Moving a website from Concrete5 to WordPress can feel like a big decision. If you’ve been running your site on Concrete5 for years, chances are you’ve built up some decent search rankings and steady traffic. The last thing you’d want is to lose all of that hard work just because you’re switching platforms. The truth is, migration doesn’t have to harm your SEO if you take the right steps. In fact, done properly, it can give your website more flexibility and even better results in the long run.
In this article, I’ll break down the process in plain language, so you know exactly what to do to protect your SEO while making the move.
Why Switch from Concrete5 to WordPress?
Concrete5 is a good CMS, but it’s not as popular or flexible as WordPress. Over time, many businesses run into its limitations. WordPress, on the other hand, gives you:
- Thousands of themes and plugins to customize your site easily.
- Better SEO tools like Yoast or Rank Math that make optimization simple.
- A huge community that constantly updates, supports, and improves the platform.
- Scalability — you can start small and expand your site as your business grows.
Simply put, WordPress is more user-friendly and future-proof, which is why so many website owners eventually make the switch.
Step 1: Backup Your Current Website
Before making any changes, create a full backup of your Concrete5 site. This includes your pages, images, database, and files. Having a backup means that if something goes wrong during the migration, you won’t lose everything. Think of it as insurance before the big move.
Step 2: Install WordPress
Next, you’ll need to set up WordPress. Most hosting providers make this easy with a one-click installation. Once installed, choose a theme that fits your brand and configure the basic settings, like permalinks and site title. This gives you a clean starting point for your new site.
Step 3: Export Content from Concrete5
Unfortunately, Concrete5 doesn’t have a direct “export to WordPress” button. You’ll need to either move the content manually or use a migration service. The important part is to collect everything — pages, posts, images, and most importantly, your SEO data such as meta titles and descriptions.
At this stage, pay attention to your URL structure. Keeping your old URLs as close as possible to the new ones helps search engines recognize your site and prevents ranking drops.
Step 4: Import Content into WordPress
Once your content is ready, bring it into WordPress. You can copy it manually or use a plugin to save time. After the import, go through each page and post carefully. Make sure formatting looks good and images display correctly. Adjust your permalinks so they match the old site’s structure whenever possible.
Step 5: Protect Your SEO
This is where most people get nervous, but if you follow a few simple steps, your rankings will remain safe:
- 301 Redirects: Redirect old URLs to their new versions so both visitors and search engines know where to go.
- Meta Data: Re-add your meta titles, descriptions, and alt tags.
- Internal Links: Update links inside your pages so they don’t point to broken addresses.
- XML Sitemap: Create a fresh sitemap in WordPress and submit it to Google Search Console.
- Robots.txt: Ensure your robots.txt file is properly set so search engines can crawl your site.
Handled properly, these steps ensure your SEO performance doesn’t take a hit.
Step 6: Test and Monitor
After migration, don’t just walk away. Test your website thoroughly — check pages, images, forms, and links. Then monitor your traffic in Google Analytics and Search Console. If you see small dips, don’t panic. It’s common after migration. The key is to identify and fix any errors quickly.
Final Thoughts
Migrating from Concrete5 to WordPress may feel like a challenge, but it’s absolutely possible to do it without losing SEO rankings. The trick is in planning, backing up, setting redirects, and paying attention to small details like meta tags and internal links. Once you’re on WordPress, you’ll have more freedom to design, expand, and optimize your site.
If all of this feels too technical, don’t hesitate to get help from professionals who specialize in website migration. It can save you time and ensure your rankings remain safe.
In the end, think of it this way — you’re not just moving platforms; you’re giving your website a stronger foundation for growth.