Migrating posts is a task that every WordPress site owner will need to undertake during their brand’s lifetime. From redesigns to domain name changes and content consolidation, migration is a necessary but delicate process. To ensure everything goes smoothly, it’s important to have the right tools on board.
WordPress offers a useful built-in functionality for exporting and importing posts. However, these features aren’t necessarily aligned with the size and complexity of modern websites. As a result, the function may not meet the needs of every migration project.
In this article, we’ll detail two simple methods used to migrate posts between sites – using the default WordPress export/import tools and using WP RSS Aggregator to automate the process.
Navigating the default WordPress export and import tools
As we’ve seen, WordPress comes equipped to manage any export/import post migration between old and new websites. Let’s take a look at how to achieve this:
Exporting content
Exporting content through WordPress is a simple four-step process:
- From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Tools > Export.
- Click the radio button next to Posts to specifically export your post data.
- Apply any filters, such as post categories, authors, post statuses, or a date range of the posts you want to migrate.
- Click Download Export File – your post data will be saved as an XML file.
Be aware that if you only export post data through WordPress, media files and featured images won’t be included. You’ll need to export these as individual files instead. Do this by accessing your hosting provider’s control panel, selecting Files, and then File Manager.
You’ll find media files in the wp-content/uploads folder. You can also access the control panel via an SFTP client.
An alternative tactic is to select the All content option from the Tools > Export screen. This will export all media and post data as part of the XML file, in a single click. However, this method is most commonly used for whole-site migrations. Using it for specific post migrations will add time to the project, as you’ll have to delete the unwanted files later.
Remember that both old and new sites will need to be live when it comes to uploading an All content file.
Importing content
Importing content is also an easy process when using the default WordPress tool:
- Go to the WordPress dashboard of your new site and navigate to Tools > Import.
- Find WordPress towards the bottom of the screen. If already installed, you’ll see Run Importer, or Install Now if not. Install and then run the importer, and you’ll be taken to the Import WordPress screen.
- Click on Choose File and select the XML file you previously exported from your downloads folder.
- Click Upload file and import.
You’ll need to assign an author to the imported post content, either by using the imported author, selecting an existing user, or creating a new one.
If you exported all WordPress site data, check the Download and import file attachments to automatically fetch media from your old site. Click Submit to complete the import process.
Streamlining WordPress migrations with WP RSS Aggregator
While WordPress’s default export/import posts functionality provides a starting point for post migration, it has limitations.
The lack of filter options is one such issue, for those needing to migrate specific content. If you only want to export a category of posts, images won’t be included unless you download them separately, adding time to the process.
Such limitations can be overcome through the use of a specialist plugin. WP RSS Aggregator offers a premium solution for managing post migrations. The platform comes with a range of key features that go far beyond WordPress export/import tools:
- Powerful filtering options: You can segment which posts you import by filtering content by specific words, phrases, categories, or tags.
- Full content import: Import posts with all associated content, including images, authors, categories, and more.
- Automated import: Set up your old site as a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed source to automatically import post content, removing the manual process.
- Format your imported content: Import content as posts, pages, or any custom post type using WP RSS Aggregator’s feed-to-post feature. This enables you to control how your imported content is displayed without the need for manual intervention.
How to migrate WordPress posts using WP RSS Aggregator
Using WP RSS Aggregator to migrate posts in WordPress is a simple process. First of all, you’ll need to find the RSS feed URL of the site you want to import from. These feeds allow your content to be syndicated on other websites or social media, keeping users updated through notifications.
If you’re unsure how to locate it, refer to our guide on finding your RSS feed URL.
Next up, take the following steps:
- In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to RSS Aggregator > Sources > Add A New Source. Set up your post type below by determining how the content should be imported. You can import as a Feed to Post in this section.
- Paste the RSS feed URL from your old site into the designated field.
- Set up filtering options by adding keywords or tags to refine the imported content.
- Configure image settings. Include whether images should be imported and set minimum image dimensions.
- Assign sources to Folders to automatically categorize imported content.
- Set the post author for imported content, or configure posts to automatically import the current author details.
When it comes to keyword filtering, be aware of the following.
If the word entered forms part of another word, that word will also get picked up in your post cluster. For example, enter the word ‘tree’ and you’ll get any tree-related words, such as ‘treehouse’, or ‘treehopper’. If your post migration is super-specific, you may need to remove any related items following migration.
Take the next step in WordPress post migration
From consolidating content, rebranding, or changing a domain, all webmasters need to migrate posts from one site to another at some point. Although WordPress offers useful built-in tools, it has limitations when it comes to segmenting data or migrating images and other media.
WP RSS Aggregator provides a straightforward solution to automate WordPress post migration. With features like keyword filtering, full text/image import, and automatic categorization, you can efficiently move content without the need for a full migration.
Whatever your WordPress site migration needs, we’ve got them covered. Experience simplified and tailored post migration with WP RSS Aggregator today!
