It’s no hidden fact that WordPress is the Best Content management system for both beginners and professionals. But it’s not obvious that whoever starts their website would go for WordPress. It’s the comparison later that defines the superiority of WordPress. For example, the limitations that come in your way of updating the software of a particular CMS compels you to go for something bigger and better. Squarespace is one such CMS that lacks resources in comparison to WordPress.
Even though Squarespace is an excellent website builder to kick off your website project without having to learn HTML, CSS, or programming. However, while Squarespace is a good starting point for beginners to build a site, users often transfer their site to WordPress once they understand the limitations of the platform. For a start here are some issues which can be the reason for you to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress:
Why you should move from Squarespace to WordPress?
Squarespace gives a simple to utilize the stage to build sites. In any case, numerous clients soon understand that it is limited in terms of what you can do on your own website. WordPress is much progressively adaptable and enables you to make any sort of site you need. WordPress makes it easy to customize the appearance and expand the functionalities of your site even for non-tech savvy users.
However, while Squarespace is great for basic sites, it has quite a few limitations: Very limited e-commerce integration, Hard to extend functionality, Limited themes, and customization.
Being able to easily choose a website design that matches your brand perfectly is important. But Squarespace doesn’t offer every type of template, instead, the templates they provide are curated, all with the “Squarespace” look. Plus, they offer fewer choices than other website builders.
On the other hand, WordPress is a highly flexible platform that allows you to build any type of website, any way you want. Not only can you customize the look and feel of your site, but you can also extend its functionalities as easy as installing the right plugin.
Also note that when we state WordPress, we mean self-facilitated WordPress.org website and not WordPress.com blog facilitating administration.
Guide to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress:
Since our previous guides in migrating from different CMS like Weebly to WordPress, Wix to WordPress, Blogger to WordPress were a major hit. Here’s another one in the thread. In this article follow the lines below for a guide of migrating from Squarespace to WordPress.
1: Making the ground
When you use Squarespace, you’re facilitating your site on Squarespace’s servers. Your Squarespace membership expense covers the hosting charges just as the expense for the developer and different costs.
Conversely, the core WordPress programming is free to download and use. However, to begin with, WordPress, you will need to sign up for a web hosting account and register a domain name.
We suggest utilizing Bluehost. They are one of the greatest facilitating organizations on the planet and formally prescribed WordPress hosting provider.
2: Installing WordPress
Once you are done with signing up for a web host, you’ll have to install WordPress.
As the most prevalent web designer on the planet, WordPress is known for its popular 5-minute install.
If you are on Bluehost, at that point they will consequently install WordPress for you. This makes getting WordPress on your hosting account simple, and you won’t need to experience the monotonous arrangement process.
Most other top WordPress hosting organizations additionally enable you to install WordPress with a single click from your hosting dashboard. You can also follow the instructions in our step-by-step WordPress Installation guide for beginners.
When you will have installed WordPress, you’ll have the option to log in to your WordPress administrator dashboard through the credentials sent to you through your email.
3: Exporting Squarespace content using the built-in Export tool
Now that you’ve set up your web hosting account and installed WordPress on it, the next step is to export your content from Squarespace.
The export functionality of Squarespace is limited. It doesn’t allow you to export your entire website’s content from the platform, so you’ll have to manually copy some of your content to your newly-installed WordPress website.
3.1: What you can export and what you can’t?
Here’s the list of content you can export using the built-in export tool on Squarespace:
- All your basic pages will be exported as WordPress pages.
- One blog page will be exported, and it will appear in WordPress pages as Blog
- All your blog posts under that one blog page will be exported as WordPress posts
- Your Gallery pages will be exported
- Text, Image, and Embed blocks will be exported
The following content will not be exported.
- Product pages, Album pages, and Event pages will not be exported
- Audio, Video, and Product blocks will not export
- Style changes and custom CSS
- Folders and index pages will be left out
- If you had more than one blog page, then only one of them will be exported
Note: During the import process, your Squarespace images will not be imported. You’ll have to import them separately (details are coming below).
3.2: The export process
In this step, we’ll show you how to export all your exportable content from Squarespace.
Log into your Squarespace account and go to Settings » Advanced » Import/ Export menu.
Then click the Export button to continue.
This will trigger a modal popup where you’ll be asked where you want to export your content. Simply click on WordPress.
When the export file is ready, you’ll be given an option to download the file. Click Download.
Go ahead and download the export file to your computer. You will need it in the next step when you import the content into your new WordPress site.
4: Importing content from Squarespace into WordPress
The next step is to import the content you’ve downloaded from Squarespace into your WordPress site.
Log into your WordPress dashboard and head over to Tools » Import.
On the Import page, you won’t find Squarespace in the list of platforms. Since Squarespace has exported your content in a WordPress-compatible XML file, click the Install Now button below WordPress.
After the plugin is installed, click Run Importer.
You can now choose the XML file you just downloaded from your Squarespace account and then import it into your WordPress dashboard.
On the next screen, click on the choose file button to upload the export file you downloaded from Squarespace earlier.
WordPress will currently transfer and analyze your Squarespace fare record. If everything is all together, at that point it will demonstrate to you the import settings page.
On this page, you should pick an admin name for the imported substance. WordPress can likewise import the Squarespace client and include them as an endorser to your WordPress site. You can likewise pick a current administrator client as a creator or even make another client.
Feel free to tap on the submit button, so WordPress can begin bringing in content from your Squarespace export file.
At the point when it’s set, you will see the achievement message. You would now be able to visit the pages and posts in WordPress to survey the imported content.
5: Importing images from Squarespace to WordPress
As a matter of course, Squarespace doesn’t enable you to export pictures through their implicit export apparatus. You’ll need to physically bring the documents into your WordPress site.
Luckily, there is a lot of WordPress plugins in the vault that enables you to effectively bring external pictures into your site. In our tutorial, we’ll be using the Import External Images plugin.
To import your picture documents into your recently introduced WordPress site, introduce and initiate the Import External Images plugin.
In the wake of enacting the plugin, visit the Media » Import Images page to import pictures.
Now, all you have to do is click the Import Images Now button.
6: Fixing Permalinks and creating Redirects
It’s essential to keep your permalinks flawless, so you don’t lose traffic coming through the connections from your old Squarespace site. Fortunately, WordPress is adaptable to the point that you can set the permalinks structure the manner in which you like.
In this progression, we will likely set up the link structure like your Squarespace site. Squarespace utilizes year/month/day/post-name as the connection position for blog entries. It additionally utilizes a prefix like a blog or blog-1 in the post URLs.
This is what a blog entry URL looked like on your Squarespace stage:
To set up your WordPress permalinks, go to Settings » Permalinks. Now, pick the Custom Structure choice and supplement the structure underneath in the proper field:
Then click Save Changes to set up your new permalink structure for your blog entries. That way, you can keep your permalinks unblemished without losing search engine juice and referral traffic to your current blog entries.
Summing it all, in this tutorial, you have learned how to fully move to from Squarespace to WordPress. Also, you have learned how to edit WordPress permalinks structure and redirect Squarespace subdomain to WordPress.
As mentioned before, not all content from Squarespace can be imported automatically. Your video and audio files, eCommerce products and pages should be imported manually. Depending on the size of your Squarespace website it can take a lot of time. But it’s still worth it as WordPress is a powerful and more flexible platform.
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