Moving content when changing platform.
WHAT USUALLY TRANSFERS
Articles and pages, through an export and import Categories and tags, sometimes Media files, with manual work Users, sometimes, though passwords rarely
WHAT DOES NOT
Design and layout Plugin-specific content, such as custom fields and form entries URL structure, unless preserved deliberately
THE TOOLS
Many platforms provide importers for common sources. Check before assuming manual work.
Where no importer exists, an export to a common format and a script to transform it is the usual route.
THE SEO RISK
Changing platform usually changes URLs. Every changed URL needs a 301 redirect to its new equivalent.
Export your current URLs before starting.
MEDIA
Media frequently transfers as links to the old location rather than as files. Check that images actually moved, and run a search and replace on their URLs.
TESTING
Compare content counts before and after. Check a sample of articles for formatting, images and internal links.
THE HONEST EXPECTATION
Some manual work is always required. Budget for it.
