Will I lose my Google rankings if I leave WordPress?
Most owners who want to leave WordPress hold back for one reason. The site ranks well on Google today and they are afraid a move will undo years of work. That worry is fair, because a careless move can cost search traffic. A careful one usually does not. Google ranks pages by their address and what is on them. It does not care what software made them. This guide is the checklist we work through when a site moves off WordPress to another kind of site.
Last updated
The short answer
Usually not, if the move is done with care. Google ranks each page by its address and what is on it. The software that built it does not matter. Keep the same page addresses where you can. Where one has to change, set a permanent redirect, called a 301, from the old address to the new one. Carry over the page titles and descriptions, then submit the new sitemap to Google. WaTo Consulting in Adelaide handles these steps in every WordPress rebuild. Expect small movement for a few weeks.
What to carry across
The page addresses
Each page's address is what Google has on file. Keep it identical where you can, right down to the slash on the end. Where an address must change, set a permanent redirect, called a 301. It tells browsers and Google that the page has moved for good.
Titles and descriptions
The title and short description that show in Google results usually live inside an SEO plugin such as Yoast or Rank Math. They are not part of the page text, so they are easy to leave behind. Copy them out for every page before the old site is switched off.
Blog, category and tag addresses
WordPress makes extra addresses on its own, such as category pages, tag pages, author pages and feeds. Each group needs a decision. Keep the ones that bring visitors, redirect the ones with a close match, and retire the rest on purpose.
Image addresses
WordPress stores pictures under /wp-content/uploads/. Other websites may link to those addresses, and some will be sitting in Google Images. Keep the important ones at the same address or redirect them to the new copy.
Contact forms
A WordPress form runs on a plugin, so it does not come across with the pages. It has to be rebuilt on the new site. Send a test enquiry from every form after launch and check that it arrives in the right inbox.
The sitemap and Search Console
A sitemap is the list of pages you hand to Google. Google Search Console is Google's own tool for site owners. Submit the new sitemap there on launch day, then watch the reports for errors over the next few weeks.
Who this guide is for
- Your WordPress site ranks well for the searches that matter and you are nervous about touching it.
- You have been quoted for a new site and nobody has mentioned redirects or page titles.
- A past redesign cost you search traffic and you do not want a repeat.
- You are weighing up a move and want to know what a careful one involves.
The checklist, in order
- List every address the old site has. Start with the WordPress sitemap and the pages report in Search Console. Add blog posts, category and tag pages, PDFs and images. Mark the ones that bring in visitors or have links from other websites, because those matter most.
- Match each old address to a new one. Write a simple two-column list of old address and new address. Most rows should be identical. Where a page is being dropped, point it to the closest matching page instead of sending everyone to the home page.
- Copy the titles, descriptions and picture text. Take the page titles and descriptions out of the SEO plugin and put them on the matching new pages. Bring across the headings and the short text that describes each picture as well. Our website redesign checklist covers the wider job.
- Test before launch, then switch. Check the new site on a private address first. Try a sample of old addresses and confirm each one lands on the right page. Test every form. Then go live with the redirects switched on from the first minute.
- Submit the sitemap and keep watching. Send the new sitemap to Search Console and check it every few days for pages Google could not find. Fix those as they appear. Google Search Central's guide How to move a site says to keep redirects for as long as possible, generally at least one year.
What to expect, and how WaTo can help
- Expect some small movement. Google has to visit the rebuilt pages again, and positions can shift a little while it does. That happens after any rebuild, on any software, so nobody can honestly promise zero change.
- A lighter, faster site often helps over time, because pages load quickly on phones. We will not promise a ranking gain from it. Our guide on a code site compared with WordPress explains the difference.
- Our WordPress rebuild turns a typical WordPress site into a code site, which means plain web pages with no plugins or database. It takes about a week, and the redirects, titles and sitemap are part of the job.
- A code site is one choice among several. We also build on VoxelSite, Sitejet and WordPress, and host on our own Australian servers. If the move involves a new host or a new web address as well, our website migration and relaunch service covers it.
- We have been Adelaide owned and operated since 2001, and we will say so plainly if your site is better left on WordPress.
Related questions
Does Google prefer WordPress sites?
No. Google reads the finished page that a visitor sees, and many kinds of site can produce a good one. WordPress with an SEO plugin makes titles and sitemaps easy to manage, which is a fair point in its favour. A site built another way needs the same things set up properly.
How long does Google take to catch up after a move?
It depends on the size of the site. Google Search Central's guide How to move a site says a small to medium-sized website can take a few weeks for most pages to move, and that larger sites take longer. Keep checking Search Console during that time.
What happens if we skip the redirects?
Anyone who follows an old link lands on a page not found error. That includes Google and every website that links to you. Over time Google drops those old addresses from its results, and the new pages have to earn their place again from the start.
Do we have to keep the blog?
Only the posts that are doing something for you. Posts that bring in visitors or have links from other websites are worth keeping at the same address. Old posts nobody reads can be redirected to a related page or retired. Search Console shows which posts get clicks, so the choice can rest on real numbers.
Will my Google Maps listing be affected?
Your Google Business Profile is separate from your website, so the listing itself stays as it is. Check that the website link on the profile still opens the right page after the move. If the profile needs attention, see our Google Business Profile help.
Is leaving WordPress the right move for my site?
That depends on what the site does and how often it changes. A shop or a site your staff edit every week is often better kept on WordPress and looked after. Our guide on your options for leaving WordPress compares the paths.
How WaTo can help with this
Planning a move off WordPress?
If you want to leave WordPress and keep the search traffic you have earned, get in touch or call us on (08) 7123 0805. Tell us which pages bring in your enquiries and what you want the new site to do. We will talk you through how the addresses, redirects and titles would be handled for your site.
Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 5pm
