Now that official support for Drupal 7 will be discontinued in January 2025, it is more critical than ever to migrate your site to a modern platform like WordPress. With its user-friendly interface, extensive plugin support, and active community, WordPress is ideal for site owners who want to future-proof their digital presence. However migrating to WordPress is a challenging task, so proper planning is necessary to save your content and functionality.
This guide provides a detailed roadmap to successfully transition your website from Drupal to WordPress.
1. Preparation: The Foundation for a Smooth Migration
1.1. Evaluate Your Current Website
Conduct a Full Site Audit: Review all aspects of your site, including content, media, and functionality.
- List all pages, posts, categories, and tags.
- Note down dynamic elements such as forms, custom scripts, or database-driven features.
Customization Assessment: Identify modules and custom code used in Drupal. Identify similar functionalities available in WordPress.
1.2 Understanding the Features of WordPress
Investigate features of WordPress. Examples include:
- Custom post types for the replication of specific Drupal content types.
- Advanced Custom Fields(ACF), which stands for advanced custom fields, for structured content.
- WooCommerce to help create an e-commerce-based application.
1.3 Choice of Hosting
Choose WordPress-specific hosting. Some of the better sites available in the market include:
SiteGround, Kinsta, WP Engine, and Hostinger provide some better speed and security.
1.4. Backup Your Drupal Site
Use tools like Backup and Migrate to make a full Drupal database and file backup. Keep them in a safe place for redundancy.
2. Exporting Content from Drupal: Getting Your Data Ready
2.1. Export Site Content
Use the Views Data Export Module to export your site content in CSV or XML. Make sure all fields are correctly mapped, including:
- Titles and body content.
- Metadata (author, publication date, etc.).
- Categories and tags.
2.2. Export User Data
If your site has user accounts, use Drupal modules like User Export to transfer user profiles, roles, and permissions to WordPress.
2.3. Export Media Files
Download all media files from Drupal’s file directory. Organize images, videos, and other media into folders that match your site structure for easy upload later.
2.4. Review and Clean Data
Clean up your data before migrating. Remove any duplicate, old, or irrelevant content. This will remove clutter and help improve the performance of the site.
3. Migrate Content to WordPress: Rebuilding the Site
3.1. Install Migration-Specific Plugins
Migration-specific plugins include:
- FG Drupal to WordPress to make content migration smooth.
- WP All Import for importing CSV/XML.
3.2. Establishing the Site Structure
- Recreate the taxonomy hierarchy of Drupal in WordPress with categories, tags, and custom taxonomies.
- Use WordPress’s Custom Post Type UI to mirror Drupal’s custom content types.
3.3. Import Media
- Upload files to the Media Library, or use a bulk uploader like Add From Server
- Add images to posts and pages as featured images as needed
3.4. Clean Up Imported Content
Use a tool such as Broken Link Checker to correct internal links that will point to old Drupal URLs.
4. Rebuild Design and Functionality
4.1. Select a WordPress Theme
- Premium Themes: Flexibility and performance are taken care of by themes such as GeneratePress, Astra, or Divi.
- Custom Theme Development: If the Drupal site has a custom theme, hire a developer to replicate that in WordPress.
4.2. Rebuild Custom Functionalities
Replicate the Drupal modules using WordPress plugins
- Contact Forms: WPForms or Gravity Forms.
- Membership Sites: MemberPress or Restrict Content Pro.
- Multilingual Support: WPML or Polylang.
4.3. Mobile Responsiveness
Make sure the new WordPress site is mobile-friendly by using the Google Mobile-Friendly Test and so on.
5. Testing the Migrated Site
5.1. Content Accuracy
- All content, images, and metadata must be transferred accurately.
5.2. Functionality Tests
- Forms, custom post types, and integrations should be tested.
5.3. Cross-Browser Testing
- Check for the consistency of design and responsiveness on all major browsers and devices.
6. SEO Migration Strategies: Preserving Rankings
6.1. Set Up 301 Redirects
- Use plugins such as Redirection to map old Drupal URLs to new WordPress URLs.
- Test redirects thoroughly to avoid broken links.
6.2. Migrate Metadata
- Transfer meta titles, descriptions, and keywords to keep the integrity of SEO.
6.3. Create a New Sitemap
- Use plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to create a new XML sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console.
7. Post-Migration Optimization and Maintenance
7.1. Optimize Site Speed
- Utilize caching plugins like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache.
- Optimize images through such utilities as Smush or ShortPixel.
7.2. Maintenance
- Plan automated backups using plugins such as UpdraftPlus.
- Be observing site performance using the aid of Google Analytics and GTmetrix.
8. Launch: Bringing your new WordPress website to live
8.1. Changing your DNS Records
Connect your domain to your new WordPress server. Update DNS from within your domain registrar
8.2. Troubleshooting post-launch
- Keep on the lookout for any sort of errors, bugs, or performance issues in the initial weeks.
- Respond promptly to user feedback to ensure it enhances the site experience.
9. Tools and Resources for a Successful Migration
Some tools will prove invaluable during this migration:
- Migration Plugins: FG Drupal to WordPress, WP All Import.
- Backup Tools: Backup and Migrate (Drupal), UpdraftPlus (WordPress).
- SEO Tools: Yoast SEO, Screaming Frog.
- Performance Monitoring: Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix.
Conclusion
Migration from Drupal to WordPress is a massive project but rewards greatly in usability, scalability, and future readiness. The step-by-step guide in this post will help you in the smooth migration process while preserving your site’s integrity and functionality. If it does not go as smoothly, you may want to consider hiring professional migration experts to handle the process, allowing you to focus on what WordPress has to offer for your online presence.