Moving from Wix to WordPress without losing your traffic

Why people move

Usually for one of these reasons: you need a feature Wix doesn't have, the site must talk to business software, the fee grows with the tools you add, or you want a site you can move between providers. WordPress runs on any host, and its files and database are yours.

What moves and what must be rebuilt

Wix explains that a site built with its editor only works on its servers. So there is no file to download and upload elsewhere.

• Text and images: everything can be recovered from the site and cleaned up. Your original images, if you still have them, are better than the compressed ones.
• Blog: posts can also be recovered from the feed and sitemap, if there are many.
• Shop: Wix lets you export products to a file you can import into WooCommerce. Orders and customers depend on the case.
• Design: it has to be rebuilt. It is a chance to fix what didn't work on phones.
• Forms, bookings and Wix apps: they have to be replaced one by one with plugins or code.

The three things that must not slip

The addresses. Wix often uses paths like /post/article-title, which change on WordPress. Before the move I download the list of all addresses from the sitemap and write a 301 redirect for each. Without them, Google and the links you have earned land on error pages.

The email. If your mail is tied to the domain, moving the DNS without copying the MX, SPF and DKIM records stops it. I check them before touching anything.

Wix stays on. The old site stays online until the new one is ready and tested: we switch the DNS, and only a few days later do you cancel the subscription.

How I do it

1. I list pages, addresses, forms, Wix apps and domain records.
2. I build the site on a test address, and you see it before the move.
3. I check speed, phones, forms and redirects.
4. I switch the DNS at a quiet time and watch Search Console in the days after.

I have done Wix to WordPress moves before. If the site is simple and you rarely touch it, a custom site can be better: we talk about it in the analysis. The rest of the service is on the Websites page, and for moves between two hosts see moving a website.

Frequently asked questions

Does Wix have an export button?

No. Wix says a site made with its editor has to stay on its servers, because it depends on its technology. The content can be recovered, but it has to go into a new site.

Can I keep the domain I bought on Wix?

Yes, the domain is yours. You can transfer it to another registrar, or leave it where it is and change the DNS. A 60-day lock may apply to transfers if the domain is new or the owner details changed recently: I check first.

Will I lose my Google rankings?

Some movement in the first weeks is normal. With a 301 redirect for every old address and the same text, you usually return to where you were. Without redirects you really lose them.

What if I stay on Wix?

If the site is enough for you and doesn't need to connect to your business software, stay: Wix is a good product for a simple site. It pays to move when you need something Wix doesn't do, or you no longer want its subscription.

Read more

• The service: Business websites
• More pages like this: Websites with a problem