How to Move From Wix to WordPress (Without Losing Traffic)

Wix is an easy way to get a first website online. But as businesses grow, many hit its limits and move to WordPress for more control, flexibility and ownership. Here's what the move involves and how to do it without losing the traffic you already have.

Why businesses move from Wix to WordPress

• Ownership: a WordPress site can be moved to any host. A Wix site can't be exported and run elsewhere.
• Flexibility: thousands of plugins and themes for features Wix can't easily do.
• SEO control: full control over URLs, schema, speed optimization and site structure.
• Costs over time: no ongoing platform subscription, just hosting and domain.
• E-commerce without platform commission using WooCommerce.

What can (and can't) be migrated

Wix doesn't offer a one-click export of your design, so the move is really a rebuild on WordPress with your content carried over:

• Pages and text: recreated in WordPress (usually improved at the same time)
• Images: downloaded and re-uploaded (and optimized)
• Blog posts: can often be imported via the Wix blog RSS feed, then cleaned up
• Products: exported from Wix Stores as CSV and imported into WooCommerce, then checked
• Design: rebuilt, often a good moment for a refresh
• Forms, bookings and apps: replaced with WordPress equivalents

The step-by-step process

1. Audit the Wix site: list every page, blog post and product, and note top pages from Search Console.
2. Set up hosting and WordPress on a staging site.
3. Rebuild the design and pages, then move content, images, posts and products.
4. Recreate SEO settings: titles, descriptions and headings for each page.
5. Map old URLs to new URLs. Wix URLs (like /post/...) often differ from WordPress ones.
6. Point your domain to the new host and set up SSL.
7. Add 301 redirects from every old URL to its new equivalent.
8. Submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console and monitor for errors.
9. Cancel the Wix plan only after the new site is live and checked (keep your domain!).

Keeping your Google rankings

The most important step is the 301 redirect map: every old Wix URL should point to the matching new page. Keep the content of pages that rank well, and keep titles and headings similar. Our guide to redesigning without losing rankings covers the full checklist.

Watch out for your domain

If you bought your domain through Wix, you can transfer it to another registrar or simply point it to your new host. Make sure you keep control of the domain during the switch, as it's the one thing you can't afford to lose.

Is it worth it?

If your Wix site is small, rarely updated and doing its job, you may not need to move. If you're growing, need better SEO, e-commerce or custom features, or want to own your website outright, WordPress is usually the right next step. A professional migration handles the rebuild, redirects and launch so your business doesn't miss a beat.

Sameer Gupta

Freelance WordPress developer and founder of Samverse. Builds websites for clinics, manufacturers, agencies and online stores.