One of the most widely used content management systems online is Joomla. Although it offers fewer push-button upgrades and add-ons than WordPress.com, the platform might be difficult for novice users to use. Since there are so many menus, sub-menus, and options in the Joomla dashboard, it might be perplexing.
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By switching from Joomla to WordPress, you may organize your material, acquire a new workspace that is much more comfortable, and eventually build the website of your dreams.
With the aid of website import tools, users of other platforms may switch to the WordPress content management system (CMS) and create a new website without having to start over.
However, before you migrate from Joomla to WordPress, you need to ensure that you have a domain, adequate hosting as well as functional WordPress. So, here is everything you need to know before switching Joomla to WordPress.
Why Switch to WordPress from Joomla?
WordPress and Joomla are both free software. They both use the MySQL database, are developed in the PHP programming language, and have identical hosting needs. Although there are fewer extensions and designs accessible to you with Joomla, it is more difficult to utilize.
The ability to grow your business in ways that your existing platform cannot do can become a reality through website migration from one CMS to another.
Today, more than 28 million websites on the Internet are powered by the flexible CMS WordPress. Given that it is so well-liked across the world, it is probably a platform that can accommodate the demands of the largest possible user population.
Furthermore, it promotes the development of a strong ecosystem of resources, including technological advancements and a thriving community, which may help you in the event of any unfavorable scenario.
WordPress has earned a solid reputation for being user-friendly. WordPress has a straightforward and uncomplicated layout. You may find it simple to install and use this platform.
Additionally, WordPress offers a far superior post-installation user experience than Joomla. It is much easier to publish posts and pages and customize both the look and functionality of your website.
Moreover, WordPress allows you to add tags to articles; however, Joomla requires the usage of an extension. In addition, you can configure the proper information for pages and articles as well as enhance permalink structures.
WordPress Vs Joomla
It is crucial to know before switching Joomla to WordPress about the detailed comparison between the two content management platforms.
Templates and modules are provided by both Joomla and WordPress. Very secure coding was used to create these. Options to provide further security against vulnerabilities are also available on these platforms.
Among content management systems (CMS), Joomla is well-liked. With built-in user management and control tools, Joomla was initially designed to create online portals.
Nevertheless, many people have utilized its 5,900+ extensions to create several other sorts of websites. In addition to having built-in functionality for managing multilingual content, this CMS is search engine optimized and offers over 70 translation packs.
Joomla is less common on the internet, making it more expensive and challenging to find a developer to assist with Joomla-based projects. Contrarily, many online workers pick up coding as a specialized skill to use with the most widely used CMS on the planet.
As a result, finding competent WordPress developers is made a lot simpler. WordPress does automatic updates, so you do not need to worry about this. Joomla, in comparison, necessitates manual updating.
Essential Things to Know Before Switching Joomla to WordPress
Both self-hosted WordPress and Joomla have comparable system requirements. For WordPress to work, you will need a domain name and a hosting account. There is a good chance that you currently have a domain name and hosting plan for your Joomla website. They are also useful for WordPress websites.
Here are some of the essential things to know before switching Joomla to WordPress.
Undergo WordPress Installation and Setup
WordPress is renowned for its fast installation process. WordPress will be installed for you automatically by a lot of reputable hosting companies.
Within your hosting account dashboard, you will also discover 1-click WordPress installs.
Do not forget to set up your WP URL structure to be SEO-friendly. It will make your migrated URLs look good after the migration.
Complete Your Content Transfer
When you have decided on your migration option, schedule it. Ensure to notify both users and visitors of the change and provide an estimate of the time your website may be “under maintenance.” To prevent content loss during that period, it is preferable to avoid adding new content.
You can begin the move once you are prepared. Find the parameters for the Joomla database. Go to “System,” then “Global Configuration,” in a different tab after logging in to the backend of Joomla website. The “Server” tab is where the database settings are located.
Write the details, including the domain name, username for the database, name of the database, and the name of the database table. This information is essential to know before switching Joomla to WordPress.
Back Up Your Joomla Website
It is a good idea to make a backup before transferring your Joomla website. If there are any problems with the migration, doing this guarantees that you will not lose all your Joomla material. You can import content from your Joomla website now that WordPress has been installed.
Go to the Tools > Import page after it has been activated. The import tools that are accessible for your WordPress installation will be listed. Under the Joomla (FG) importer tool, select “Run Importer” from the list of links. The FG Joomla to WordPress plugin must be installed and activated first.
The Joomla (FG) importer script will then be launched, and you will be prompted for the details of your Joomla website.
Your Joomla website’s URL must be entered first, followed by the database settings. The admin section of your Joomla website is where you may get information about your database. To access the server tab, you navigate to System > Global Configuration page.
The database password is the one piece of information you will not find on this page, though. Click the “Test database connection” button once you have entered your database information into the Joomla importer.
You will receive a success message if everything is input accurately. Additional choices to govern what you wish to import are located below that. Leave these choices unchecked if you are unsure.
Make Changes to Your Internal Links
Links inside your direct site visitors to other pages. If you want them to be able to find their way around, these links are crucial. A useful little function in the FG Joomla to WordPress plugin can make this task hassle-free.
Go to the plugin settings page again and navigate to the bottom of the page by returning to the Tools tab’s Import section. ‘Modify internal links’ is a button you may access there that you need to click. It is a fully automated procedure. Make sure that all the links on your newly moved website are operational.
Transfer to Wordpress.com from Joomla
Click on the WP Admin link at the bottom of the My Sites page on WordPress.com. The WP Admin link is located at the bottom of the sidebar in the My Sites area of WordPress.com.
Click it to access that page. You will be presented with WordPress.com’s complete admin interface. Choose Import under Tools.
Now, you need to click the “Start / Resume Importer” button. The content from your Joomla website will now begin to be fetched by the importer.
Remove every piece of content from your WordPress.com site to execute a clean import. To empty the WordPress content, click the button below after choosing the option that reads “Remove all WordPress content.”
Depending on the volume of your content, this can take some time. A success message will appear after you are finished.
Things To Do After Migrating from Joomla to WordPress
Now that you know before switching Joomla to WordPress, let’s take a look at what you should do after you have switched to WordPress.
Select a Structure for the Permalink
The permanent URLs called “permalinks” are what direct people and search engines to your web pages and blog articles. They are supposed to remain unaltered, as their name implies.
Your old Joomla website might have a different URL structure; thus, people who find your article now will get an error. In order to fix it, permalinks need to be set, which redirect users to the new URL.
Check for Broken Links
While switching from Joomla to WordPress, there might be certain links that are broken. Find these links and repair the broken permalinks to make sure visitors land on the proper sites.
Get a WordPress Theme
For a variety of websites, including blogs, online shops, and portfolios, WordPress has an enormous collection of themes that can be used. They essentially control the appearance and design of the WordPress website.
Install Essential WordPress Plugins
The best thing about using WordPress is the plugins. Using WordPress plugins, you can expand the functionality of your website.
WordPress plugins can be used for a variety of purposes, including creating an online store, enhancing security, and caching. It’s likely that if you can think of a feature, WordPress already has a plugin for it.
You can use any of the countless free and premium WordPress plugins available. We have put together a comprehensive guide on how to choose the best plugins for your website because it is simple to become paralyzed by the options.
Customize the Web Design
Visitors and potential customers can form a positive first impression of your website if it is attractive and easy to use. Thus, make sure to customize the web design properly with appropriate themes, thereby converting them to dedicated customers.
Conclusion
We have discussed the essential things you should know before switching Joomla to WordPress in this article. Make sure WordPress is operational, that your hosting is sufficient, and that your domain is registered before migrating Joomla to WordPress. Before you leap, you might want to research hosting options for WordPress.
Users of Joomla must struggle to switch because it involves a complex set-up and installation process. And finding a developer to work on Joomla-based projects might be more expensive and challenging due to Joomla’s less widespread use online. This justifies the need to switch to WordPress from Joomla.
Sonnal S Sinha is a passionate writer as well as WordPress and WooCommerce rockstar who loves to share insights on various topics through his engaging blog posts. He runs a successful website design and digital marketing company. With 15+ years of experience in WordPress theme development, he strives to inform and inspire readers with his thought-provoking content. He helps thousands of small and medium businesses and startups create a unique online presence. Follow Sonnal S Sinha for your regular dose of knowledge and inspiration.
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