Steps for migrating from wordpress.com to self-hosted

  • Unknown's avatar
    verbsandvignettes · Member ·

    Hello,

    I’ve been considering options and researching moving from WP.com to self-hosted WP.org for a few months. I’ve read about the process for making the migration alone, but I wanted to check my steps.

    I want to include all the details I’ve listed below. Can anyone check my plan to see if I’ve confused the order, if anything conflicts, or if I’ve missed anything? Here are the steps I have in mind, in the order I think they should be in.

    – Purchase hosting and domain name through provider (plan to use BlueHost)
    – Install WP
    WP.org – Install theme

    WP.com – Deactivate Custom Design upgrade (currently running; I know it cannot be for the migration)
    WP.com – Export blog

    WP.org – Make any theme design changes or modifications
    WP.org – Import blog (and associated media/image files)

    WP.com – Post notifying subscribers that the blog has moved
    WP.com – Purchase site redirect

    Additional Questions:
    – I have read about updating nameservers when purchasing a domain name. Is it true that I don’t need to worry about this when I purchase the domain name through the hosting service?

    Will the site redirect work with all permalinks from my existing WP.com site to my upcoming self-hosted site (meaning, if I use the same URL format, will all post archives work correctly)?

    What about moving subscribers and stats? I have read that after installing the Jetpack plugin, it is possible to migrate subscribers with Jetpack/WP support. What about moving site stats? Do I need to use the same instance/username from WP.com to self-hosted to ensure this works?

    Thank you in advance,
    Kristen

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • Unknown's avatar
    raincoaster · Member ·

    You don’t need to deactivate upgrades at your WP.com blog. You just need to deactivate auto-renewal! And if you purchase the site redirect, you don’t need to make a post saying “We have a new URL” because nobody will be going to the old one anymore. Nobody will see that.

    You do not update nameservers if you don’t ALREADY have a custom domain.

    The site redirect will work as long as the structure you choose for permalinks on the new site is the same as the structure here. It MAY work even if you choose a different permalink structure.

    Only staff can move your stats over, and only after you’ve installed Jetpack. Post back here when that is done and tag the thread Modlook.

    It doesn’t matter what username you have at WP.org. Just don’t use “admin” because that’s too easy to hack.

  • Unknown's avatar
    verbsandvignettes · Member ·

    Excellent! Thank you for all the comments. The post about moving was for proof for an RSS reader service, and I figured so I would have it if I ever stop the redirect.

    I have deactivated auto-renew. So glad to hear about the nameservers, and the redirect links!

    Thank you again.

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