Are you considering doing a website migration? Whether you're unhappy with your current provider, experiencing too much downtime, or want to change your domain name, there are a few things to keep in mind before making the switch. In this article, we'll walk you through the process of website migration, from deciding whether or not it's the right move for you to executing the website migration. Let's get started!
If you're not happy with the options your current web hosting plan offers, transferring your website to another web hosting plan can be a great way to get more options.
What is website migration / migration of website?
Website migration is the process of moving a website from one host to another. This can be a difficult and time-consuming process, but it's often necessary in order to improve website performance or to change hosting providers. There are a few things to keep in mind when migrating a website, such as ensuring that all files and databases are moved over to the new host, and that DNS settings are updated.
Migrating websites: why should you perform a website migration
Maybe you just feel like making a change and want to give your website a new domain name. In this case, transferring your existing site to a new domain name can be a good option. It can be a great way to boost your website and make sure you get noticed again.
Getting a new domain isn't necessary, however. If you're not satisfied with the options your current web hosting plan offers, transferring your website to another web hosting plan can be a great way to get more options. For example, you may want to choose a hosting company that offers more storage space or better uptime. Or maybe you want to use a new web hosting plan that specializes in WordPress or another content management system. Either way, if you're not happy with the options your current web hosting plan offers, transferring your website is a great way to get more options.
If your current web hosting limits what you can do with your website, transferring your website to a new hosting provider can be a good way to gain more control. For example, if your current web hosting can't allow your website to continue to grow, or if you're limited in how you can design or use your website.
At Site.eu, you get an all-in-one plan with every domain name you register. So you only pay for your domain name and you get a complete plan with it, consisting of web hosting, email, a website builder and SSL security. This is super convenient for you, because you no longer have to buy separate plans to use your domain name, which is the case with most hosting providers. This is just one great reason to site migrate to Site.eu!
Host migration: transferring your domain name
Transferring your domain name to Site.eu is very easy. You enter your domain name in our domain checker and order the transfer of your domain. When the transfer is complete, you can start the website migration process. Your domain name will be automatically linked to your web hosting plan at Site.eu after the transfer. You do not need to change any DNS records.
Host migration: migrating websites to a different hosting company
If you have a website that you want to transfer to a new web host, there are a few things you need to do first. First, you need to make sure that you have all the files of your website. This means that you need to download all the HTML files, CSS files, images, videos and all the other files that your website uses. Once you have all the files and folders, you need to upload them to your new web hosting account. You can do this with an FTP program, or you can use a management environment that your new web host may offer you. Make sure that you upload your files to the correct folder. In some FTP programs, you can easily migrate the folders to the new server. Fun fact: new servers also generally have new IP addresses.
If your new hosting provider uses the same control panel as the old hosting, then you can sometimes also perform a site migration by making a backup and importing it to the new web hosting account.
If your web hosting plan uses DirectAdmin, you'll need to upload your files to the public_html folder.
MySQL database migration
We assume that you have already created a new database on the new server. If you haven't done so yet, go ahead and create a new database first. You can do this through the control panel of your web hosting account.
To begin, log into phpMyAdmin on the old server. Select the database you want to transfer from the menu on the left side of the screen. In the screen that now appears, click on the Export tab. Make sure all tables are selected and then click the Go button. Now you can choose which export format to use. We recommend exporting the file in gzip format, as this makes the file smaller. Next, click on the Export button. The file will now be downloaded.
Now you have the export file of your database on your computer. The next thing to do is to import the file into the phpMyAdmin of the new database. This way you can import your database.
To get started, log into phpMyAdmin and select the new database you want to import the file into. In the screen that appears, click on the Import tab. Next, click the Browse button and select the export file from your old database, making sure the correct import format is selected, and finally click the Go button.
The file will now be imported into your new database and you can view its contents in phpMyAdmin.
Listing the MySQL login details in your website script
If your website uses a MySQL database, then there will probably also be one or more configuration files somewhere where the login details for your database are stored. You have to change this file so that the new login data are listed in this file. Otherwise your website will not be able to use the MySQL database on the new server. For a WordPress installation, this is the wp-config.php file.
WordPress website migration to another host or domain
WordPress is a great platform for creating websites. It's easy to use and there are many free themes and plugins available. However, sometimes you may need to move website to a new web host. This can be for a variety of reasons.
If your current web host is taken over by another company, you may need to migrate to a new host. Maybe you aren't satisfied with the services of your current host. Maybe they are slow, unreliable, or don't support WordPress fully. As your WordPress site grows, you may need more functionality. For example, you may need a faster host or one that offers more storage space. Perhaps you're unhappy with the price of your current hosting plan. There are many cheaper hosts available, so it may be worth looking around for a new one.
Migrating a website that uses WordPress can be a time-consuming task, but it may pay off if you consider the reasons above. It is important to find a new host that's reliable, fast and supports WordPress well. If you take the time to find a good host, your WordPress site will run faster and better than ever before. So, website migrations can keep your visitors happier than ever before.
WordPress website migration with duplicator plugin, step-by-step plan
If you want to perform a site migration by transferring a WordPress website to a new web host, you can do it very easily by using the Duplicator plugin. This plugin creates an exact copy of your website, including all database contents and files. To do this, first download and install Duplicator as a plugin on the old server.
There you create a new package, which is a backup of your WordPress installation.
On the new server you then create a new database and upload the Duplicator package to the new server, for example via FTP.
Then you go to the Duplicator installer.php on your domain name on the new server and follow the instructions to transfer your website. The only thing you need to enter is the database login details from your new web hosting account. Duplicator will then take care of everything else.
New hosting for your WordPress website
If you have a WordPress site, it's important to choose a good web host for your hosting migration. This is because your WordPress site needs to be fast and secure. There are many different web hosts to choose from, so it can be difficult to find the best one. Here are a few reasons why you should choose a new web host and migrate hosting of your WordPress website:
1. Your current web host doesn't offer good site performance
If your site often loads slowly or crashes regularly, it's time to consider choosing a new web host who offers better site performance. You want a web host that makes your site load quickly, so your visitors don't get irritated and leave your website.
2. Your current web host is expensive
If your current web host is too expensive, consider migrating to another one. There are many good web hosts that don't cost much. You want to choose a web host that offers good performance and security, but doesn't cost too much. Moving websites to another host can get you a better price, but also better performance.
3. You want a host with better support
If your current web host is not responsive to your questions or problems, consider migrating to another. You want a company that will answer your questions quickly and help you when you have problems.
4. You want a host with more options
Sometimes it can be helpful to move to a web host that offers more options, such as SSH access or better management capabilities.
A backup gives you peace of mind. When you know you have a backup, you don't have to worry about what might happen if something goes wrong with the transfer. You know you can always go back to how your website was before. Therefore, backups are essential when migrating websites.
Before you migrate a website, make a full backup
If you're transferring a website to another server, it's important to back up the current website. Here are a few reasons why:
- You never know what could happen. There could be an error in the transfer process, or the new server could have problems. If you have a backup, you can always restore the old site to the old server if something goes wrong.
- It may be useful to keep the old site for a while. For example, if you've created a new website, but there are still certain things you want to improve, you can always take a quick look at the old site structure / URL structure.
- A backup gives you peace of mind. When you know you have a backup, you don't have to worry about what might happen if something goes wrong with the transfer. You know you can always go back to how your website was before.
Make sure you keep the backup on your local computer. A backup is essential for ensuring a successful web site migration, just in case of any data loss. This is recommend for all site migrations, no matter how big or small the website is.
Migration of website: Use a website transfer service
Transferring a website is an easy way to move a website from an old host to a new host. However, it can be difficult to do this yourself, especially if you have little technical knowledge. Therefore, using a website transfer service is the easiest way to ensure that your website transfer to a new host goes well.
A website transfer service will ensure that all files and database tables of the entire site are transferred to the new host. This can be a time-consuming process, especially if your existing site is large.
Once your website migration has been completed, search engine crawlers will be more active on your website than usually, to ensure search engine visibility. Search engines are websites like Google, Bing, etc.
At Site.eu, we can take care of the complete move for you through our move service. Our hourly rate for this is €60 per hour, excluding VAT. We always charge at least one hour. Please let us know through our support team if you'd like us to migrate your entire site. We'll ensure you'll have a successful website migration.
Perform a final check after migrating websites
Once your website has been transferred to a new server, it's important to perform a final check. This helps detect any problems that may have come up during the transfer. It's also a good opportunity to make sure that all files and database tables have been transferred to the new server.
You can now browse through the files on the server and check that everything has been transferred to the new server. If any files are missing or there are errors in the files, you can fix or re-upload them from the old server.
If you're using a database, you need to make sure that all the database tables have been transferred. You can check this by using a database management program, such as phpMyAdmin. If you see tables that have not been transferred, you can re-export them from the old server.
Also, check that the website is still accessible. If you can't connect, something has gone wrong. Next, check that all the pages are still working correctly, including the internal links, and that the site's performance is still the same on all the new pages. If the site's performance has decreased on any of the new pages of the new site, you should contact your new host. Go to each page on the website and check that the content is still displayed correctly. Make sure that all your internal links are working correctly and there aren't any broken links, as broken links can have a negative impact on your SEO. Also, check that logging into secure areas of the website still works properly and that contact forms still work correctly.
If you migrated to a new domain, you may need to update the domain in Google Search Console or Google Analytics.
With site migrations, it's crucial to perform these checks. A comprehensive website migration checklist could also be helpful, as such a website migration checklist can help you take all the right steps.
Get started today at Site.eu!
Now that you understand how site migrations work, both manual and with a done-for-you solution, and also how to migrate a MySQL database, it's time to get started on your migration project! And what better way to do that than by registering your domain name with Site.eu? We offer everything you need in one simple plan - from web hosting plans and email accounts, to SSL certificates and more. With us, everything is included with your domain name, making your site migration process easier than ever! So why wait? Get started today!
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