Transferring a Website from GoDaddy to WordPress: A Perplexing Journey

Are you considering transferring your website from GoDaddy to WordPress? Despite its purported difficulties, this process can be simplified with proper preparation and knowledge. Allow us to guide you through each step of the transfer process in this article.

Step 1: Choose a New Hosting Provider

One of the first things you should do is select a new hosting provider. WordPress recommends hosting providers that offer a superior WordPress installation experience such as BlueHost, SiteGround, and DreamHost. Nevertheless, before choosing a hosting company, examine their pricing, customer support, and uptime guarantees.

Step 2: Create a Backup

Although transferring your site to WordPress can be a breeze, it’s essential to create a backup of your site in case anything goes wrong during the transfer process. Here’s how to create a backup manually.

1. Login to your GoDaddy account.
2. Go to the “Files & FTP” section
3. Click the “File Manager” button.
4. Select your website directory.
5. Press the “Compress” button to generate a zip file of your website.
6. Once the zip file is produced, download it to your computer.

Step 3: Install WordPress on Your New Hosting Provider

The next step is installing WordPress on your new hosting provider. Here’s how to install WordPress manually:

1. Download the current version of WordPress from the official WordPress website.
2. Unzip the downloaded file and open the WordPress folder.
3. Upload the contents of the WordPress folder to your new hosting provider’s public_html directory.
4. Create a MySQL database and user on your hosting provider’s control panel. Save the login details in a secure place.
5. Visit your new domain’s URL in a web browser to begin the WordPress installation process.

Step 4: Import Your Website’s Content

Now that you’ve set up your new WordPress site, the next step is importing your website’s content, including posts, pages, pictures, and other media files. Depending on how you constructed your website with GoDaddy, there are several methods to accomplish this:

• WordPress Importer: This is a built-in tool in WordPress that allows you to import content from a GoDaddy website. To access this, log in to your new WordPress site and navigate to “Tools>Import>WordPress” and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Export Your Website: If you built your website using a website builder like GoCentral or Website Builder, you can export your website’s content using GoDaddy’s backup tool. You’ll have to convert the exported file to a format WordPress can import, such as CSV or XML, after that.

Step 5: Set Up Your Website’s Theme and Settings

After importing all of your content, the following step is setting up your website’s theme and settings. This includes selecting a new WordPress theme, customizing your site’s design, and configuring your site’s settings. There are thousands of free and premium WordPress themes to choose from, as well as plugins that can add additional functionality to your site.

Step 6: Test Your Website and Launch It!

Prior to launching your site, it is critical to thoroughly test it to ensure that everything is working correctly. Test your site’s pages, photos, links, and forms to ensure that everything is functioning as it should. Once you’re pleased with your website, it’s time to launch it! You can accomplish this by directing your domain’s DNS settings to your new hosting provider.

Conclusion

We acknowledge that transferring your website from GoDaddy to WordPress can be challenging, but with the appropriate planning and expertise, it is unquestionably feasible. Before beginning the transfer process, create a backup of your website and select a new hosting provider that is WordPress-friendly. Follow the steps in this article to import your website’s content, set up your website’s theme and settings, and launch your website. Best wishes!