Want to migrate your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org? You are in the right place. The following is the step-by-step guide on moving your blog to the self-hosted WordPress.org.
How to start a blog on WordPress.org
You need to start a self-hosted WordPress.org blog to where you can migrate all your current content. What does it mean to be self-hosted?
It means that you need to find a web hosting company to register a domain name and host your content so it’s accessible for people online.
What’s the WordPress Importer plugin?
WordPress Importer plugin is the plugin created by the WordPress team to help you move your WordPress.com blog and content to the self-hosted WordPress.org.
It makes it simple and easy for anyone to make the migration. You don’t need any specific skills or technical know-how. You simply follow the easy step-by-step instructions which I’ll explain in this guide.
Is there a difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?
Here’s a helpful infographic that can help you understand the differences between the two WordPress solutions. Read more on my WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org comparison.
Why should I move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
The main reason people move is that they outgrow the WordPress.com product and want something more.
- This could be to save money.
- Have more flexibility and control over how to present their content or monetize.
- To be able to create a uniquely designed website that does not look like anything else.
WordPress.org is the solution that firmly and fully puts you in the control of the complete experience.
How to move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
If you started your blog on WordPress.com and are now thinking about making a move over to the self-hosted version you are in luck.
The process of moving your blog content from .com to .org is pretty simple and can be done in a few minutes thanks to the WordPress Importer plugin. The plugin has been used by millions of bloggers already.
Thanks to the blog redirection feature you will still keep your visitors, your subscribers and your search engine rankings.
Here is my step-by-step guide on how to move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
- Go to the Export section of your WordPress.com blog.
- Sign in to your WordPress.com account.
- In the navigation go into“Tools” and click on “Export”. Choose the free option.
- Here you will be able to download an XML file of all your existing content. Choose “All Content” as that will save all your posts, your pages, comments, navigational menus and such. Click on “Download Export File” to save the XML file on your computer.
- Log in to the admin area of your new WordPress.org hosted blog.
- In the navigation menu, go into “Tools” and select “Import”.
- In the list of different import opportunities, select WordPress.
- Click “Install Now” on the WordPress Importer pop-up window.
- After the plugin has been installed, click on “Activate Plugin & Run Importer”.
- This is where you need the XML file that you have downloaded from your WordPress.com. Click “Browse”, select the file from your computer and click on “Upload file and import”
- After the file has been uploaded, you’ll have the opportunity to assign authors to the content. You can assign the content to a new user, to an existing user or you can even import the existing author from your WordPress.com.
- Last but not least, click on “Download and import file attachments” under the “Import Attachments” heading and click on Submit.
Import of your WordPress.com content into WordPress.org has now been done. All your old content now lives and is accessible on your new blog.
How to redirect your WordPress.com blog to the new domain name
To retain your traffic, subscribers and search engine visitors you should redirect your old WordPress.com blog to your new WordPress.org blog domain name.
In the spirit of WordPress.com, not even that is free. You need to go into the “Store” in your WordPress.com admin.
- You need to buy the “Site Redirect” add-on for $13 per year to forward all the traffic to your new blog. Click on “Buy-Now”.
- Click on “Buy-Now” in the Site Redirect pop-up window.
- Here you will get the site redirect option. Type in your new domain name and click on “Redirect To This URL”.
- Do confirm that the new domain name is correct and click on “Yes, redirect it”.
- Type in your credit card or PayPal details and click on “Purchase Site Redirect For $13.00 USD” to finalize the purchase. Note that your order will be renewed automatically one year from your purchase but that you can disable automatic renewals at any time in your settings.
And that is it. You have now created a self-hosted WordPress.org blog and have moved your existing WordPress.com content to it. Your visitors will be automatically redirected to your new blog too.
You are now ready to explore the world of WordPress.org and take your blog to the new heights. Good luck!
