How I Transformed My HTML Web site to WordPress (& Made It 10x Simpler to Replace)

In case you’ve ever tried updating an previous HTML web site, you understand how irritating it may be. Each small change means opening code, saving information, and re-uploading them simply to repair a line of textual content or change a picture.

That’s one of many principal causes so many individuals transfer their web sites to WordPress. It’s a full content material administration system that allows you to make updates proper out of your dashboard. No coding, no FTP, and no further software program.

I’ve helped plenty of readers make this swap. Some solely wish to add a single HTML web page, whereas others are able to rebuild their total web site in WordPress.

On this tutorial, I’ll stroll you thru each choices step-by-step. You’ll discover ways to transfer your content material safely, keep away from downtime, and preserve your search rankings intact.

Why Convert Your HTML Web site to WordPress?

The largest cause to modify from HTML to WordPress is comfort. WordPress makes it straightforward to replace your content material, change your design, and add new options with out touching any code.

Alternatively, with a static HTML web site, each edit requires opening information, altering code, and importing them once more. That may take hours, even for one thing easy like changing a picture or fixing a typo.

WordPress works otherwise. It’s an entire content material administration system (CMS) that offers you a dashboard to deal with every part. You possibly can log in, make edits, and publish adjustments immediately, with no coding required.

It additionally offers you full management over your web site’s look. As a substitute of manually rebuilding layouts, you’ll be able to select from hundreds of ready-made WordPress themes that immediately change your web site’s design.

And in case you ever want further performance — like including contact kinds, bettering website positioning, or creating picture galleries — you are able to do it by selecting from the 60,000+ WordPress plugins. These are like apps to your web site and will be put in with only a few clicks.

In abstract, switching to WordPress saves you time, retains your web site updated, and helps it develop as your wants change.

You possibly can be taught extra in our comparability of WordPress vs static HTML web sites.

How one can Convert HTML to WordPress

Now that you already know why WordPress is a superb alternative, let’s take a look at the best way to make the transfer.

One of the best methodology will depend on your purpose. Are you simply attempting so as to add a single HTML web page to your web site, or do you wish to convert your total web site?

I’ll cowl the best methods to deal with each. We are going to begin with the best situation first.

Use Case 1: You Need to Add a Single HTML Web page to WordPress

Let’s begin with a standard situation I see. You don’t wish to transfer a complete web site, however you might have a single HTML file you wish to add to your WordPress web site.

Possibly you downloaded an HTML template from a web based market, or a designer gave you a file for a particular marketing campaign. It’s a state of affairs many customers discover themselves in.

Frequent examples embody {custom} touchdown pages, a particular ‘coming quickly’ web page, a novel gross sales web page template, or perhaps a easy one-page on-line resume.

If that’s your purpose, there are a few methods to deal with it. I’ll begin with the quickest methodology first.

Technique 1: Add the HTML File to Your Web site (Best Technique)

Now, you might have a single HTML file, and you may merely add it on to your WordPress internet hosting account.

But when the web page additionally contains further CSS information and pictures, then you must put all of the information collectively in a folder after which add the folder to your web site.

You are able to do this utilizing the file supervisor in your internet host’s dashboard or particular FTP consumer software program for Home windows or Mac. You’ll discover clear directions in our newbie’s information on the best way to use FTP to add information to WordPress.

You simply want so as to add the file or folder to your web site’s principal folder. That is usually referred to as the public_html or root listing, which is the top-level folder that holds all of your web site’s information.

As soon as uploaded, anybody can entry it straight by going to its URL, akin to:

I’ve an entire information that reveals you precisely the best way to add an HTML web page to WordPress so that you don’t run into any 404 errors.

Limitations: Whereas importing an HTML file is fast, it’s essential to grasp the downsides. This methodology fully isolates the web page from WordPress.

Your uploaded web page won’t use your WordPress theme’s styling. This implies it gained’t have your web site’s header, footer, or fonts, so it is going to doubtless look inconsistent with the remainder of your web site.

It can also’t be edited from the WordPress dashboard, and it gained’t profit from any of your plugins, like your website positioning or caching instruments.

This makes it a poor alternative for pages that require frequent updates.

Technique 2: Recreate the HTML Web page Utilizing a Web page Builder (Greatest Technique)

A significantly better various is to recreate the web page straight inside WordPress utilizing a web page builder plugin.

This can be a software that allows you to construct {custom} web page layouts visually with a drag-and-drop editor, no coding required. This strategy offers you full management and is way simpler than it sounds.

I like to recommend utilizing SeedProd. It’s a strong drag-and-drop web page builder that allows you to visually recreate any format with out touching code. You possibly can merely add columns, textual content, pictures, and buttons to match your authentic HTML web page.

The largest profit is that the brand new web page will mechanically use your theme’s design, making it look completely constant. It’ll additionally work with all your different plugins.

Better of all, when you must make a change, you’ll be able to edit the web page proper out of your WordPress admin space similar to every other web page in your web site.

We’ve written useful tutorials on the best way to use SeedProd to create several types of pages:

Use Case 2: You Need to Convert a Full HTML Web site to WordPress

Now, let’s sort out the opposite widespread purpose: transferring your total static HTML web site over to WordPress. That is for while you wish to absolutely modernize your web site and handle every part in a single place.

The best and dependable methodology is to systematically rebuild your web site’s design and content material utilizing fashionable WordPress instruments. That is a lot simpler than attempting to transform code manually and offers you a much better end result.

Step 1. Set up and Set Up WordPress

The very first thing you want is WordPress internet hosting. That is the place the place your web site information stay on the web. A great host makes certain your web site runs easily and is obtainable to guests.

I like to recommend Bluehost to new WordPress customers. I exploit Bluehost myself and discover them to be very dependable, particularly in case you’re simply getting began. They usually usually have good offers.

Proper now, they’re providing WPBeginner readers a free area title and a giant low cost on internet hosting. You may get began for simply $2.99 a month, which makes it an reasonably priced alternative.

For this information, I’ll use screenshots from Bluehost simply to indicate you the method. However the primary steps are fairly related, regardless of which prime WordPress internet hosting supplier you select.

To start, head over to the Bluehost web site and click on on the button that claims ‘Get Began Now.’

You’ll then see their pricing web page with totally different plans. For many web sites, particularly while you’re simply beginning out, the Starter plan is completely effective.

Choose a plan by clicking the ‘Select Plan’ button.

Subsequent up, you’ll be requested about your area title. That is your web site’s deal with on the web (like www.yourwebsite.com).

Merely choose ‘I’ll create my area title later.’ This retains your previous HTML web site on-line when you construct your new one. We’ll swap the area over on the very finish, so that you don’t have any downtime.

After that, you’ll must fill in your account particulars and fee data to finish the acquisition.

Bluehost will then ship you an e mail along with your login particulars. Preserve that e mail protected! You’ll use these particulars to log in to your internet hosting account dashboard.

Right here’s my favourite half: While you log in for the primary time, Bluehost installs WordPress mechanically for you.

Now, merely search for the ‘Edit Web site’ button and click on it. That can take you straight to your WordPress dashboard.

And that’s it, you’ve received WordPress put in!

Want a bit extra assist with the WordPress set up? Try our detailed WordPress set up tutorial that walks you thru every step.

Step 2: Discover a WordPress Theme That Matches Your Outdated Web site

The subsequent factor to do is select a WordPress theme that appears much like your previous HTML web site’s design. You’ll discover useful recommendations on what to contemplate in our information on choosing the proper WordPress theme.

Don’t fear about discovering an actual match, as you’ll be able to customise it.

A theme offers you an expert design basis, controlling your web site’s header, footer, colours, and fonts with no need to code. There are millions of nice free and premium WordPress themes obtainable.

Step 3: Set Up WordPress Permalinks

WordPress gives a couple of permalink choices to provide you management over how your web site addresses (URLs) are structured.

I all the time suggest utilizing the ‘Submit title’ permalink construction. It creates clear, easy-to-read URLs based mostly in your web page or put up title (like yourwebsite.com/about-us).

This isn’t solely higher for guests but in addition offers you a pleasant little website positioning enhance by together with key phrases straight within the deal with.

Now, plain permalinks don’t give any context in regards to the put up in any respect, like this:

‘Submit title’ permalinks are a lot nicer and extra informative, like this:

I’m certain you’ll agree that the second possibility is way simpler to grasp.

It’s fast and straightforward to decide on an possibility from the Settings » Permalinks web page of your dashboard.

Within the part referred to as ‘Frequent Settings’, choose the ‘Submit title’ possibility.

Then merely scroll down and click on the ‘Save Adjustments’ button.

That’s it for permalinks! Now, WordPress will use the “Submit title” construction for all of your new pages and posts.

Step 4: Recreate Your Content material in WordPress

As soon as your theme is energetic, it’s time to maneuver your content material from the previous HTML information into WordPress.

For this, you’ll be able to select the most effective methodology based mostly on how advanced every web page is.

WordPress Block Editor

For many of your essential pages, like your ‘About,’ ‘Providers,’ or ‘Contact’ pages, the built-in WordPress block editor is ideal. If a web page is usually textual content and pictures in a easy format, that is the best route.

You possibly can merely create a brand new web page in your WordPress admin, then copy the textual content out of your previous HTML file and paste it into the editor. From there, you should use blocks so as to add headings, pictures, lists, and buttons to construction your content material.

For detailed directions, please see our information on the best way to use the WordPress block editor.

Web page Builder Plugin

In case your previous web site had a {custom} homepage, touchdown pages, or pages with advanced multi-column layouts, then a web page builder is the higher alternative. It offers you the pliability to recreate these particular designs.

For this, I like to recommend SeedProd. It’s a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to visually recreate any format, providing you with full management over the design with out writing code. That is preferrred for getting these essential, custom-designed pages to look good.

You’ll discover a useful checklist of tutorials earlier on this article that cowl the best way to create several types of pages in WordPress utilizing SeedProd.

Step 5: Set Up Redirects to Protect Your website positioning

This can be a step you completely can’t skip, particularly in case your previous web site was getting site visitors from serps.

It’s very doubtless that your previous HTML web site URLs are totally different out of your new WordPress permalinks. In case you don’t deal with this, then anybody who has a hyperlink to your previous web site will see a irritating 404 ‘Web page not discovered’ error in your new WordPress web site.

To keep away from this, you must arrange redirects to mechanically ship guests out of your previous HTML URLs to the right pages in your new WordPress web site.

You’ll want to put in and activate the Redirection plugin. It’s free and really efficient. In case you need assistance, see our information on the best way to set up a WordPress plugin.

This plugin gives a user-friendly interface for managing redirects safely. It’s a lot simpler and safer than attempting to manually edit your web site’s .htaccess file, the place a small mistake might take your entire web site offline.

As soon as activated, you’ll discover the Redirection plugin settings beneath Instruments » Redirection.

Within the Redirection plugin interface, ‘Supply URL’ is the place you enter your previous HTML web site URL.

For instance, in case you had an ‘about us’ web page in your previous web site with the URL https://your-old-website.com/about.html, then you definately enter /about.html.

‘Goal URL’ is the place you enter the brand new WordPress URL for the corresponding web page.

For instance, in case your new ‘about us’ web page in WordPress has the permalink about-us, then you definately would enter /about-us/.

Be certain the ‘301 – Moved Completely’ possibility is chosen for the redirect kind. A 301 redirect tells serps that the web page has completely moved to a brand new location. That is essential for website positioning.

Lastly, click on the ‘Add Redirect’ button to save lots of the redirect.

For detailed directions, see our information on the best way to arrange redirects in WordPress.

It’s essential to do that for each single web page you progress out of your previous web site. Take your time and thoroughly map every previous URL to its new one to make sure no guests or serps get misplaced.

After you’ve added your redirects, it’s all the time a good suggestion to check them. Sort your previous HTML web site URLs into your browser and ensure they accurately redirect you to the correct pages in your new WordPress web site.

Taking the time to do that makes certain you don’t lose the precious site visitors and authority you’ve already constructed. It’s the important thing to a profitable migration.

Various: If you have already got AIOSEO or are contemplating utilizing it for website positioning, then you definately may wish to use its Redirection Supervisor as an alternative of putting in a separate Redirection plugin.

It’s a premium plugin, but it surely has a strong Redirection Supervisor inbuilt and allows you to arrange full web site redirects.

Moreover that, AIOSEO has many different options to assist your web site rank higher in search outcomes.

It affords 404 error monitoring to simply catch any damaged hyperlinks and allows you to simply add schema markup, {custom} breadcrumbs, native website positioning modules, and extra.

Step 6: Level Your Area Identify to Your New WordPress Web site

You’re nearly there! You’ve received your content material in WordPress, your pictures imported, and your web site is wanting good. Now, let’s make your new WordPress web site really seem when folks kind your area title (like yourwebsite.com) into their browser.

To do that, you must replace your area title settings. Particularly, you’ll be altering one thing referred to as nameservers.

Nameservers are just like the web’s grasp deal with e book. They’re particular addresses that inform the web precisely the place your area title ought to go to search out its web site.

At the moment, your area’s ‘deal with e book entry’ (its nameservers) is pointing to the previous location the place your static HTML web site was beforehand saved.

To get your new WordPress web site to indicate up, you must replace this deal with e book entry. You’ll change the nameservers to level to your new WordPress internet hosting firm.

This tells your complete web, “For yourwebsite.com, don’t go to the previous web site anymore. Go to my new WordPress host as an alternative.”

Your WordPress internet hosting supplier (akin to Bluehost, Hostinger, or SiteGround) gives you the nameserver data you want. It often seems to be one thing like this:

Your internet hosting supplier will give you the precise nameservers to make use of.

However the place do you modify these nameserver settings? It will depend on the place you registered your area title. That is referred to as your area title registrar.

It may be the identical firm the place you bought your internet hosting, or it may be a separate area registrar firm like Community Options or Namecheap.

You’ll must log in to your account at your area registrar. Then, search for the settings to your area title, akin to ‘DNS Settings’, ‘Nameservers’, or ‘Area Administration’.

For instance, right here is the display screen I see on my Bluehost account.

The steps you must take change relying on the corporate you employ. You’ll discover step-by-step directions for a lot of fashionable area registrars in our information on the best way to simply change area nameservers.

When you replace these nameservers, it could possibly take a while for the change to unfold throughout your complete web. That is often only a few hours, however generally it takes a few days.

That is referred to as ‘DNS propagation’. Throughout this time, some guests may nonetheless see your previous web site, whereas others will begin seeing your new WordPress web site.

As soon as DNS propagation is full, when folks kind your area title into their browser, they are going to be directed to your new WordPress web site hosted along with your new supplier!

Step 7: Set up Important WordPress Plugins

Now, for one of many greatest causes folks swap to WordPress from HTML web sites: plugins!

Consider plugins as apps to your web site. These are little add-ons which you could set up to immediately add new options and performance to your WordPress web site.

With a static HTML web site, including any new function was often a coding undertaking. However with WordPress, it’s usually so simple as putting in and activating a plugin.

It’s like going from a primary flip cellphone to a smartphone. Plugins unlock a complete universe of prospects to your web site, with no need to be a coding whiz.

What sort of issues can plugins do? Just about something you’ll be able to think about.

There are plugins for backups, bettering safety, organising caching, beginning an eCommerce retailer, working in your SEO, and extra.

There are millions of WordPress plugins obtainable, each free and paid. It may be a bit overwhelming to decide on, I do know. A query I usually hear is ‘Which plugins do I really want?’

So we created a information on the best way to choose the most effective plugins to your web site. It’s value trying out to discover ways to consider plugins and discover the correct ones to your wants.

However to provide you a fast begin, listed here are a couple of prime plugins that I usually suggest putting in on a brand new WordPress web site:

WPForms helps you simply create highly effective kinds. I exploit WPForms alone websites and discover it user-friendly. See our full WPForms evaluation for extra details about its options.

SeedProd is a drag-and-drop web site builder that allows you to simply customise your web site design. It’s nice for creating {custom} web page layouts and even total WordPress themes with out coding. Try our detailed SeedProd evaluation to be taught extra.

AIOSEO (All in One website positioning) is likely one of the hottest and complete website positioning plugins for WordPress. You can begin optimizing your total web site for higher search engine rankings in lower than 10 minutes. See our AIOSEO evaluation for extra particulars.

MonsterInsights helps you perceive your web site site visitors and customer habits. It connects your WordPress web site to Google Analytics and reveals you key web site stats proper in your dashboard. You possibly can be taught what it could possibly do in our complete MonsterInsights evaluation.

OptinMonster helps you develop an e mail checklist and enhance conversions. It’s a strong toolkit for creating popups, opt-in kinds, and extra. See our full OptinMonster evaluation for extra data.

For much more plugin concepts, try my checklist of important WordPress plugins.

What About Changing HTML Manually Right into a WordPress Theme?

You could surprise in case you can merely convert your previous HTML code into a brand new WordPress theme. I usually get this query, particularly from people who find themselves extra technically curious.

The Developer Technique: Changing HTML to a Customized Theme

Technically, sure, a developer can do that. The method entails creating the core WordPress theme information (like header.php, footer.php, and index.php) after which rebuilding your HTML format inside them.

This entails changing the static content material in your HTML information with particular WordPress code referred to as template tags. These tags are PHP features that dynamically pull content material like your posts and pages from the WordPress database, making your web site manageable.

Why I Don’t Suggest This for Most Customers

Nevertheless, I actually don’t suggest this methodology for many enterprise house owners or rookies. Whereas it’d sound environment friendly, it comes with a really steep studying curve and several other main downsides:

It requires robust coding information. You want a strong understanding of HTML, CSS, and particularly PHP to do that accurately.

You need to be taught the WordPress template hierarchy. That is the advanced algorithm that determines which template file WordPress makes use of for any given web page.

It’s a time-consuming course of. Manually changing code takes plenty of time and may be very liable to errors.

The danger is excessive. It’s very straightforward to make a small mistake that would break your total web site.

That’s why I strongly advise sticking with the strategies we’ve already lined. They offer you all the advantages of WordPress with out the technical complications.

Alternate: Get Skilled Assist to Migrate Your HTML Web site

For a lot of web site house owners, migrating from HTML to WordPress is completely doable, particularly with this information. However maybe you’re not snug with technical web site duties, or simply actually busy.

In that case, getting skilled assist is a superb possibility. I like to recommend trying out Seahawk Media, a service with a powerful popularity within the WordPress group for dependable migrations.

Their workforce of consultants can deal with your complete migration from HTML to WordPress, together with an entire evaluation of your present HTML web site, {custom} theme growth, and importing all your content material.

Bonus Assets for Studying WordPress

So, you’ve made the leap from a static HTML web site to the dynamic world of WordPress.

Now, in case you’re considering, ‘WordPress is nice, however there’s quite a bit to be taught!’, then you might be positively not alone. It’s true, WordPress has a ton of options and choices.

However don’t fear! WordPress is definitely fairly user-friendly, and also you’ll get the hold of it quicker than you may assume. And the most effective half? WPBeginner is the biggest WordPress useful resource web site for rookies, and we’re right here that will help you each step of the way in which.

Listed here are only a few of the fully free sources you could find on WPBeginner that will help you grasp WordPress:

The WPBeginner Weblog is the guts of WPBeginner. You’ll discover hundreds of step-by-step tutorials, guides, and articles on every part WordPress.

The WPBeginner Dictionary is our glossary the place you’ll be able to be taught WordPress terminology.

WPBeginner Movies is our library of video tutorials that stroll you thru widespread WordPress duties step-by-step. It’s good for visible learners!

Our WPBeginner YouTube Channel affords much more video assist and is utilized by over 1,000,000 subscribers.

The WPBeginner Blueprint introduces you to the instruments and plugins we use right here on WPBeginner. It’s like wanting behind the scenes at our personal WordPress setup.

WPBeginner Offers is the place we collect unique reductions and coupons on WordPress services and products, only for WPBeginner customers. It can save you cash on themes, plugins, internet hosting, and extra.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions About Changing HTML to WordPress

Having helped many customers make this swap from HTML to WordPress, I get plenty of widespread questions. Listed here are the solutions to among the most incessantly requested questions.

1. Will changing from HTML to WordPress have an effect on my website positioning?

It might, each positively and negatively. In case you observe the steps accurately, particularly organising 301 redirects for all of your previous pages, you’ll be able to defend and even enhance your website positioning. WordPress and plugins like AIOSEO provide much better instruments for optimization than a static HTML web site. Nevertheless, in case you fail to arrange redirects, you’ll lose your present rankings.

2. How lengthy does it take emigrate a web site from HTML to WordPress?

This will depend on the scale of your web site. For a small web site with 5-10 pages, you can doubtless full the method in a day. For a bigger web site with dozens or a whole bunch of pages, will probably be a multi-day undertaking. The hot button is to be methodical and switch content material web page by web page.

3. Can I preserve the very same design from my HTML web site?

Whereas you could find a WordPress theme that appears related, getting an actual 1:1 match is tough with out {custom} growth. My recommendation is to concentrate on discovering a contemporary, clear theme that’s much like your previous design after which utilizing the web page builder to recreate your key web page layouts. The purpose is to modernize and make administration simpler, not simply to create an ideal clone.

I hope this tutorial helped you exchange your static HTML web site to WordPress. You might also wish to see my final WordPress website positioning migration guidelines for rookies or my knowledgeable choose of the most effective WordPress migration providers.

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