How to Update URLs When Migrating a WordPress Site: A Complete Detailed Guide

Migration of websitesis a complex task, and one of the key steps is to update the website with all the URL. This article will give you details on how to properly update URLs during WordPress website migration toEnsure a smooth transition between UX and SEOThe

Why do I need to update the URLs on my WordPress site?

When you migrate your WordPress site to a new domain, you can do so via the WordPress dashboard in the "set up"""conventional (weapons)" page to change the WordPress address and website address, but that doesn'tDoesn't update old URLs you use in website posts, pages, images, etc.The

Failure to update these URLs may result in broken links on the website, which can have a negative impact on user experience and search engine optimization (SEO).negative impactThe

The importance of updating URLs

1. user experience: A user who clicks on a link and is unable to access the target page will result in a poor user experience. This will not only increase the bounce rate of the website but may also lead to user loss.
2. SEO Impact: Search engines can't index your new content correctly, which can lead to a drop in site rankings. In addition, if the old URL does not redirect correctly to the new domain, it may generate a large number of 404 error pages, which is also very bad for SEO.
3. Ensure link validity: Other websites may have linked to your old domain, including social media, partner sites, and news stories. If these links are not updated, visitors will not be able to find your site through these means.

How to update URLs after WordPress website migration?

To ensure that all links are pointing to the correct destination after the migration, you will need to do a complete update of the URLs on your website. Here are the steps to accomplish this.

Step 1: Update the old URL using the plugin

After activating the plugin, navigate to Tools > WP Search & ReplaceYou will be doing bulk updates of URLs here.

1. In "look for sth." field to enter the old URL.
2. Enter the new URL in the Replace With field.
3. Select the database tables that need to be updated. You can choose WordPress core tables to update various parts of your website, including posts, comments, user data, etc.

Before clicking the "Replace All" button, it is recommended to click the "Preview Search and Replace" button in order to view the upcoming changes and make sure there are no errors.

Step 3:Make sure you have a full backup of your website

Before performing any database operations, make sure you have a full backup of your website. This will allow you to revert back to the original state if something goes wrong. This can be performed using WordPress' built-in tools or third-party backup plugins.

Step 4: Setting up a 301 Redirect

After the URL has been updated, you next need to set up the 301 Redirect. This ensures that any requests to the old URL are automatically redirected to the new URL, thus avoiding 404 errors.

For this reason, if you use the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) Plugin. The plugin not only helps you set up site redirects, but also tracks 404 Error Pageand provide recommendations for fixes.

1. Install and activate the AIOSEO plug-in.
2. Navigate to All in One SEO > RedirectsThen click on the "Activate Redirection" button, and when it's activated, scroll down until you see "Redirection Manager"This option is clicked to enter the Manage Redirects screen.

3. In the Full Site Redirection tab, enable the Redirect Site toggle and enter the new domain URL in the Redirect to Domain field.

After saving the changes, AIOSEO automatically redirects all old URLs to the new domain name, ensuring seamless user access.

Step 5: Setting Up Individual Page or Post Redirects

In addition to site redirects, you may need to set up redirects for specific pages or posts.AIOSEO provides flexible options to set up redirects for individual URLs as needed.

1. exist redirects In Settings, select "Add New Redirect".
2. Enter the old URL and the new destination URL.
3. Select the redirection type (301 Permanent Move is recommended).
4. Click "Add Redirect" to save the changes.

You can view the redirects that have been set up and track access to those URLs in the redirect log.

Step 6: Monitoring 404 Error Pages

After setting up a redirect, you also need to continue to monitor the 404 error page on your website to ensure that all links are pointing to the correct destination.

1. Enable the "404 Log" and "Redirect Log" options in AIOSEO's redirection settings.

2. Periodically check the "404 Log" tab for broken links.
3. For any broken links, use AIOSEO to set up new redirects to ensure all visitors reach the correct page.

summarize

Migrating a WordPress website and updating the URLs is a complex process, but by using the right tools and methods, you can ensure that the whole process goes smoothly. In the WP self-taught website builder In this case, it is recommended to use the "Search & Replace Everything" plugin and the AIOSEO plugin so that you can quickly update all the URLs of your website and make sure to set up proper redirects to prevent any 404 error pages from appearing.