How to Migrate Your WordPress Site to a New Home

You wake up one morning and realize your current web host just isn't cutting it anymore. Maybe your site has outgrown their basic shared hosting plan. 

Or perhaps, their uptime and support just aren't up to par. Whatever the reason, it's clear the time has come to move your WordPress site over to a new home.

But where do you even start? 

Luckily, it doesn't have to be hard. Here's your guide to smoothly transitioning your site to new hosting.

Choosing Your New WordPress Host

The first step is finding a hosting provider that can fully support your WordPress site. You'll want to consider factors like:

1. Speed - Look for fast and reliable servers so your site loads at lightning speed for visitors. Lag time is no good!
2. Uptime - We want to find a host with proven uptime in the 99% range. You don't want your site crashing constantly!
3. Storage - Make sure to get a hosting plan with ample disk space for your site's size and future growth.
4. Support - Pick a host with stellar 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat, tickets so help is there when you need it.
5. Managed WordPress - Consider hosts with specialized managed WordPress plans that handle updates, backups, caching, security, and more behind-the-scenes.
6. Budget - No need to break the bank! Find a host that provides excellent value for your budget.

Do your homework and research hosts that really excel in these areas. Check reviews and talk to their sales reps to get all your questions answered. Then narrow it down to the top contender hosts and compare their WordPress offerings side-by-side. You'll know the right fit when you see it.

Backing Up Your Site for a Smooth Move

Now before you even think about packing up your site, you need to back up all its files and data. This will come in handy if you need to restore anything during the move. 

1. Start by using an FTP program like FileZilla to download your entire WordPress installation folder from your current web host. 
2. This folder contains all the core WordPress files and your themes/plugins. Zip it up and tuck it away somewhere safe like your computer or a cloud drive.
3. Next up, backup your database using phpMyAdmin. Export it as a .sql file so you have all your content, settings, users, etc neatly packaged up. 
4. Store this database backup alongside your files for easy access later.

Okay, with your whole site backed up and ready to go, you can breathe easy knowing your data is protected. Now let's get your new host prepped for the big move!

Setting Up Your New Host for Your Site's Arrival

The new place is picked out and your site is backed up...now it's time to get your new hosting environment ready to welcome your WordPress site.

1. The first thing you'll want to do is create a new, empty database on your new web host. This blank database is where we'll eventually import your old database to. Many hosts let you easily create new databases right from your control panel.
2. With the new database created, you need to point your site to it by updating your wp-config.php file. Edit the DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD and any other database-related settings to match your new database.
3. While you're in your site's files, go ahead and update your WordPress address and site address in wp-config to match your new host's URL. This makes sure any hardcoded links transfer cleanly.

We're so close to moving day! Your new host is prepped, so let's go grab your backups and get this transfer going.

Import Your Database and Upload Those Files!

The time has come to merge your existing site with its new home. You've got this!

First, take that database backup .sql file and import it into the new empty database you created earlier. Your new host likely has phpMyAdmin or another import tool for this. Run the import to push all your old data into the new database.

Next, break open that ZIP file with your WordPress file backup. Use your new hosting account's FTP info to upload these files to the root folder - usually public_html or www. You want the paths to match your old site so everything connects properly.

Once the files and database are in place on the new host, your WordPress site is officially moved! Log into your admin dashboard and look around to make sure all your content, media, plugins, themes and settings made it. Congrats, the hard part is done!

Update Your DNS to Complete the Move

There's just one final step to wrap up this migration.

With your WordPress site now living on its new host, you need to point your domain name to the new host's servers. This is done by updating your domain's DNS records.

Login to your domain registrar and edit the A record IP address to your new host's IP. For subdomains or subfolders, update the CNAME records accordingly.

DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to fully propagate, so be patient. But once they do, your domain will seamlessly direct visitors to your site's new home!