OK let’s get started
Current Domain:
- Export Your WordPress Posts – You can find the Export option under the Manage tab in your WordPress dashboard. Save this file somewhere on your local hard drive (make up a folder on your desktop called dump then delete after you have finished) so you can find it later on in the process.
- Download Your wp-content Folder – This step requires FTP access. You need to copy and download your wp-content folder on to your (to the dump) local hard drive. This should grab all of your existing plugins, themes, uploads (pictures), etc. You’ll also want to download your favicon and Robots.txt file (if you have either).
New Domain:
- Install WordPress on the New Domain – This can be done manually if you have CPanel.
- Upload Your wp-content Folder – This requires FTP access to complete. Just override the existing wp-content folder (or to be safe delete the existing and upload the new one) from your new WordPress install.
- Import All WordPress Posts – You can find the Import option under the Manage tab in your WordPress dashboard. When it asks for the import file, use the one that was exported and saved on your hard drive earlier.
- Activate Your Theme & Plugins – Head into the Design and Plugins tabs and make sure you have the same theme and same plugins activated as the old domain name.
- Update Your Settings to Match the Old Domain – Update all of your settings to match the old domain, including all of your plugin settings you just activated.
- Inspect Your Theme – View your theme with your plugins activated and settings in place to ensure that everything looks like it matches the old site on the new domain. Test some of the functionality as well to ensure everything is working properly. You will need to go through all your old theme settings and duplicate them.
- Upload and Run the Update URL’s Plugin – The Update URL’s WordPress plugin WordPress plugin. Once activated, simply enter your old domain URL and the new one. It will go through all of your old posts and update the domain part of the URL with the new one, and it only takes a matter of seconds.
Domain Move Troubleshooting:
Once the move is completed use the following checklist to fully complete the move:
- Update Your Feedburner Feed – You need to edit your feed details in your Feedburner account with the new domain’s source feed (example: http://yourdomain.com/feed/)
- Update Your Email Address – This one is optional.
- Update Your PPC Campaigns – If you purchase PPC advertising with AdWords, Yahoo, or whoever, you’ll want to update the destination URLs.
Once you’re done, all that is left is to go to your domain registrar and forward the old domain to the new domain (also known as a 301 redirect). This will cause all links to your old domain name to be redirected to the equivalent URL on the new domain name (assuming you use the same URL structure on the new site).
