Factors to Consider When Converting a Website to WordPress

If you have heard of the many advantages of converting to WordPress and you have an existing website that could certainly benefit from the change, then it is understandable if you would like to do it as soon as possible. But before making any major changes, there are some important factors you have to consider.

Converting a website to WordPress is relatively easy, especially if you already have a basic idea of WordPress functions and features. If you do not have any knowledge about WordPress yet, it would be a good plan to educate yourself and familiarize yourself with how to use it so you do not get stuck later on.

Before you make any change, however, below are some points to consider:

Have you evaluated your existing website?

If you would like your conversion to be successful, it is important for you to first evaluate and assess your existing website. Doing so will help you import with ease and structure or arrange your content in the best possible way.

Consider the content

To evaluate your website, you need to look at its features. When it comes to content, find out how much you need to convert. How many pages are there? How many images? With this, it should be easier for you not to forget or neglect any crucial content that you have at present. Another consideration is the volume of your site. If there is not much volume, you can probably import it manually. But if there is a high volume, you might need a tool.

You also need to categorize your content. Do they fall under the standard pages and posts, or do you need to create custom types of posts? Take a look at the URL as well. When you convert, will your URL change, and when it does, will it be redirected to the new URL?

Consider the functions

Does your website have any functions provided by a third party that you are making use of? This would include functions such as reservations and ticketing, the collection of data, and others. Does your existing website also have any forms that should be migrated, such as a standard contact form, application and consumer information forms, and more? Do you have content that is only for members,

and does your site sell any products? Are there any admin tools that need to be converted, such as certain CMS functions?

Once you have determined all of the above-mentioned functions and have evaluated your site, you can install WordPress. You can choose to have local installation if you are only planning to experiment with the software, but if you would like to convert permanently, you should install the software with your existing hosting provider or a new one of your choice.