Movin’ on up

Website owners have a variety of reasons to migrate away from one system to WordPress:

• Simple curiosity: The use of WordPress — and the whole community of WordPress users — is generating a lot of buzz. People are naturally curious to check out something that all the cool kids are doing.
• More control of your website: This reason applies particularly to those who have a site on Blogger, TypePad, or any other hosted service. Hosted programs limit what you can do, create, and mess with. When it comes to plugins, add-ons, and theme creation, hosting a WordPress blog on your own web server wins hands down. In addition, you have complete control of your data, archives, and backup capability when you host your blog on your own server.
• Ease of use: Many people find the WordPress interface easier to use, more understandable, and a great deal more user-friendly than many of the other blogging platforms available today.

In the WordPress software, the importers are added to the installation as plugins. The importer plugins included in the previous list are the plugins packaged within the WordPress software, or they can be found by searching in the Plugin Directory at https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/importer. You can import content from several other platforms by installing other plugins not available from the official WordPress Plugin Directory, but you may have to search on Google to find them.

Preparing for the big move

Depending on the size of your site (that is, how many posts and comments you have), the migration process can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. As with any major change or update you make, no matter where your site is hosted, the very first thing you need to do is create a backup of your site. You should back up the following:

• Archives: Posts, pages, comments, and trackbacks; do this by taking a backup of your database.
• Template: Template files and image files; do this by transferring the /wp-content/themes folder from your hosting server to your local computer via FTP.
• Plugins: Plugin files; do this by transferring the /wp-content/plugins folder from your hosting server to your local computer via FTP.
• Images: Any images you use in your blog; do this by transferring from your hosting server to your local computer via FTP (images uploaded to blog posts are generally stored in /wp-content/uploads).

Table 14-1 gives you tips on creating the export data for your blog in a few major blogging platforms. Note: This table assumes that you’re logged in to your blog software.

This import script allows for a maximum file size of 128MB. If you get an “out of memory” error, try dividing the import file into pieces and uploading them separately. The import script is smart enough to ignore duplicate entries, so if you need to run the script a few times to get it to take everything, you can do so without worrying about duplicating your content.

Converting templates

Every blogging program has a unique way of delivering content and data to your blog. Template tags vary from program to program; no two are the same, and each template file requires conversion if you want to use your template with your new WordPress blog. In such a case, two options are available to you:

• Convert the template yourself. To accomplish this task, you need to know WordPress template tags and HTML. If you have a template that you’re using on another blogging platform and want to convert it for use with WordPress, you need to swap the original platform tags for WordPress tags. The information provided in Chapters 8–11 gives you the rundown on working with themes as well as basic WordPress template tags; you may find that information useful if you plan to attempt a template conversion yourself.
• Hire an experienced WordPress consultant to do the conversion for you. You can find a list of available WordPress consultants, assembled by the folks at WPEngine (a premier managed hosting provider for WordPress) at http://wpengine.com/consultants.

To use your own template, make sure that you save all the template files, the images, and the stylesheet from your previous blog setup. You need them to convert the template(s) for use in WordPress.

Hundreds of free templates are available for use with WordPress, so it may be a lot easier to abandon the template you’re currently working with and find a free WordPress template that you like. If you’ve paid to have a custom design done for your blog, contact the designer of your theme and hire him to perform the template conversion for you. Also, you can hire several WordPress consultants to perform the conversion for you — including yours truly.

Moving your website to WordPress

You’ve packed all your stuff and you have your new place prepared. Moving day has arrived! This section takes you through the steps for moving your site from one platform to WordPress. This section assumes that you already have the WordPress software installed and configured on your own domain.

Find the import function that you need by following these steps:

1. In the Dashboard, click the Import link on the Tools menu.

   The Import page opens, listing platforms from which you can import content (such as Blogger and Movable Type). Figure 14-7 shows the Import page in the WordPress Dashboard.

2. Click the link for the blogging platform you’re working with.

   Click the Install Now button to install the importer plugin to begin using it.

The following sections provide some import directions for a few of the most popular content management systems (other than WordPress, that is). Each platform has its own content export methods, so be sure to check the documentation for the platform that you’re using.

Importing from Blogger

Blogger is the blogging application owned by Google (it’s also called Blogspot).

To begin the import process, first complete the steps in the “Moving your website to WordPress” section, earlier in this chapter. Then follow these steps:

1. Click the Blogger link on the Import page and install the plugin for importing from Blogger.

   Click the Activate Plugin & Install Importer link, and the Import Blogger page loads with instructions to import your file, as shown in Figure 14-8.

2. Click the Authorize button to tell WordPress to access your account.

   A page from Google opens with a message that says your WordPress blog is trying to access your Google account.

3. Enter the email address and password you use for Google; then click the Sign In button.

   The Access Request page in your Google Account opens. When you have successfully logged in, you receive a message from Google stating that your blog at WordPress is requesting access to your Blogger account so that it can post entries on your behalf.

4. Give your permission by clicking the Allow Access button on the Access Request page.

   If you have many posts and comments in your Blogger blog, the import can take 30 minutes or more.

   After the import script has performed its magic, you’re redirected to your WordPress Dashboard, where the name of your Blogger blog is listed.

5. To finish importing the data from Blogger, click the Import button (below the Magic Button header).

   The text on the button changes to Importing … while the import takes place. When the import is complete, the text on the button changes to Set Authors (no wonder it’s called the Magic Button!).

6. Click the Set Authors button to assign the authors to the posts.

   The Blogger username appears on the left side of the page; a drop-down menu on the right side of the page displays the WordPress login name.

7. Assign authors using the drop-down menu.

   If you have just one author on each blog, the process is especially easy: Use the drop-down menu on the right to assign the WordPress login to your Blogger username. If you have multiple authors on both blogs, each Blogger username is listed on the left side with a drop-down menu to the right of each username. Select a WordPress login for each Blogger username to make the author assignments.

8. Click Save Changes.

   You’re done!

Importing from LiveJournal

Both WordPress.com and WordPress.org offer an import script for LiveJournal users, and the process of importing from LiveJournal to WordPress is the same for each platform.

To export your blog content from LiveJournal, log in to your LiveJournal blog and then type this URL in your browser’s address bar: www.livejournal.com/login.bml?returnto=%2Fexport.bml.

LiveJournal lets you export the XML files one month at a time, so if you have a blog with several months’ worth of posts, be prepared to be at this process for a while. First, you have to export the entries one month at a time and then you have to import them into WordPress — yep, you guessed it — one month at a time.

To speed up the process a little, you can save all the exported XML LiveJournal files in one text document by copying and pasting each month’s XML file into one plain-text file (created in a text editor such as Notepad), thereby creating one long XML file with all the posts from your LiveJournal blog. You can then save the file as an XML file to prepare it for import into your WordPress blog.

After you export the XML file from LiveJournal, return to the Import page in your WordPress Dashboard and follow these steps:

1. Click the LiveJournal link and install the plugin for installing from LiveJournal.

   Click the Activate Plugin & Install Importer link, and the Import LiveJournal page loads with instructions to import your file, as shown in Figure 14-9.

2. Click the Browse button.

   A window opens, listing files on your computer.

3. Double-click the name of the XML file you saved earlier.

4. Click the Upload and Import button.

   When the import script finishes, it reloads the page with a confirmation message that the process is complete. Then WordPress runs the import script and brings over all your posts from your LiveJournal blog.

Importing from Movable Type and TypePad

Movable Type and TypePad were created by the same company, Six Apart. These two blogging platforms run on essentially the same code base, so the import/export procedure is basically the same for both. Refer to Table 14-1 for details on how to run the export process in both Movable Type and TypePad. This import script moves all your blog posts, comments, and trackbacks to your WordPress blog.

Go to the Import page in your WordPress Dashboard by following Steps 1 and 2 in the “Moving your website to WordPress” section, earlier in this chapter. Then follow these steps:

1. Click the Movable Type and TypePad link and install the plugin for importing from Movable Type and TypePad.

   Click the Activate Plugin & Install Importer link, and the Import Movable Type or TypePad page loads with instructions to import your file, as shown in Figure 14-10.

2. Click the Browse button.

   A window opens, listing your files.

3. Double-click the name of the export file you saved from your Movable Type or TypePad blog.

4. Click the Upload File and Import button.

   Sit back and let the import script do its magic. When it’s done, it reloads the page with a confirmation message that the process is complete.

When the import script is done, you can assign users to the posts, matching the Movable Type or TypePad usernames with WordPress usernames. If you have just one author on each blog, this process is easy; you simply assign your WordPress login to the Movable Type or TypePad username using the drop-down menu. If you have multiple authors on both blogs, match the Movable Type or TypePad usernames with the correct WordPress login names and then click Save Changes. You’re done!

Importing from an RSS feed

If all else fails, or if WordPress doesn’t provide an import script that you need for your current blog platform, you can import your blog data via the RSS feed for the blog you want to import. With the RSS import method, you can import only posts; you can’t use this method to import comments, trackbacks, categories, or users. WordPress.com currently does not allow you to import blog data via an RSS feed; this function works only with the self-hosted WordPress.org platform.

Refer to Table 14-1 for information on creating the file you need to import via RSS. Then follow these steps:

1. On the Import page in the WordPress Dashboard, click the RSS link and install the plugin to import from an RSS feed.

   Click the Activate & Install link, and the Import RSS page loads with instructions to import your RSS file, as shown in Figure 14-12.

2. Click the Browse button.

   A window opens, listing the files on your computer.

3. Double-click the export file you saved earlier from your RSS feed.

4. Click the Upload File and Import button.

   The import script does its magic and then reloads the page with a confirmation message that the process is complete.

Finding other import resources

The WordPress Codex has a long list of other available scripts, plugins, workarounds, and outright hacks for importing from other platforms. You can find that information at http://codex.wordpress.org/Importing_Content.

Note: The WordPress Codex is run by a group of volunteers. When you refer to the Codex, be aware that not everything listed in it is necessarily up to date or accurate, including import information (or any other information about running your WordPress blog).

Creating a backup and moving manually

Earlier in this chapter, in “Backing Up Your Database,” I provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to make a backup of your database using phpMyAdmin. Follow the steps in that section and you will have a backup of your database with all the recent content you’ve published to your blog. However, when I say “content,” I mean the content that you (or others) have written or typed into your blog via the WordPress Dashboard, including

• Blog posts, pages, and custom post types
• Links, categories, and tags
• Post and page options, such as excerpts, time and date, custom fields, categories, tags, and passwords
• WordPress settings you configured under the Settings menu in the Dashboard
• All widgets that you’ve created and configured
• All plugin options that you configured for the plugins you installed

Other elements of your website aren’t stored in the database, which you need to download, via FTP, from your web server. The following is a list of those elements, including instructions on where to find them and how to download them to your local computer:

• Media files: These are the files you uploaded using the WordPress media upload feature, including images, videos, audio files, and documents. Media files are located in the /wp-content/uploads/ folder; connect to your web server via FTP and download that folder to your local computer.
• Plugin files: Although all the plugin settings are stored in the database, the actual plugin files that contain the programming code are not. The plugin files are located in the /wp-content/plugins/ folder; connect to your web server via FTP and download that folder to your local computer.
• Theme files: Widgets and options you’ve set for your current theme are stored in the database; however, the theme template files, images, and stylesheets are not. They are stored in the /wp-content/themes folder; connect to your web server via FTP and download that folder to your local computer.

Now that you have your database and WordPress files stored safely on your local computer, moving them to a new host just involves reversing the process:

1. Create a new database on your new hosting account.

   You can find the steps for creating a database in Chapter 3.

2. Import your database backup into the new database you just created:
   1. Log in to the cPanel for your hosting account.
   2. Click the phpMyAdmin icon and click the name of your new database in the left menu.
   3. Click the Import tab at the top.
   4. Click the Browse button and select the database backup from your local computer.
   5. Click the Go button, and the old database imports into the new.

3. Install WordPress on your new hosting account.

   See Chapter 3 for the steps to install WordPress.

4. Edit the wp-config.php file to include your new database name, username, password, and host.
5. Upload all that you downloaded from the /wp-content/ folder to your new hosting account.

6. In your web browser, browse to your domain.

   Your website should work, and you are able to log on to the WordPress Dashboard using the same username and password as before because that information is stored in the database you imported.

Using a plugin to back up and move to a new host

A plugin that I use on a regular basis to move a WordPress website from one hosting environment to another is aptly named BackupBuddy. This plugin isn’t free or available in the WordPress Plugin Directory — you need to pay for it, but it’s worth every single penny because it takes the entire backup and migration process and makes mincemeat out of it. This means that it’s very easy, and you can be done in minutes instead of hours. You can purchase the BackupBuddy plugin from iThemes at https://ithemes.com/purchase/backupbuddy — currently pricing starts at $80 per year. Once you’ve purchased it, you can download the plugin and install it (see plugin installation instructions in Chapter 7) and follow the instructions given to you in the WordPress Dashboard to make a backup copy of your website and move it to another server.