marketplace has many ready-to-use website themes to choose from.
- Work with your in-house developers: If you have your own web developers, they can build your website directly on HubSpot’s system.
- Partner with a HubSpot web design agency: These companies specialize in building websites on HubSpot. They can help create a custom site perfect for your needs.
Regardless of how you build it, HubSpot’s content staging tools let you see how your new site will look and work before you make it live. That way, you can make sure everything is perfect!
6. Welcome Your Blog
Moving your entire blog from WordPress to HubSpot can be a hassle. That’s why HubSpot offers a specialized WordPress blog import tool. This tool automatically imports all your posts, from the very first articles to your latest hits.
It’s designed to be fast and easy to use, saving you the headache of copying and pasting everything yourself. Especially if you have a lot of content, this tool is a real-time saver!
7. Automate HubSpot
Your website already does a lot of work for you – it takes in new leads through forms, sends out emails for confirmations and updates, and even handles tasks you don’t see directly.
HubSpot can do all of this and more! By setting up workflows in HubSpot, you can copy your website’s processes and tailor them even further. These workflows act like a digital assistant, ensuring you never forget to follow up with a lead or miss an important notification even when switching to HubSpot.
8. Testing is Key
Testing is essential! Before you show your new website to the world, you must check every detail. Test how all the pages load, make sure your forms work smoothly, and see if everything looks right on computers, tablets, and phones.
HubSpot’s special preview tools simplify this testing process – they let you see exactly how your website will appear on different devices.
9. The Big Switch (DNS)
Consider your website’s domain name as its street address. When someone types it in, the Domain Name System (DNS) acts like a map, telling their computer where to find your website. In “The Big Switch”, we’re giving your website a new address on HubSpot.
To ensure visitors can still see your site, you’ll need to update the DNS records – it’s like updating the map. If you follow the instructions in step 4, this should be quick and easy. Remember, your website might be a little harder to reach for a short time while the new address information spreads across the internet.
10. Final Check
It’s time for the ultimate test! Before your website goes live, let’s give it a complete workout. Click on every single link – do they all take you to the right place? Double-check that images are loading correctly.
Ensure any buttons or forms that you send to other websites work smoothly. Remember those other services you connected to your site?
Test those connections, too! By finding and fixing any glitches now, we’ll ensure your visitors have a fantastic experience from the moment they land on your website.
Growth Awaits in HubSpot
Welcome to a powerful tool that can help your business grow! HubSpot is more than just a place to build your website. It’s a complete system for attracting visitors, turning them into leads, and making them happy customers.
Think of it as your digital marketing toolkit. By carefully using HubSpot’s features, you’ll create a website that works hard to bring success to your business. This is how smooth and easy to migrate WordPress to HubSpot.
