How to Migrate From Drupal to WordPress (Step by Step)

After I first began constructing web sites, I considered utilizing Drupal. It’s a robust platform, however it was too sophisticated and laborious to study, particularly for novices.

That’s why I selected WP as an alternative. It’s highly effective, simple to make use of, and now, it’s what I exploit for all my web sites.

Through the years, I’ve helped many enterprise house owners and builders change from Drupal to WP. I do know it will probably really feel overwhelming to maneuver your entire web site with out dropping content material or breaking something.

That’s why I created this straightforward information that will help you migrate from Drupal to WP safely and simply. It walks you thru every step, utilizing strategies I’ve examined and improved with others who’ve made the identical change.

Whether or not your web site is small or giant, I’m right here that will help you make the change as easily as potential. Let’s get began collectively!

Why Transfer From Drupal to WP?

Drupal and WP might look comparable. However in follow, these web site builders are very completely different.

I’ve discovered that Drupal, whereas extremely succesful, can typically really feel advanced and overpowered.

Easy content material updates begin taking longer than they need to. Discovering the fitting developer to make tweaks isn’t at all times simple or low cost. And truthfully, the backend can really feel overwhelming typically.

In my expertise, WP is far more user-friendly, which is why I at all times suggest it to folks trying to make an internet site.

Consider it as your favourite on a regular basis device that’s simple to select up and intuitive to make use of. It makes many duties very simple to do, like writing and publishing a brand new weblog publish, including a picture to a web page, or putting in a easy contact type.

Drupal, then again, is extra like a extremely specialised toolkit. It’s exact and highly effective, however it will probably really feel like overkill to your day by day wants. It may be tough to do one thing that’s easy in WP, like organising a customized web page structure.

See my comparability of Drupal vs. WP for extra particulars.

Step 1. Again Up Your Drupal Site and Hyperlink Construction

Earlier than you begin migrating your Drupal website, it’s good to create a secure copy of every little thing.

It’s additionally an awesome concept to again up the hyperlink construction of your web site. You’ll use this data later to ensure you don’t lose your search engine rankings.

Backing Up Your Drupal Site Utilizing a Module

You possibly can again up your Drupal web site simply utilizing a module, or extra superior customers can do it manually (see beneath).

The Copy and Transfer module makes backing up a Drupal web site fairly easy.

Simply go to Administration » Prolong and one can find the module within the ‘Different’ part. Merely click on the checkbox subsequent to the module after which click on the ‘Implement’ button on the backside of the web page.

As soon as the module is put in, you’ll discover it in your Drupal admin menu. It lets you create backups of your database, information, or each. For a full website backup, you’ll wish to again up every little thing.

Backing Up Your Drupal Site Manually

Alternatively, in the event you’re snug with the technical aspect of issues, then you can too again up your Drupal website manually.

First, you’ll must again up your web site information utilizing your internet hosting supplier’s file supervisor or FTP software program.

When the file supervisor opens, click on on the public_html folder within the left menu after which choose your web site’s folder within the left pane. It’s worthwhile to right-click on that folder and create the ‘Compress’ choice from the menu.

When requested for a compression kind, you need to choose the ‘Zip Archive’ choice. After your web site has been compressed, you possibly can shut the affirmation message.

Subsequent, it’s good to discover the compressed zip file within the public_html folder. Proper-click the file and choose the ‘Obtain’ choice. Ensure you retailer this backup file in a safe location.

Subsequent, you’ll must again up your database utilizing phpMyAdmin. One can find this useful gizmo within the account dashboard of most respected internet hosting suppliers.

For instance, on Bluehost, one can find it by clicking on the Internet hosting tab after which scrolling down the web page.

Clicking the phpMyAdmin button will launch the applying in a brand new browser tab.

From right here, click on to pick your Drupal database from the left column after which click on on the ‘Export’ button on the high.

When you find yourself requested to pick the export methodology, you need to choose ‘Bespoke’. It would present you all the database tables in your Drupal web site.

To create a full backup, make sure that all the tables are chosen.

You now must scroll right down to the ‘Output’ part and choose the ‘Save output to a file’ choice.

For compression, choose the ‘zipped’ choice.

Lastly, scroll to the underside of the web page and click on the ‘Go’ button.

The compressed database file shall be saved to your laptop, and you may retailer it safely, together with the file backup you created earlier.

Backing Up Your Hyperlink Construction

Subsequent, it’s good to again up your hyperlink construction. That is necessary for Organic and ensuring that individuals can discover your content material on-line.

It’s worthwhile to make a listing of all of your present Drupal URLs so as to arrange redirects later in WP. This fashion, if somebody clicks an previous hyperlink to your Drupal web site, then they’ll be routinely despatched to the fitting web page in your new WP website.

I like to make use of a Chrome extension referred to as Hyperlink Klipper. It’s free, simple to make use of, and might rapidly save all of the hyperlinks from an internet site. You possibly can simply set up it in your browser utilizing the hyperlink above.

Subsequent, it’s good to go to your Drupal web site’s homepage in your Chrome browser. As soon as there, simply click on the Hyperlink Klipper icon in your browser toolbar and select the choice that claims ‘Extract All Hyperlinks’.

Hyperlink Klipper will do its factor and seize all of the hyperlinks out of your homepage and the pages it will probably discover linked from there. It would obtain these hyperlinks as a comma-separated values (CSV) file.

Whenever you open that CSV file in Excel or Google Sheets, you’ll see a whole listing of your Drupal URLs. Ensure you save this file someplace secure since you’ll want it later.

Step 2. Putting in and Setting Up WP

The necessities for each Drupal and self-hosted WP are fairly comparable. You’ll want a website title and a WP internet hosting account to begin with WP.

If you have already got a website title and web site internet hosting account to your Drupal web site, then you should use them to your WP web site as effectively.

Alternatively, if you wish to transfer to a unique internet hosting supplier, then I like to recommend utilizing Bluehost, which is among the high internet hosting corporations really helpful by WP. They provide WP internet hosting and a free area title for simply $1.99 a month.

For this information, I’ll use screenshots from Bluehost to offer you a visible instance of the method.

It’s worthwhile to navigate to the Bluehost web site and click on the inexperienced ‘Get Began Now’ button.

You’ll then land on their pricing web page, which exhibits you completely different internet hosting plans. Their ‘Fundamental’ plan is ideal for many web sites.

Choose a plan that fits you by clicking the ‘Choose’ button underneath it.

Subsequent, you’ll be requested in regards to the area title you wish to use. That is your web site’s deal with, like www.yourwebsite.com.

It’s worthwhile to choose ‘I’ll create my area title later.’ This offers you time emigrate every little thing earlier than pointing your area to WP.

After the area step, you’ll must fill in your account particulars (title, deal with, and so forth) and your cost data to finish the acquisition.

Bluehost will then ship you a affirmation e-mail along with your login particulars. Maintain this e-mail secure! You’ll want these particulars to log in to your internet hosting account dashboard.

Whenever you log in to your Bluehost account for the primary time, they set up WP routinely for you.

Now, simply search for the ‘Edit Web site’ button in your internet hosting dashboard and click on it. That may take you straight to your WP admin space, the place you possibly can handle your new web site.

And that’s it. You’ve now efficiently put in WP.

Step 3. Importing Your Drupal Copy

To make the migration course of as clean as potential, I’ll present you methods to use a free WP plugin referred to as FG Drupal to WP. It automates a number of the heavy lifting concerned in shifting content material between these two platforms.

First, it’s good to set up and activate the plugin. For extra particulars, see my step-by-step information on methods to set up a WP plugin.

You’ll then discover the importer device underneath Instruments » Import in your WP dashboard menu. You’ll see a listing of various import choices. Search for ‘Drupal’ within the listing and click on the ‘Run Importer’ hyperlink.

This may launch the FG Drupal to WP importer. Now, you’ll want to offer the importer some details about your Drupal web site so it will probably join and seize your content material.

The very first thing it’s going to ask for is your Drupal web site URL.

Subsequent, it wants your Drupal database particulars to get all of your posts, pages, and different content material. You’ll want to offer:

• ⛁ Database Host: That is normally localhost in case your Drupal and WP websites are on the identical server. If not, you’ll must get this out of your Drupal internet hosting supplier.
• ⛁ Database Title: The title of your Drupal database.
• ⛁ Database Consumer: The username used to entry your Drupal database.
• ⛁ Database Password: The password for that database person.
• ⛁ Desk prefix: Drupal makes use of desk prefixes to maintain issues organized within the database. You’ll must enter your Drupal desk prefix right here. It’s typically one thing like drupal_.

You might have written this data down if you first arrange your Drupal web site. In any other case, superior customers can use FTP to seek out the small print in your Drupal settings.php file. Or just contact your Drupal internet hosting supplier and ask for help.

When you’ve entered all of the database particulars, click on the ‘Take a look at database connection’ button within the importer. If every little thing is appropriate, then you need to see a ‘Connection profitable’ message.

Beneath the connection settings, you’ll see some extra choices within the importer. These allow you to management what will get imported, like featured pictures, content material pictures, and different issues.

Simply go away the default settings as they’re to your first import.

Whenever you’re prepared, you can begin the import by clicking the large ‘Begin / Resume the Import’ button. The importer will begin fetching your content material out of your Drupal web site and bringing it into WP. It would additionally import your pictures, weblog feedback, and extra.

The time it takes is dependent upon the quantity of content material you might have. As soon as the import is completed, you need to see successful message.

The FG Drupal to WP plugin also can aid you repair inner hyperlinks.

Typically, after a migration, hyperlinks inside your content material would possibly nonetheless be pointing to your previous Drupal website construction. The plugin can attempt to replace these to level to your new WP website.

Scroll right down to the underside of the importer web page and click on the ‘Modify inner hyperlinks’ button.

Step 4. Pointing Your Area Title to Your New WP Site

Now that your content material is imported into WP, it’s good to make sure that folks will discover your new website once they kind in your area title.

If you have already got a website title to your Drupal web site (like yourwebsite.com), you then wish to hold utilizing that very same area for WP. It’s worthwhile to alter your nameservers to level to your new WP website.

Your new WP internet hosting supplier, like Bluehost, Hostinger, or SiteGround, will provide you with the nameserver data you want.

It normally seems like a pair of addresses, one thing like:

ns1.your-wordpress-hosting.com
ns2.your-wordpress-hosting.com

You alter these settings along with your area title registrar, the corporate the place you initially registered your area title.

Typically, your area registrar is perhaps the identical firm as your internet hosting supplier. However typically, they’re separate. Frequent area registrars embody corporations like Community Options and Namecheap.

It’s worthwhile to log in to your account at your area registrar’s web site. When you’re logged in, discover the settings to your area title. Search for one thing like ‘DNS Settings’, ‘Nameservers’, ‘Area Administration’, or ‘Administer DNS’.

For instance, right here is the display screen you will note on Bluehost.

You’ll discover step-by-step directions for a lot of widespread area registrars in my information on methods to simply change area nameservers.

When you’ve up to date your nameservers, it takes a short time for these adjustments to unfold throughout the web. That is referred to as DNS propagation.

DNS propagation can take anyplace from a number of hours to, in some instances, as much as 24-48 hours. Throughout this time, some folks would possibly nonetheless see your previous Drupal web site, whereas others would possibly begin seeing your new WP website.

Step 5. Setting Up Permalinks and Redirects

Your previous Drupal website had its personal manner of structuring URLs. WP does issues a bit otherwise with permalinks.

As a result of the URLs for every publish shall be completely different, anybody who has a hyperlink to your previous Drupal content material will find yourself seeing a irritating ‘404 Screen Not Discovered’ error in your new WP website.

To forestall damaged hyperlinks, it’s important to arrange Organic-friendly permalinks in WP and redirect your guests out of your previous Drupal URLs to the fitting pages in your new WP website.

Setting Up WP Permalinks

WP offers you a number of completely different choices for a way your web site addresses (URLs) are structured. These are referred to as permalinks.

The ‘Content title’ setting is a well-liked alternative. It creates good, clear URLs that normally embody the title of your web page or weblog publish. This construction could be useful for each guests and serps as a result of it makes the URL simple to learn and provides a transparent concept of what the web page is about.

In your WP dashboard, go to Settings » Permalinks. You’ll see a piece referred to as ‘Frequent Settings’. Discover the choice labeled ‘Content title’ and click on the radio button subsequent to it to pick it.

Then, simply scroll right down to the underside of the web page and click on the ‘Save Modifications’ button. Carried out!

Setting Up Redirects from Your Previous Drupal URLs

Now it’s good to arrange redirects to ensure your previous Drupal hyperlinks nonetheless work. To do that, you have to that listing of previous Drupal URLs you grabbed utilizing Hyperlink Klipper in Step 1.

To arrange redirects simply in WP, it’s good to set up and activate a plugin referred to as Redirection. It’s free and it makes managing redirects a breeze. In the event you need assistance, see my information on methods to set up a WP plugin.

As soon as activated, you’ll discover the Redirection plugin settings underneath Instruments » Redirection in your WP menu.

Within the Redirection plugin interface, you’ll see fields for Supply URL and Goal URL:

• Supply URL is the place you enter your previous Drupal web site URL – the one you wish to redirect from. Simply embody the half after the area title, like /my-old-page.
• Goal URL is the place you enter the brand new WP URL for a similar web page. Once more, simply embody the half after the area title, like /my-new-page.

Make sure that the ‘301 – Moved Completely’ choice is chosen for the ‘Match’ kind (it’s normally the default). This tells serps that the web page has completely moved to a brand new location, which is necessary for Organic.

Lastly, click on the ‘Add Redirect’ button to save lots of the redirect.

Now, you’ll must undergo your listing of previous Drupal URLs and repeat these steps for every URL you wish to redirect. It may be a bit repetitive you probably have a number of pages, however it’s definitely worth the effort to keep away from damaged hyperlinks and hold your Organic intact.

For detailed directions, see my information on methods to arrange redirects in WP.

Various: Utilizing AIOSEO for Redirects

In the event you’re already utilizing the All in One Organic (AIOSEO) plugin, or in the event you’re planning to make use of it to enhance your web site’s Organic, then it additionally has a redirection supervisor in-built.

It’s a robust WP Organic plugin that allows you to simply arrange full website redirects, plus it affords many different options to assist your web site rank greater in search outcomes.

For instance, its 404 error monitoring can simply catch damaged hyperlinks, and you may add schema markup, customized breadcrumbs, native Organic modules, and far more.

Step 6. Setting Up Your WP Style sheet

To make your WP web site look superb, it’s good to select and set up a theme. These are ready-made design templates to your website that management its look, together with the colours, fonts, structure of your pages, and the way your weblog posts are displayed.

There are many free themes and premium themes obtainable for each potential area of interest and trade you possibly can think about.

In my expertise, clear and easy designs are likely to work greatest for many web sites. They appear extra skilled, they’re simpler for guests to navigate, and most significantly, they put the main focus the place it ought to be: in your content material.

That can assist you slender issues down, I put collectively a information on deciding on the proper WP theme. It walks you thru the important thing issues to think about and helps you keep away from some widespread traps.

Then, you possibly can comply with my step-by-step information on methods to set up a WP theme.

Alternatively, you possibly can simply create a customized WP theme utilizing drag-and-drop with the SeedProd web site builder plugin. It is a nice choice if you wish to completely match your previous website’s look with out writing code, supplying you with full management over the design.

After all, in the event you favor, you possibly can at all times rent professionals to design and code a very customized WP web site for you.

Step 7. Implement Important WP Plugins

WP plugins are simpler to put in than Drupal modules. 1000’s can be found, each free and paid. So, I created a information on methods to choose the very best plugins to your web site.

However first, let me introduce you to some must-have plugins that I like to recommend for just about each new WP website:

• WPForms helps you to create all kinds of WP varieties – contact varieties, surveys, order varieties, and extra. I apply it to my very own web sites to permit readers to contact me and collect their suggestions.
• SeedProd is a robust drag-and-drop web site builder. It helps you to simply customise your WP design, create distinctive web page layouts, and even construct a whole customized theme.
• AIOSEO (All in One Organic) helps you optimize your weblog for higher search engine rankings. It’s essentially the most highly effective Organic plugin for WP.
• MonsterInsights connects to Google Insights and makes it simple to grasp your site visitors and customer habits proper inside your WP dashboard.
• OptinMonster helps you create popups, slide-in varieties, and different opt-in varieties to develop your e-mail listing and enhance conversions.

You’ll discover extra concepts in my listing of important WP plugins. It’s full of plugins I exploit and belief.

Various: Get Skilled Assist to Transfer Your Drupal Site

Whereas lots of it is possible for you to to comply with this information emigrate from Drupal to WP, it’s nonetheless a reasonably technical undertaking. Possibly you’re not very techy or are just too busy to do it your self.

If that sounds such as you, then our WPBeginner skilled companies staff can assist. We’ve helped tons of individuals with their WP web sites, and we may help you too.

Listed below are a few methods we are able to make your Drupal to WP migration simpler:

• Premium WP Assist Providers: Attain out to our staff anytime you get caught, have questions, or simply need some customized assist along with your migration. We will information you thru particular steps, troubleshoot points, and even take over sure duties for you.
• Fast Web site Launch Service: Need a utterly contemporary begin with a model new, customized WP web site? Our Fast Web site Launch service staff can design and construct an internet site from the bottom up. And we are able to deal with the entire content material migration from Drupal.

In the event you’re curious to study extra about these companies or in the event you simply have some questions on migration usually, then we’re right here to speak! You possibly can simply get in contact with our assist staff on our Site Aesthetics Providers web page.

Bonus: Studying WP

Now that you’ve a brand new WP web site, you’ll wish to study extra. Fortunately, we now have a lot of free assets that will help you rapidly turn out to be a WP professional:

• The WPBeginner Weblog is the center of WPBeginner. It’s a WP studying library full of hundreds of easy-to-follow tutorials, guides, and how-to articles.
• The WPBeginner Dictionary helps you perceive all of the WP phrases and jargon, like a WP translator.
• WPBeginner Movies stroll you thru widespread WP duties step-by-step, visually, from primary to extra superior strategies.
• Our WPBeginner YouTube Channel is full of WP ideas, tutorials, and how-tos that will help you keep up-to-date with the newest WP goodness.
• The WPBeginner Blueprint offers you a peek behind the scenes and exhibits you our really helpful WP setup.
• WPBeginner Offers provide unique reductions and coupons on WP themes, plugins, internet hosting, and extra.

I hope this tutorial helped you progress your website from Drupal to WP. You might also wish to see our final WP Organic migration guidelines for novices or our professional choose of the greatest WP migration companies.

In the event you favored this text, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WP video tutorials. You may also discover us on Twitter and Fb.