How to Move from Squarespace to WordPress

Thinking of switching from Squarespace to WordPress? Whether you're aiming for more flexibility, better SEO control, or just more plugin options, this guide will walk you through the entire process — from exporting your content to transferring your domain and setting up your new WordPress website.

Why Move from Squarespace to WordPress?

Squarespace is beginner-friendly but can feel limited for advanced customization. WordPress offers full control, thousands of themes and plugins, and better long-term scalability for most users.

Common reasons include:

• Better SEO tools and plugins
• More customization options
• Lower long-term hosting costs
• Open-source flexibility and developer support

Pre-Migration Checklist

Before starting your migration journey, make sure you’re ready with the essentials.

How to Export Squarespace Content

Squarespace allows you to export basic content, but not everything is included.

Steps to export Squarespace content:

1. Log into your Squarespace dashboard
2. Go to Settings → Advanced → Import / Export
3. Click Export and select WordPress format
4. Download the .xml file once the process completes

Included in export: blog posts, standard pages, images in text blocks

Not included: product pages, event pages, custom CSS, folders, audio, and video files

How to Import Content into WordPress

Once you’ve exported your data, it’s time to bring it into your new WordPress installation.

To import the .xml file into WordPress:

1. Login to your WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Tools → Import
3. Choose WordPress and install the importer plugin
4. Upload your Squarespace .xml file
5. Assign authors and import attachments if available

Handling Media and Other Manual Tasks

Not all content migrates automatically, so you’ll need to handle some elements manually.

Manually migrate:

• Image galleries and video blocks
• Forms and custom CSS
• Navigation menus
• Custom-designed pages or layouts

You may also need to recreate your blog categories or tags if they weren’t preserved during export.

How to Transfer a Domain from Squarespace to WordPress

If your domain is registered with Squarespace, you can transfer it to a WordPress-friendly registrar.

Steps to transfer Squarespace domain to WordPress:

1. Unlock your domain in Squarespace → Domains
2. Copy the authorization code (EPP code)
3. Initiate the transfer from your new hosting registrar
4. Enter the code and confirm the transfer

Setting Up Your WordPress Website

After you've imported content and completed the domain transfer from Squarespace, the next step is to rebuild your website on the WordPress platform. This is where you shape the structure, design, and functionality of your new WordPress website to reflect — or even improve upon — your original layout.

• Choose a theme. Select a modern, block-based theme for flexible design control. Options like Astra, GeneratePress, or the default WordPress Twenty Twenty-Four theme offer excellent compatibility with the block editor.
• Recreate your pages and menus. Use the WordPress editor to manually rebuild each page. Focus on replicating core content, such as homepage, about, and services pages, using blocks for layout flexibility.
• Install essential plugins. Equip your WordPress website with tools for SEO, security, performance, and forms. Common choices include:

Recommended plugins:

• Set up permalinks. Go to Settings → Permalinks and choose a structure like "Post name" to help maintain SEO continuity from your Squarespace URLs.

SEO Impact and Considerations

Switching website platforms can impact your SEO if not handled correctly.

Minimize SEO risks by:

• Setting up proper 301 redirects
• Rebuilding your sitemap and submitting to Google Search Console
• Re-optimizing meta titles and descriptions using an SEO plugin like Rank Math or Yoast

Final Tasks After Migration

After your WordPress website setup is complete, it’s essential to run a comprehensive check to ensure everything works correctly post-migration. Finalizing these steps helps solidify the migration from Squarespace to WordPress and ensures a smooth experience for your visitors.

Verify key functionality:

• Test internal and external links. Make sure no broken links exist after importing content from Squarespace. Use tools like Broken Link Checker or Screaming Frog for a full audit.
• Check page speed and performance. WordPress websites can become slow if improperly optimized. Use tools like GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights to optimize images, scripts, and caching.
• Ensure mobile responsiveness. Switching website platforms can affect mobile layout. Preview your WordPress theme on different devices and tweak it using responsive design tools.

Install essential tracking and SEO tools:

• Set up Google Analytics and Search Console. These tools help track traffic, monitor indexing, and measure the SEO impact of moving from Squarespace.
• Submit a new sitemap. Use an SEO plugin to generate your sitemap and submit it to Google to ensure proper indexing of your rebuilt WordPress website.
• Enable 301 redirects. This is critical to retain SEO rankings when URLs change. Use the Redirection plugin or your .htaccess file.

Final checks before going live:

• Review branding and design elements. After a manual website migration process, fonts, colors, and layout may need fine-tuning to match your original site identity.
• Test forms and interactive elements. Any forms rebuilt on WordPress using plugins like WPForms should be tested to ensure they deliver submissions correctly.
• Notify your audience. If you run a blog or business, let your users know you’ve migrated from Squarespace to WordPress. This helps explain minor layout or URL changes and reassures returning visitors.

Useful Links

Exporting Your Site – Learn how to export your Squarespace site content into a .xml file compatible with WordPress.

Importing Content into WordPress – Official WordPress guide on importing content using the WordPress Importer tool.

Domain Transfers FAQ – Understand the process of transferring your domain from Squarespace to another provider.

Uploading and Managing Files – Instructions on how to handle files in Squarespace, useful for backing up media before migration.

Tools: Export and Import – A lesson from Learn WordPress on using the export and import tools effectively.

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Conclusion

Moving from Squarespace to WordPress gives you more freedom and control, but it requires a methodical process. From exporting and importing content to transferring your domain and reconfiguring your design, each step plays a critical role in a successful transition. Follow this Squarespace to WordPress migration checklist carefully and you’ll enjoy a powerful, customizable website platform that grows with your needs.