Perplexing and Bursty Guide to Moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org

Introduction

Do you know that WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS), powering millions of websites, such as e-commerce sites, blogs, and more? Nonetheless, WordPress offers two types of services, WordPress.com and WordPress.org, where you can choose based on your preference and needs.

What is WordPress.com?

WordPress.com is an entirely free platform offering hosting and basic functionality for bloggers and website owners. It’s beneficial if you have a tight budget because you don’t need to spend anything. However, when it comes to more design options, plugin customization, and e-commerce capabilities, WordPress.org is the perfect fit for you.

What is WordPress.org?

WordPress.org is a self-hosted solution that empowers people to have complete control over their website. It offers more design options, plugin customization, and e-commerce capabilities, enabling your website to be one of a kind.

Steps for Upgrading from WordPress.com to WordPress.org

Moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org can be a daunting task, but if you read this guide, you will go through the necessary steps you need to take.

Step 1: Choose a Hosting Provider

When it comes to moving your website from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, you need to choose a hosting provider first. Hosting provider means the company where you purchase a server to store all your website files and data. Luckily, hosting providers such as SiteGround, WP Engine, and Bluehost, offer one-click WordPress installation for easy setup.

Step 2: Export Your Content from WordPress.com

As you move your website from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, you must export your content, including posts, pages, comments, and media files, by generating an XML file to store everything. To do that, go to the tools section and click on the export button, choose the content you want to import to WordPress.org, and WordPress.com will create the XML file.

Step 3: Set Up WordPress.org

After choosing a hosting provider, you need to set up WordPress.org on your self-hosted website. To do that, install WordPress on your hosting account, and remember to configure your site settings.

Step 4: Import Your Content to WordPress.org

After successfully setting up your WordPress.org account, you can now import the XML file previously exported from WordPress.com. Navigate to the tools section in your WordPress.org dashboard and click on the Import button. Then, choose the WordPress option and upload the XML file.

Step 5: Set Up Your Website Design and Functionality

Customization is key when it comes to a self-hosted website. Choose a theme that fits your website’s style and customize it to your liking. WordPress.org offers thousands of free and paid plugins you can install to add functionality to your site, such as SEO optimization, e-commerce-related plugins, and social media sharing.

Step 6: Redirect Your Domain

Sure, you want your website to function seamlessly as it did on WordPress.com. This requires redirecting your domain from WordPress.com to WordPress.org by changing the DNS settings for your domain registrar account. Bear in mind that changes may take several hours or up to days to take effect.

Step 7: Move Your Email

Finally, don’t forget to transfer your email address from WordPress.com to your new hosting provider. This requires creating a new email account with your hosting provider and forwarding any existing emails from your WordPress.com email address, including following your hosting provider’s specific directions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org is a complicated process that requires significant attention to detail, but this guide breaks it down into manageable steps. With these steps, you’ll be well on your way to a successful move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, enabling you to take advantage of the powerful features and customization options that WordPress.org brings.