Common Issues to Avoid When You Migrate WordPress Sites to Another Host
You can transfer a site manually, use a plugin, or use a white-glove service where your host handles it for you. These are the WordPress migration problems to watch for, regardless of your chosen method.
Data Loss
Data loss is one of the biggest fears of anyone migrating a website from one host to another. Fortunately, it’s also the easiest issue to prevent. Before transferring hosts or making major changes to your website, do a full site backup. Regular backups should be part of your routine WordPress maintenance anyway. With a quality managed hosting service, the backups are automatic. To be safe, run a backup before making changes to ensure you have a copy of the latest data.
Damaged URLs
When you set up a website on a new hosting service, you often use a temporary domain. Sometimes your website links don’t update when you change your URL to the live domain name.
The best tip in the support article is that editing your database can be tricky. You may be better off using a plugin. We’re fans of the Better Search Replace plugin.
Dropped SSL Certificates
The URL issue can also impact your SSL certificate. An SSL certificate often automatically gets issued for the temporary domain. It would be best if you reissued it when changing the domain name to your live URL.
Different Types of WordPress Migrations
There are different types of migrations, and each requires special considerations. The most secure and trouble-free way is to use a migration plugin.
Check also: Safely moving WordPress
Not Creating a Full Backup of the Site Before Migration
Backing up your site is vital for many reasons, but it’s crucial when you migrate a WordPress site from one server to another. Without the backup, you may lose some of your files, and getting back to a previous version of the website can be expensive and time-consuming. There are a lot of great WordPress backup plugins available, like WP-DB-Backup. Pressable offers free daily backups to sites hosted on our platform.
Not Checking for Compatibility Between Old and New Hosting Environments
WordPress can function in almost any hosting environment, but some hosts won’t work for WordPress. And depending on your theme and plugins, you may need additional requirements that the more basic hosting options don’t have. Generally, you will need a server that supports and executes PHP files.
Most hosts will work well for a WordPress site, but there are still some out there that might not be what you need to keep your site running fast and smoothly. Before you choose a host, make sure they’re WordPress-ready.
Overlooking the Need to Update WordPress and Plugins Before Migration
Plugin update notifications can be annoying. They’re always popping up, and if you clear them out occasionally, everything’s fine, right?
The thing to keep in mind is that plugin updates exist to fix bugs and address potential vulnerabilities. It’s the same with WordPress updates. So, if you’ve been putting off any updates for a while, addressing them before you migrate a WordPress site to a new host can help strengthen your site and prevent any issues you might encounter with your new host.
Source: https://pressable.com/blog/issues-to-avoid-when-you-migrate-a-wordpress-site-to-another-host/