You're tired of WordPress.

The endless plugin updates. The security patches. The slow loading times. The "white screen of death" at 2am.

You've heard Webflow is faster, more secure, and easier to maintain. And you're ready to make the switch.

But you're worried about one thing: losing your SEO rankings.

I get it. You've spent years building organic traffic. The thought of starting over is terrifying.

Here's the good news: You can migrate from WordPress to Webflow without losing SEO. I've done it 20+ times for clients, and most actually see SEO improvements within 3-6 months.

This guide covers everything you need to migrate successfully—from planning to execution to post-migration monitoring.

Why Migrate from WordPress to Webflow?

Let's be real about why you're here.

WordPress Pain Points:

❌ Constant maintenance - Updates every week, plugin conflicts
❌ Security vulnerabilities - WordPress sites hacked daily
❌ Slow loading speeds - Plugins and bloated code kill performance
❌ Complex for clients - Backend overwhelms non-technical users
❌ Design limitations - Page builders create messy code
❌ Hosting headaches - Server management, backups, security

Webflow Benefits:

✅ No maintenance - Webflow handles hosting, security, updates
✅ 50-70% faster - Clean code, optimized CDN, no plugins
✅ Visual design freedom - Build anything without code (or with code)
✅ Client-friendly CMS - Non-developers can update content easily
✅ Enterprise security - SSL, DDoS protection, automatic backups
✅ Better SEO performance - Clean HTML, fast speeds, no bloat

The Reality Check:

Webflow isn't perfect. You lose:

• Some plugin functionality (though APIs can replace most)
• Backend PHP customization
• Familiarity (there's a learning curve)

But for 90% of business websites, Webflow is a massive upgrade.

What You Risk During Migration (And How to Protect It)

SEO Risks:

❌ Lost rankings - If URLs change without proper redirects
❌ Traffic drop - If Google re-indexes incorrectly
❌ Broken backlinks - If external links point to old URLs
❌ Lost metadata - If titles/descriptions aren't transferred
❌ Image SEO loss - If alt text isn't migrated

How This Guide Protects You:

✅ URL mapping - Preserve all URLs or redirect properly
✅ 301 redirects - Transfer SEO value to new URLs
✅ Metadata migration - Keep all titles, descriptions, schemas
✅ Backlink preservation - Ensure external links still work
✅ Content parity - No content left behind

Goal: Maintain 95-100% of your organic traffic post-migration.

Pre-Migration Planning Checklist (Do This First!)

Before touching anything, complete this planning phase.

✅ Step 1: Content Audit

What to audit:

1. All pages and posts
   • Homepage, service pages, about, contact
   • Blog posts (all of them)
   • Landing pages
   • Hidden/draft pages
2. Page types and templates
   • Standard pages
   • Blog posts
   • Custom post types (case studies, portfolios, etc.)
   • Archives (category pages, tag pages)
3. Media assets
   • Images (download all, organize by page)
   • Videos (embedded or hosted?)
   • PDFs and downloadable files
   • Logos, icons, graphics

Create a spreadsheet:

Current URLPage TitlePage TypeKeep?Notes/aboutAbout UsStandardYesUpdate copy/blog/old-post-2015Old PostBlogNoOutdated/services/seoSEO ServicesServiceYesHigh traffic

Why this matters: You'll discover outdated content to delete and identify your most important pages.

✅ Step 2: URL Structure Mapping

Critical step: Decide how URLs will change (or stay the same).

Option 1: Keep Exact Same URLs (Ideal for SEO)

WordPress: /blog/webflow-migration-guide
Webflow: /blog/webflow-migration-guide

✅ Pros: Zero SEO risk, no redirects needed
❌ Cons: Locked into WordPress URL structure

Option 2: Improve URL Structure (Common)

WordPress: /2024/03/15/how-to-migrate-to-webflow/
Webflow: /blog/wordpress-to-webflow-migration

WordPress: /category/web-design/page/2
Webflow: /blog (with filtering)

WordPress: /services/wordpress-development.html
Webflow: /services/webflow-development

✅ Pros: Cleaner URLs, better UX
❌ Cons: Requires 301 redirects

Best practice: Clean up URLs but redirect every old URL to its new equivalent.

✅ Step 3: SEO Data Export

Export this data from WordPress before migration:

1. All page titles and meta descriptions
   • Use Yoast SEO export or Rank Math export
   • Or manually copy from each page
2. Current Google rankings
   • Export top 100 keywords from Google Search Console
   • Note current rankings for each
3. Backlink profile
   • Use Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz
   • Export all backlinks pointing to your site
4. Google Analytics baseline
   • Last 90 days traffic
   • Top pages by traffic
   • Top traffic sources
5. Google Search Console data
   • Top queries
   • Top pages
   • Click-through rates

Why this matters: You'll compare post-migration to ensure nothing dropped.

✅ Step 4: Technical SEO Inventory

Document these WordPress settings:

• Permalink structure (e.g., /blog/%postname%/)
• Category and tag URLs
• Custom post type URLs
• Pagination settings
• Archive page structures
• Sitemap URLs
• Robots.txt rules
• Redirects (if any existing)

Also check:

• Schema markup (plugins like Schema Pro)
• Breadcrumbs structure
• Author pages (do you need them?)
• Date archives (do you use them?)

✅ Step 5: Choose Migration Approach

Three approaches:

Option A: DIY Migration

• ✅ Cheapest (free)
• ❌ Time-consuming (40-100 hours)
• ❌ High risk if you make mistakes
• Best for: 5-10 page sites, tech-savvy users

Option B: Hire a Webflow Developer

• ✅ Professional execution
• ✅ SEO-safe migration
• ✅ Save 80+ hours
• ❌ Costs $2,500-$8,000
• Best for: 20+ page sites, businesses with budget

Option C: Hybrid (Developer + You)

• Developer handles technical setup
• You migrate content
• ✅ Lower cost
• ⚠️ Requires coordination
• Best for: Budget-conscious with some technical skill

My recommendation: For anything over 20 pages or if SEO matters, hire a developer.

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Phase 1: Webflow Setup (Week 1)

Step 1: Create Webflow Account and Site

1. Sign up for Webflow (start with free plan)
2. Create new project
3. Choose blank template or similar to your WordPress design

Step 2: Plan Site Structure

Map your WordPress architecture to Webflow:

WordPress Pages:
├─ Home
├─ About
├─ Services
│ ├─ SEO
│ ├─ Web Design
│ └─ Development
├─ Blog
│ ├─ Category: Tips
│ └─ Category: News
└─ Contact

Webflow Pages:
├─ Home
├─ About
├─ Services (with nested pages)
├─ Blog (with CMS collection)
└─ Contact

Step 3: Set Up CMS Collections

For blog posts:

1. Create "Blog Posts" collection
2. Add fields:
   • Title (plain text)
   • Slug (for URL)
   • Summary (plain text)
   • Featured image (image)
   • Content (rich text)
   • Publish date (date)
   • Category (reference - if needed)
   • Meta title (plain text)
   • Meta description (plain text)

For custom post types (if needed):

• Portfolio items
• Case studies
• Team members
• Products

Phase 2: Design Recreation (Week 1-2)

Option A: Replicate WordPress Design

If keeping current design:

1. Screenshot every page type
2. Recreate in Webflow
3. Match fonts, colors, spacing
4. Use Client-First or Lumos framework for clean structure

Tools:

• WhatFont (browser extension) - Identify fonts
• ColorZilla - Extract colors
• Page Ruler - Measure spacing

Option B: Redesign (Recommended)

If upgrading design:

1. Purchase Webflow template (or hire designer)
2. Customize to match brand
3. Improve UX while migrating

Why redesign during migration?

• You're already rebuilding everything
• Fresh design = better conversion
• Modern, mobile-first experience

Cost: $99-$299 for template + $1,000-$3,000 customization

Phase 3: Content Migration (Week 2-3)

Step 1: Export WordPress Content

Use WordPress Exporter:

1. WordPress Admin → Tools → Export
2. Select "All content"
3. Download XML file

What you get:

• Post titles and content
• Categories and tags
• Authors
• Publish dates
• Basic metadata

What you DON'T get:

• Featured images (export separately)
• Custom fields
• Plugin data
• Formatting (may break)

Step 2: Clean Content

Before importing to Webflow:

1. Remove WordPress shortcodes

[gallery ids="1,2,3"] → Delete or replace with images
[contact-form-7] → Will recreate in Webflow

2. Clean HTML formatting

• Remove inline styles
• Fix broken image links
• Update internal links
• Remove plugin-generated code

3. Optimize images

• Compress (TinyPNG, Squoosh)
• Rename files descriptively
• Organize in folders by page/post

Step 3: Import to Webflow

Two options:

Option A: Manual Import (Small Sites)

• Copy/paste content page by page
• Upload images manually
• Set metadata per page

Best for: 5-20 pages

Option B: CSV Import (Blog Posts)

1. Convert WordPress XML to CSV
2. Add all blog data to CSV:
   • Title, slug, content, date, category, meta title, meta description
3. Import CSV to Webflow CMS
4. Upload images separately, link via CMS

Tools:

• WordPress to CSV converter (search GitHub)
• CSV import in Webflow CMS

Best for: 20+ blog posts

Step 4: Recreate Forms

WordPress forms (Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms, etc.) won't transfer.

Webflow options:

Option 1: Native Webflow Forms

• Built-in, free
• Email notifications
• Limited features

Option 2: Third-Party Form Tools

• Formspree ($10-$50/month)
• Basin ($10-$30/month)
• Tally (free-$29/month)

Option 3: Custom Integration

• Zapier/Make automation
• Connect to CRM
• Advanced workflows

Phase 4: SEO Preservation (Critical!)

Step 1: Transfer All Metadata

For every page:

WordPress SEO → Webflow SEO

WordPress FieldWebflow LocationSEO TitlePage Settings → SEO → Title TagMeta DescriptionPage Settings → SEO → Meta DescriptionFocus Keyword(No direct equivalent, but optimize content)Canonical URLPage Settings → SEO → CanonicalOpen Graph TitlePage Settings → Open Graph → TitleOpen Graph DescriptionPage Settings → Open Graph → DescriptionOG ImagePage Settings → Open Graph → Image

Don't skip this! Metadata is critical for SEO.

Step 2: Recreate Schema Markup

If WordPress used schema plugins (Schema Pro, Yoast, etc.):

Common schemas to recreate:

Organization Schema (Homepage):

html

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Your Company Name",
"url": "https://yoursite.com",
"logo": "https://yoursite.com/logo.png",
"sameAs": [
"https://facebook.com/yourpage",
"https://twitter.com/yourhandle"
]
}
</script>

Add to: Site Settings → Custom Code → Head Code

Article Schema (Blog Posts):

html

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "{{post-title}}",
"image": "{{post-image}}",
"datePublished": "{{post-date}}",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "{{author-name}}"
}
}
</script>

Add to: Collection Template → Custom Code (or use dynamic fields)

Step 3: Set Up 301 Redirects

This is the MOST CRITICAL step for SEO.

How 301 redirects work:

Old WordPress URL: yoursite.com/2024/03/old-post
Redirect (301): → yoursite.com/blog/new-post
Google: "OK, this page moved. I'll update my index."
SEO Value: 90-95% transferred to new URL

Without redirects:

Old WordPress URL: yoursite.com/2024/03/old-post
Google: "404 error. This page is gone. Removed from index."
SEO Value: LOST

How to implement redirects in Webflow:

Option 1: Webflow's Built-in Redirects (Enterprise Plan Only)

Site Settings → SEO → 301 Redirects

Format:

/old-url → /new-url

Limitation: 100 redirects max on most plans

Option 2: Cloudflare Bulk Redirects (Recommended)

1. Add site to Cloudflare (free)
2. Update nameservers to Cloudflare
3. Go to: Rules → Bulk Redirects
4. Upload CSV of all redirects

CSV format:

source,destination,status
/old-page,/new-page,301
/blog/2024/01/post,/blog/post,301

Advantages:

• ✅ Unlimited redirects
• ✅ Free
• ✅ Fast (edge-level redirects)

Option 3: Custom JavaScript Redirects (Not Recommended)

Only if you have <20 redirects:

javascript

<script>
if (window.location.pathname === '/old-page') {
window.location.replace('/new-page');
}
</script>

Why not recommended: Slower, not true 301s, bad for SEO at scale.

Step 4: Create Redirect Mapping Sheet

Before going live, create comprehensive redirect map:

Old WordPress URLNew Webflow URLRedirect TypePriority/about-us/about301High/services/wordpress-dev/services/webflow-dev301High/blog/2024/01/15/post-name/blog/post-name301Medium/category/tips/blog?category=tips301Low

Tool: Google Sheets or Airtable

Pro tip: Export all URLs from WordPress (use Screaming Frog), map each one.

Phase 5: Testing (Week 3-4)

Step 1: Test on Webflow Staging Domain

Before going live:

1. Publish to Webflow subdomain (yoursite.webflow.io)
2. Test every page:
   • All links work
   • Images load correctly
   • Forms submit properly
   • CMS items display
   • Mobile responsiveness
3. Run technical checks:
   • Google PageSpeed Insights
   • Mobile-Friendly Test
   • Broken link checker

Do NOT point your domain yet.

Step 2: SEO Testing

Check these on staging:

✅ All pages have:

• Unique title tags
• Meta descriptions
• Proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3)
• Image alt text
• Internal links

✅ Technical SEO:

• XML sitemap generates (/sitemap.xml)
• Robots.txt is correct
• Canonical URLs set
• No broken links (404s)

✅ Page speed:

• Core Web Vitals passing
• Images optimized
• No unnecessary scripts

Phase 6: Launch (Week 4)

Step 1: Pre-Launch Checklist

Before switching domain:

• All content migrated
• All redirects set up and tested
• Forms tested and working
• Analytics code added (GA4)
• Search Console set up
• Backup WordPress site (don't delete yet!)

Step 2: Point Domain to Webflow

Steps:

1. Add custom domain in Webflow:
   • Site Settings → Publishing → Add Custom Domain
   • Enter: yoursite.com and www.yoursite.com
2. Update DNS records:
   • Go to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
   • Update A record: Point to Webflow's IP
   • Update CNAME: Point www to proxy-ssl.webflow.com

Webflow provides exact instructions during this step.

3. Wait for DNS propagation (5 minutes - 48 hours)
4. Verify site is live:
   • Visit yoursite.com
   • Should see new Webflow site

Step 3: Test Redirects

Immediately after launch:

1. Test 10-20 random old URLs from your redirect map
2. Verify they redirect to correct new URLs
3. Use: https://httpstatus.io to check redirect codes (should be 301)

If redirects aren't working: Fix immediately (critical for SEO).

Post-Migration SEO Checklist

Do these within 24 hours of launch:

✅ Step 1: Submit New Sitemap to Google

1. Google Search Console → Sitemaps
2. Add new sitemap: https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
3. Click "Submit"

Google will start re-crawling your site.

✅ Step 2: Request Re-Indexing for Key Pages

In Google Search Console:

1. URL Inspection tool
2. Enter each important page URL
3. Click "Request Indexing"

Do this for:

• Homepage
• Top 10 traffic pages
• All service pages

✅ Step 3: Monitor Search Console

Watch for:

• Coverage errors (404s)
• Mobile usability issues
• Core Web Vitals
• Manual actions

Check daily for first week, then weekly.

✅ Step 4: Monitor Analytics

Compare to pre-migration baseline:

Week 1-2: Expect 10-20% traffic fluctuation (normal)
Week 3-4: Should stabilize to baseline
Month 2-3: Should see improvements (faster site = better rankings)

Red flags:

• 50%+ traffic drop (investigate redirects)
• Spiking bounce rate (check page speed, broken elements)
• Dropping rankings for key terms (check content parity)

✅ Step 5: Fix Any Issues

Common post-launch issues:

Issue 1: 404 Errors
Fix: Add missing redirect or recreate page

Issue 2: Slow Indexing
Fix: Request indexing in Search Console, check robots.txt

Issue 3: Traffic Drop for Specific Pages
Fix: Compare old vs new page content, ensure metadata matches

Issue 4: Broken Internal Links
Fix: Use Screaming Frog to find, update in Webflow

Common Migration Mistakes (Avoid These!)

❌ Mistake #1: Not Setting Up Redirects

Result: Massive SEO loss, broken backlinks

Fix: Map EVERY old URL to new URL with 301 redirects

❌ Mistake #2: Changing URLs Unnecessarily

Bad:

Old: /services/web-design
New: /what-we-do/website-creation

Better:

Old: /services/web-design
New: /services/web-design (keep same!)

Why: Less redirect complexity = less SEO risk

❌ Mistake #3: Not Migrating Metadata

What gets lost:

• Custom title tags
• Meta descriptions
• Open Graph data
• Schema markup

Fix: Manually transfer all SEO fields, page by page

❌ Mistake #4: Deleting WordPress Too Soon

Don't delete WordPress immediately!

Keep WordPress live for 30-90 days:

• Backup in case something breaks
• Reference for content/SEO
• Safety net for rollback

After 90 days: Archive WordPress files, delete from server

❌ Mistake #5: Ignoring Image Optimization

WordPress images: Often bloated, uncompressed
Result: Slow Webflow site, worse SEO

Fix: Compress all images before uploading to Webflow

❌ Mistake #6: Not Testing Forms

Common issue: Forms work in Webflow editor but fail on live site

Fix: Test all forms on staging before launch, verify email notifications work

Migration Timeline & Cost Breakdown

Typical Timeline:

PhaseDIYWith DeveloperPlanning5-10 hours2-4 hoursDesign Setup20-40 hoursIncludedContent Migration20-60 hours5-10 hoursSEO Setup10-20 hoursIncludedTesting5-10 hoursIncludedLaunch2-4 hours1-2 hoursTotal60-140 hours1-3 weeks

Typical Costs:

DIY Migration:

• Webflow plan: $228-$372/year
• Your time: 60-140 hours
• Tools (optional): $50-$200
• Total: $300-$600 + your time

Hiring a Developer:

• 20-page site: $2,500-$4,000
• 50-page site: $4,000-$6,000
• 100+ page site: $6,000-$10,000
• Webflow plan: $228-$372/year
• Total: $3,000-$10,000+ (one-time)

What's included with developer:

• ✅ Content migration
• ✅ Design recreation or template customization
• ✅ SEO preservation (redirects, metadata)
• ✅ Testing and QA
• ✅ Post-launch support (30 days)

Real Migration Case Studies

Case Study 1: Marketing Agency (40 Pages)

WordPress site:

• 40 pages (services, case studies, blog)
• 6 years old
• 5,000 monthly organic visitors
• Hosted on Bluehost

Migration details:

• Timeline: 3 weeks
• Approach: Redesign with Webflow template
• Cost: $5,500
• Redirects: 87 URLs

Results:

• Week 1: Traffic dropped 15% (normal)
• Week 4: Traffic back to 100%
• Month 3: Traffic up 30% (faster site = better rankings)
• Month 6: Traffic up 45%

SEO improvements:

• PageSpeed score: 45 → 92
• Bounce rate: 65% → 48%
• Average session: 1:23 → 2:15
• Rankings: 3 keywords in top 3 (up from 0)

Case Study 2: SaaS Company (15 Pages)

WordPress site:

• 15 pages (product, features, pricing, blog)
• 3 years old
• 12,000 monthly organic visitors
• Custom theme, slow loading

Migration details:

• Timeline: 2 weeks
• Approach: Figma design → Webflow
• Cost: $7,200
• Redirects: 52 URLs

Results:

• Week 1: Traffic stable (good redirects)
• Week 2: Traffic up 8%
• Month 2: Conversion rate up 22% (better UX)
• Month 6: Traffic up 35%

Key wins:

• Page speed: 2.8s → 0.9s load time
• Mobile score: 62 → 95
• Form submissions: +40%

Case Study 3: Personal Blog (200+ Posts)

WordPress site:

• 8 static pages, 200+ blog posts
• 7 years old
• 3,500 monthly organic visitors
• Heavy plugin bloat

Migration details:

• Timeline: 4 weeks
• Approach: Webflow CMS + CSV import
• Cost: $3,800
• Redirects: 220+ URLs (via Cloudflare)

Results:

• Week 1: Traffic dropped 20% (re-indexing)
• Month 1: Traffic back to baseline
• Month 3: Traffic up 18%
• Month 6: Traffic up 28%

Biggest change: Site maintenance dropped from 5 hours/month → 30 minutes/month

Is WordPress to Webflow Migration Worth It?

You Should Migrate If:

✅ WordPress maintenance is eating your time
✅ You're experiencing frequent security issues
✅ Site speed is slow (under 60 PageSpeed score)
✅ You want better design freedom
✅ You value simplicity over complexity
✅ Budget allows ($3,000-$10,000 for professional migration)

Maybe Wait If:

⏸️ Heavily dependent on WordPress plugins with no Webflow alternative
⏸️ E-commerce site (consider Shopify instead)
⏸️ Need advanced backend custom code
⏸️ Budget under $2,000
⏸️ Site is 500+ pages (complex migration)

Ready to Migrate?

Here's what happens next:

Option 1: DIY Migration

1. Follow this guide step-by-step
2. Budget 60-140 hours of work
3. Test thoroughly before launch
4. Monitor SEO closely

Option 2: Hire Me to Migrate

What's included:✅ Complete content migration
✅ Design recreation or template customization
✅ 301 redirect setup (all pages)
✅ SEO metadata transfer
✅ Forms recreation
✅ Testing and QA
✅ Launch support
✅ 30-day post-launch monitoring

Pricing:

• 20-page site: $2,500-$4,000
• 50-page site: $4,000-$6,000
• 100+ page site: $6,000-$10,000
• Custom quote for 200+ pages

Timeline: 2-4 weeks depending on size

Guarantee: If any SEO metric drops 30%+ in first 90 days due to migration issues, I'll fix it free.

👉 Get Your Free Migration Quote

Or schedule a free 30-minute migration consultation where we'll:

• Audit your current WordPress site
• Identify SEO risks and how to mitigate them
• Create a custom migration plan
• Provide accurate timeline and pricing

No pressure, just clarity.