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Agencei

CMS & e-commerce

WordPress migration: hosting, domain, HTTPS or from another CMS

Migrating a WordPress site means moving files, a database, URLs and hard-earned search rankings without your visitors or Google noticing. This service covers host changes, domain name changes, moving from HTTP to HTTPS, PHP version upgrades, and migrating to WordPress from Wix, Squarespace, Joomla or a static site.

It is aimed at businesses leaving a host that is too slow or too expensive, merging several sites, rebranding, or leaving a closed platform to regain control of their content.

A failed migration shows up as broken links, missing images, mixed HTTP content and lost positions in search results. So we proceed step by step: copy to a test environment, URL replacement in the database with WP-CLI search-replace, 301 redirects, page-by-page checks, then a scheduled DNS switch.

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When do we step in?

Changing host

Your shared hosting is slow, limited in PHP or too expensive. We transfer files and database to the new host, reconfigure wp-config.php, caching and cron jobs, then test before the DNS switch.

Changing domain name

New brand or site merger: every URL in the database, internal links, images, WooCommerce settings and 301 redirects must be handled to preserve rankings.

Moving from HTTP to HTTPS

TLS certificate, absolute URL replacement, mixed content fixes, .htaccess, Search Console and sitemap updates for a switch without browser warnings.

Migration from Wix, Squarespace or Joomla

These platforms do not export cleanly to WordPress. We recover pages, posts, images and metadata, rebuild the URL structure and set up the required redirects.

PHP version upgrade

Moving from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.x exposes outdated plugins and themes. We test on staging, fix or replace what breaks, then switch production.

Merging into multisite or splitting out

Merging several sites into a WordPress multisite network, or extracting a site from a network, requires careful handling of tables and media paths.

How we work

  1. 1

    Audit of the existing site

    Inventory of the theme, plugins, PHP version, database size, hard-coded absolute URLs and external integrations (payment, CRM, newsletter) that depend on the domain or IP.

  2. 2

    Copy to a test environment

    Full file copy and database export to the new environment, URL replacement with WP-CLI search-replace while preserving serialised data, test of every page template.

  3. 3

    Redirect plan

    Mapping of old and new URLs, 301 rules in .htaccess or the Nginx configuration, handling of image URLs and downloadable files.

  4. 4

    Switch-over

    Lowering the DNS TTL in advance, content freeze, final sync, DNS switch or change of address in Search Console at a low-traffic time.

  5. 5

    Post-migration checks

    Site crawl to detect 404 errors and mixed content, checks on forms, the WooCommerce checkout, transactional emails and cron jobs, ranking follow-up over the following weeks.

Technologies we use

  • WordPress
  • WooCommerce
  • PHP 7.4 → 8.x
  • MySQL / MariaDB
  • WP-CLI search-replace
  • Apache / .htaccess
  • Nginx
  • Let's Encrypt / TLS
  • Google Search Console
  • Screaming Frog / crawling
  • rsync / SSH
  • Cloudflare / DNS

Why choose Agencei?

  • SEO is treated as data

    301 redirects, canonical tags and sitemaps are planned before the switch, not fixed after noticing a traffic drop.

  • No visible downtime

    We migrate to a parallel environment and switch when everything is validated. The site stays online throughout the preparation.

  • Server skills

    We also configure the new hosting: PHP-FPM, caching, certificates, email delivery, backups. The migration is the chance to start again on a healthy base.

  • Rollback possible

    The old environment is kept until full validation. If an unexpected problem appears, we switch back within minutes.

In brief

What is this service?
WordPress migration service: moving a site to a new host, changing domain, moving to HTTPS, upgrading PHP, or migrating from Wix, Squarespace or Joomla.
Who is it for?
Businesses changing host, brand or platform that want to keep their content, features and search rankings.
What problem does it solve?
Slow or limited hosting, name change, no HTTPS, obsolete PHP, closed platform that prevents any evolution.
How long does it usually take?
A simple host change often takes a day of preparation and a few minutes of switch-over; a migration from another CMS or with a lot of content and integrations usually takes several days to a few weeks.
What factors influence the price?
Price depends on site size, source platform, number of URLs to redirect, domain-dependent integrations and whether a new theme is needed.
How does the engagement run?
Audit, copy to a test environment, URL replacement with WP-CLI, 301 redirect plan, scheduled DNS switch, checks and SEO follow-up.
What are the risks?
Broken links and images, serialised data corrupted by a careless URL replacement, mixed content, lost rankings due to missing redirects, transactional emails not sent from the new server.
What alternatives exist?
The host's migration tool for very simple cases, a one-click migration plugin for a small site, a full rebuild if the source site is too old.

Frequently asked questions

Will the site be down during the migration?

No, unless you choose otherwise. The migration happens on a parallel environment and the DNS switch takes a few minutes. For a WooCommerce store, we freeze orders during the final sync, which is very short.

Will I lose my rankings by changing domain?

A domain change often causes a temporary fluctuation, but with complete 301 redirects, a change of address declared in Search Console and up-to-date sitemaps, positions usually stabilise within a few weeks.

Can a Wix or Squarespace site be migrated to WordPress?

Yes. These platforms do not offer a full export, but we recover content through partial export and extraction, then reintegrate it into WordPress with a consistent URL structure and redirects. The design is rebuilt in a WordPress theme.

What if a plugin is not compatible with PHP 8?

We detect it on staging before the switch. Depending on the case, we update it, replace it with a maintained alternative, or fix the code if it is essential and abandoned.

Do image and file URLs need to change?

Yes, all absolute references in the database and files are replaced. We also keep redirects for old media URLs, as they are often indexed or shared.

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Common problems

WordPress down

Tell us about your project

Describe your need in a few lines: we come back to you with a first analysis and the next steps.

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