How to Migrate From Squarespace to WordPress?

How to Manually Move from Squarespace to WordPress

Migrating a website from Squarespace to WordPress is a process that requires meticulous planning and careful selection of methods. Below are the steps that LitExtension experts recommend users take when migrating Squarespace to WordPress manually:

Step 1: Install and Configure WordPress for Migration

Configure WordPress environment before importing data. WordPress default settings are not optimized for migrating large volumes of data from platforms like Squarespace:

• After installation, configure your WordPress permalinks to /blog/%postname%/ to reflect the Squarespace URL structure and preserve existing SEO rankings. (Not all URLs will automatically retain their structure when migrating from Squarespace to WordPress; this is just a general solution for now.)
• Navigate to your Reading settings and disable search engine indexing to avoid penalties for duplicate content during the migration. Re-enable indexing after the data migration is complete and 301 redirects from Squarespace to WordPress are active.
• For themes, we recommend using the default option, as it is lightweight and compatible with WooCommerce. After the data migration is successful, you can select and customize a new theme.

Now that we have a clean WordPress environment ready for a smooth data migration, let’s move on to step 2.

Step 2: Export from Squarespace and Import to WordPress

To migrate text content from Squarespace to WordPress, use the XML export tool:

1. Export from Squarespace:

• Navigate to Settings > Advanced > Import / Export.
• Click Export and select the WordPress icon.
• Select the primary blog (only one blog page can be exported per file) and download squarespace-export.xml.

2. Import to WordPress:

• Go to Tools > Import > WordPress in the WP Dashboard.
• Install/Run the importer and upload the XML file.
• Map incoming authors to existing WordPress users.
• Check “Download and import file attachments.”

3. Validate Data:

• Compare Post and Page counts against the source site.
• Check the Trash folder for valid items flagged as duplicates.
• Review content; complex layouts are usually stripped, though basic text formatting remains.

Step 3: Media Asset Recovery and Management

The standard importer often results in hotlinking, where images display on WordPress but remain hosted on Squarespace. To move these images to your WordPress host, use the Auto Upload Images plugin to transfer files.

1. Install and Configure. Install Auto Upload Images (by Ali Irani). In Settings, configure the “Image Name Pattern” (e.g., %post_title%-%filename%). This converts generic Squarespace filenames into SEO-optimized local files.

2. Bulk Trigger. The plugin runs when a post is saved. To trigger this globally:

• Navigate to Posts > All Posts and use Screen Options to view all items.
• Select all posts, choose Edit from the Bulk Actions dropdown, and click Apply.
• Click Update without changing any data. This forces the plugin to scan content and download images to the local server.

3. Verification & Featured Images. Check the Media Library to confirm image ingestion. Note that Featured Images are often excluded from the XML export. If the “Image” column in the Posts list is empty, these assets must be manually re-uploaded.

Step 4: E-Commerce Data Migration

Since Squarespace exports product data via CSV (not XML), the migration requires mapping the Squarespace schema to the WooCommerce database.

1. Prepare Environment Install. WooCommerce and run the setup wizard to configure currency and payment gateways. This establishes the necessary database tables for the import.

2. Export Data. Navigate to the Commerce menu in Squarespace to export Products, Orders, and Customers as separate CSV files.

3. Format Variable Products. Squarespace exports variants as standalone rows. WooCommerce requires a hierarchical Parent/Child structure. You must manually restructure the CSV in Excel to ensure every variation row is linked to a specific Parent SKU, or import them as “Simple” products and regroup them manually in the dashboard.

4. Import to WooCommerce:

• Navigate to Products > Import and upload the CSV.
• Field Mapping: Carefully map Squarespace columns to their WooCommerce equivalents.
• Images: Ensure the Image URL column is mapped to the “Images” field to trigger file downloading.
• Execution: Run the importer and review the error log for SKU conflicts or formatting failures.

Step 5: Permalinks and Redirection

To preserve organic search rankings and redirect existing traffic, explicitly map your old Squarespace URLs to their corresponding new WordPress URLs.

URL Structure Audit:

• Matches: Blogs (if Permalinks are set to /blog/%postname%/) and standard Pages typically match automatically.
• Conflicts: Products (/store/ vs /product/) and Categories (?category= vs /category/) require intervention.

Implementation via “Redirection” Plugin. Install the Redirection plugin to manage these changes effectively.

• Bulk Product Redirect. Instead of mapping products manually, use a Regular Expression to redirect the entire store path at once:
  • Source URL: /store/(.*)
  • Target URL: /product/$1
• Manual Redirects.

For specific pages where the slug has changed (e.g., /about-us to /about), manually enter the Source and Target URLs in the plugin dashboard.

Step 6: Post-Migration Optimization and Security

Squarespace manages these internally; on WordPress, you must configure them manually.

Here are a few features that require plugins to support when you first start using WordPress:

• Firewall: Install Wordfence or Solid Security to provide malware scanning and firewall protection.
• Backups: Install UpdraftPlus. Configure it to send backups to Google Drive or Dropbox immediately.
• Caching: Install WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache. This converts PHP to static HTML for faster loading.
• Image Optimization: Install Smush or ShortPixel. Run a bulk optimization to compress the images downloaded during the migration.

There are quite a few plugins you’ll need to use WordPress optimally; however, try to choose plugins that are lightweight and don’t conflict with each other to ensure your website’s performance.

Step 7: DNS Propagation

The final step is flipping the switch:

• Verify Staging: Ensure all pages load, images are local, and links work on the temporary URL.
• Update Site Address: In WordPress Settings > General, change the “WordPress Address” and “Site Address” from the temporary domain to the actual domain. The site will temporarily break/become inaccessible.
• Update DNS: Log in to the domain registrar. Update the Nameservers to point to the new hosting provider.
• Wait: Propagation takes 1–48 hours. During this time, some users will see the Squarespace site, others the WordPress site.
• SSL Generation: Once propagation is complete, the new host will automatically generate an SSL certificate (Let’s Encrypt). Ensure the site loads over HTTPS.

Post-Launch Monitoring:

• Google Search Console: Submit the new XML sitemap (generated by RankMath or Yoast SEO). Use the “URL Inspection” tool to verify Google can crawl the new structure.
• Check Redirects: Click old links from Google search results to ensure they redirect seamlessly to the new content.

Conclusion

Migrating from Squarespace to WordPress is a complex undertaking that extends far beyond a straightforward data transfer. It requires restructuring your digital assets as you move from a rented platform to an owned infrastructure. The DIY approach demands careful execution, particularly in areas such as media asset extraction, e-commerce data mapping, and SEO redirection. However, it remains the most reliable path to full digital autonomy, especially if you are comfortable with administrative tasks.

If you find the above steps too complicated, you can use our All-in-one data migration service to migrate data from Squarespace to WordPress. LitExtension’s data migration experts will contact you, advise, process, and migrate your data safely and securely.