Migrating from Wix or Webnode to WordPress: Step-by-Step Guide

Migrating from Wix to WordPress or from Webnode is not an automatic transfer. Neither platform allows exporting your entire site in a standard format - only blog posts transfer automatically via RSS. Static pages, images and meta descriptions move manually. For a site with 10 to 20 pages, budget several days of work. If your Google rankings matter, setting up 301 redirects when migrating from Wix to WordPress is not optional - it is a requirement.

Why businesses migrate from Wix and Webnode to WordPress

Wix and Webnode are legitimate platforms for businesses that need a website quickly and without a developer. The problem comes when the site grows. If you are wondering whether it is time for a change, read 5 signs it is time to redesign your website - platform limitations are one of them.

The most common reasons clients come to us for migration:

• Limited SEO control. Wix offers basic SEO settings - page title, meta description, URL. Granular redirect management, schema markup, breadcrumb configuration and canonical URL handling are missing. Webnode has similar limitations. For content that needs to grow organically, this is a ceiling.
• Template lock-in. In Wix, switching templates does not carry over your content - you rebuild the entire site from scratch in the new design. That is the same effort as migrating to another platform, but you remain in the same restricted environment.
• Growing feature requirements. Blog, bookings, CRM integration, custom forms - WordPress has a plugin for every use case. Both Wix and Webnode have app marketplaces, but with fewer options and weaker integration with external systems.
• Data ownership. WordPress installs on your own hosting - the database, files and code are yours. Wix and Webnode run your site on their servers; you have no direct access to the database or file system.

What to prepare before migrating from Wix to WordPress

Good preparation saves hours of troubleshooting. Before starting the migration, complete these steps:

1. Content backup

From Wix, export blog posts via RSS (Site Settings › Backup). Webnode offers content export through the admin interface. Static pages - About, Contact, Services - copy manually into a text file. Record all text, headings, meta descriptions and image alt texts for each page.

2. URL inventory

List all current URLs on your site. Every URL that changes after migration needs a 301 redirect. Export the indexed URL report from Search Console (Performance › Download to CSV) - you get a baseline and the list of URLs Google knows about.

3. Image backup

Neither Wix nor Webnode allows bulk image export directly from the editor. Download images from the site via your browser or Google Cache - or use the original files if you have them saved locally. This is a good time to review alt texts and remove images you no longer need.

4. SEO baseline

Download the last 90 days of performance data from Google Search Console (clicks, impressions, average position). After migration you will need these numbers as a reference point - without them you cannot tell whether the migration improved or hurt your rankings.

Migration step by step

Step 1: Hosting and WordPress installation

WordPress is an open-source CMS - download it for free at wordpress.org and install it on your own hosting. We recommend hosting with EU data centres, HTTP/2 support and daily backups.

Step 2: Theme and design

Unlike Wix or Webnode, a WordPress theme can be customised without restrictions. For a clean result with good Core Web Vitals we use a custom theme without a page-builder - clean code does not get bloated with scripts. If you are coming from Elementor or another page-builder, we covered the process in our guide to migrating from Elementor to a clean WordPress theme.

Step 3: Content transfer

Blog posts: import the RSS export from Wix via WordPress › Tools › Import. Check each post - formatting can break during RSS import.

Static pages: manually transfer content into WordPress Pages. Keep the same URL slugs where possible - this minimises the number of redirects needed.

Images: upload to the WordPress Media Library and link within the content. Check alt texts - they matter for both SEO and accessibility.

Step 4: 301 redirects

For every URL that has changed, set up a 301 redirect from the old address to the new one. You can do this via a redirect management plugin in WordPress or directly in the .htaccess file on your hosting. According to Google Search Central guidelines, keep redirects active for at least 180 days - longer if you still see traffic to the original URLs. A redirect is not a backup - it is a GPS that guides Google from an address it knows to the new one.

Step 5: Search Console, sitemap and testing

If you are changing domain, use the Change of Address tool in Google Search Console - it helps Google process the switch faster. Submit the new sitemap. Before going live, test: speed via PageSpeed Insights (target LCP under 2.5 s), all internal links, the contact form, SSL certificate and mobile display. An SEO audit after migration will surface anything that still needs attention.

SEO risks during migration - overview

Risk	Likelihood	Prevention
Ranking drop after URL changes	High (without redirects)	301 redirect for every changed URL
Temporary dip during re-indexing	Medium	Submit sitemap immediately, monitor Search Console
Duplicate content (both sites online)	Medium	Redirect old domain before Google re-indexes
Slow new site	Depends on theme	Clean theme without page-builder, optimise images
Broken internal links	Medium	Check all internal links after content transfer

Estimated cost and duration

Indicative figures from our practice (prices as of June 2026):

Site scope	Work time	Indicative price
Up to 5 pages, no blog	1 - 2 days	from 400 €
5 - 20 pages + blog	3 - 5 days	from 900 €
E-shop or larger site	1 - 3 weeks	from 2 000 €

Indicative figures - actual cost depends on scope, content volume and design requirements. We confirm the exact amount after a short consultation. See also how much a website redesign costs in 2026.

In practice - what we see repeatedly

When migrating sites from Wix and Webnode we see the same problems again and again:

Missing redirects. Clients transfer content themselves before contacting us but set up redirects only partially or not at all. Google then indexes dozens of 404 pages and rankings fall.

Lost images. Original image files are gone - they exist only in the Wix or Webnode library. On the new site, images end up downloaded from browser cache at lower quality, and some are missing entirely.

Empty SEO fields. RSS import transfers post content, not meta descriptions or focus keywords. The result is a new site with blank SEO fields for dozens of pages - which takes time to fill in.

Non-descriptive URL structure. Wix generates URLs in its own format, which may not be descriptive. Moving to WordPress is an opportunity to set clean, descriptive URL slugs - but every change needs a redirect.

Speed after migration. WordPress on quality hosting with a clean theme achieves better Core Web Vitals than the average Wix or Webnode site. Poor hosting or a plugin-heavy theme will cancel out the advantage. How to measure site speed before and after migration is covered in our website speed measurement guide.

Conclusion

Migrating from Wix or Webnode to WordPress is not a one-time action - it is a project where one missed detail can cost a month of SEO work. If you are doing the migration yourself, follow this guide and keep an eye on Search Console. If you want certainty, we handle website redesign and migration from content backup through redirects to a post-launch SEO check. Free consultation - we reply within 24 hours.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Can I migrate from Wix to WordPress myself?

Yes, for a smaller site you can handle it - import the blog via RSS, transfer static pages manually and set up redirects with a plugin. For a larger site or if SEO rankings matter, consider at least a consultation - one missed redirect can undo months of work.

Will I lose Google rankings when migrating from Wix to WordPress?

A temporary dip is common but does not have to be permanent. With 301 redirects for every changed URL, quick sitemap submission and the Change of Address tool in Search Console, Google typically restores rankings within a few weeks.

Why does Wix not allow exporting the whole website?

Wix is a closed platform - your content runs on their servers in a proprietary format. You can only export blog posts via RSS; static pages, images and SEO settings cannot be exported and must be transferred manually.

How long does migration from Webnode to WordPress take?

For a site with up to 10 pages, budget 2 to 3 days of work including redirects and testing. A site with a large blog or e-shop can take one to three weeks - it depends on the amount of content and design requirements.

Is WordPress faster than Wix or Webnode after migration?

It depends on hosting and theme. WordPress on quality hosting with a clean theme without a page-builder achieves better Core Web Vitals than the average Wix or Webnode site - but poor hosting or a heavy theme will cancel out the advantage. Always test speed via PageSpeed Insights before going live.