Quick Answers
- A complete static to WordPress migration checklist covers six phases — pre-migration audit, WordPress setup, content migration, SEO configuration, testing, and go-live — with specific tasks in each phase that must be completed in sequence.
- The most commonly skipped checklist items by budget migration providers are 301 redirect setup, individual meta tag configuration, Google Search Console reconnection, and mobile performance testing — all of which directly impact post-migration Google rankings.
- Using this checklist before hiring a migration service helps you verify that your provider is covering every required step — not just the basic platform switch.
- CodeShoppy follows a complete migration checklist for every HTML to WordPress project — all items covered as standard from ₹12,000. Call +91 88070 34653.
Phase 1 — Pre-Migration Audit
The pre-migration audit is the foundation of a successful static to WordPress migration. Skipping or rushing this phase creates problems that are expensive to fix after go-live.
Document every page on the existing static website with its full URL, page title, and content summary. This page inventory becomes the content migration checklist verified at go-live. Record every image used across the static website — noting which are used as page content and which are decorative background elements. Document the existing navigation menu structure — main menu items, dropdown menus, and footer navigation links. Record every external link, contact form configuration, Google Maps embed, and any third-party script or widget currently in use. Check the existing website’s Google Search Console for any crawl errors, manual actions, or indexed URLs that differ from the expected page list. Document the existing website’s top-performing pages in Google Analytics — these pages receive priority attention during migration to ensure their content and SEO configuration is preserved precisely.
Phase 2 — WordPress Environment Setup
WordPress environment setup establishes the technical foundation that all subsequent migration work depends on. Each item must be verified before content migration begins.
Purchase and configure NVMe SSD hosting with PHP 8.0 or higher and MySQL 8.0 — the server requirements for optimal WordPress performance. Install and configure an SSL certificate — verify the padlock displays correctly in the browser and both http and https versions redirect to the https URL. Install WordPress core — current stable version — with a secure admin username, strong password, and database prefix changed from the default wp_ for security. Configure WordPress general settings — site title, tagline, timezone set to India (Kolkata), and permalink structure set to Post Name. Install and activate Divi and Divi Plus with valid licence keys. Install essential plugins — RankMath SEO, WPForms or Contact Form 7, WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache, UpdraftPlus for backups, and Wordfence for security. Deactivate and delete all default WordPress plugins not required for the project.
Phase 3 — Content Migration
Content migration transfers every piece of existing website content to WordPress with proper structure, SEO optimisation, and mobile-responsive layout.
Build the Divi global header with navigation menu matching the existing static site structure — logo, menu items, phone number, and WhatsApp link. Build the Divi global footer with address, contact details, social media links, and copyright information. For each page on the content inventory: create the WordPress page, set the page title, assign the correct permalink matching the URL mapping document, build the Divi layout replicating the page structure with appropriate content modules, transfer all text content from the HTML source with proper H1, H2, and H3 heading hierarchy, download and optimise all page images to WebP format under 150KB, upload optimised images to WordPress media library with descriptive alt text, and insert images in appropriate page sections with defined width and height attributes. Create the navigation menu in WordPress Appearance — Menus and assign it to the primary menu location. Configure contact forms with correct email delivery, spam protection, and mobile-friendly field layout. Set up Google Maps embed on the contact page with the correct business location pin.
Phase 4 — SEO Configuration
SEO configuration is the most frequently omitted phase in budget migrations and the most consequential for post-migration Google performance.
Install and configure RankMath SEO plugin — connect to Google Search Console through the RankMath setup wizard. Set individual focus keywords, meta titles, and meta descriptions for every migrated page — no two pages should have identical meta content. Configure RankMath’s XML sitemap — enable sitemap for pages and posts, disable for media attachments, and submit the sitemap URL to Google Search Console. Set up 301 permanent redirects for every URL that changes format during migration — from old-url.html to new-url without extension. Verify each redirect returns a 301 status code using a redirect checker tool. Configure Google Analytics — install tracking code or connect through Google Site Kit plugin. Reconnect Google Search Console property to the new WordPress website — verify ownership through DNS TXT record or HTML file method. Check robots.txt to ensure no important pages are blocked from crawling.
Phase 5 — Testing
Testing verifies every element of the migrated website functions correctly before it is presented to the client or published live.
Test every page on mobile (iPhone and Android), tablet, and desktop — checking layout, text readability, image display, and button functionality. Test every internal link across all pages — confirm no broken links exist. Test contact form submission — send a test enquiry and verify delivery to the correct email address. Test every 301 redirect — confirm old static URLs correctly redirect to new WordPress URLs with 301 status codes. Run Google PageSpeed Insights on the home page and two content-heavy pages — target mobile score above 80. Check Core Web Vitals — LCP under 2.5 seconds, CLS under 0.1. Verify SSL certificate is active and no mixed content warnings appear. Check that Google Analytics is receiving data — verify in real-time report. Verify sitemap is accessible at yoursite.com/sitemap_index.xml.
Phase 6 — Go-Live
Go-live is the final phase — transitioning the new WordPress website from the development environment to the live domain.
Point the domain’s DNS A record to the new WordPress hosting server IP address — or update nameservers if moving to a new hosting provider. Verify DNS propagation is complete — both www and non-www versions of the domain load the new WordPress website correctly. Verify SSL certificate is active on the live domain — not just the development URL. Submit the sitemap URL to Google Search Console on the live domain. Set up automatic WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates — or schedule a monthly manual update check. Schedule the first full website backup through UpdraftPlus — configure automatic weekly backups to cloud storage. Conduct the client handover session — WordPress admin navigation, page editing, blog publishing, and media management. Confirm 30-day post-launch support commencement.
Common Questions
How do I know if the agency I hire is following this checklist? Ask specifically about 301 redirect setup, individual meta tag configuration, Google Search Console reconnection, and mobile PageSpeed testing before hiring. A provider who cannot explain these items clearly is unlikely to execute them correctly.
Can I use this checklist to do the migration myself? Yes — this checklist covers every required step. The technical complexity of each item varies — WordPress setup, caching configuration, and redirect setup require server access and technical familiarity that most business owners do not have.
Does CodeShoppy provide a migration completion report? Yes — CodeShoppy provides a go-live confirmation covering completed redirect mapping, PageSpeed scores, Search Console reconnection, and sitemap submission status for every migration project.
What if I discover a missing page after go-live? The 30-day post-launch support period covers any content that was missed during migration — additional pages are added at no extra charge within this period.
Is this checklist the same for large and small static websites? The phases and items are the same — the time required for each phase scales with website size. A 5-page static site has a shorter content migration phase than a 20-page site, but all six phases apply to both.
Complete Migration Checklist — Followed on Every CodeShoppy Project
CodeShoppy executes every item on this migration checklist for every static to WordPress project — from pre-migration audit through go-live and 30-day post-launch support. From ₹12,000 — no shortcuts, no omissions. Call +91 88070 34653 to start your migration today.
