How can you correctly migrate URLs from Drupal to WordPress?

1 Assess your current URLs

Before you start the migration process, you need to audit your current URLs and identify any issues or opportunities. You can use a tool like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to crawl your Drupal site and export a list of all your URLs, along with their status codes, titles, meta descriptions, and other relevant data. You can also use Google Analytics or Search Console to see which URLs are getting the most traffic, conversions, and impressions. This will help you prioritize the most important URLs and decide which ones need to be redirected, updated, or removed.

2 Choose a URL structure for WordPress

WordPress has a different way of generating URLs than Drupal, so you need to choose a URL structure that suits your content and goals. WordPress allows you to customize your permalinks, which are the part of the URL that comes after your domain name. You can use different tags to create dynamic permalinks based on your post name, category, date, or other criteria. You can also use plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to add or edit custom fields, taxonomies, or breadcrumbs to your URLs. You should aim for a URL structure that is simple, descriptive, and consistent across your site.

3 Map your Drupal URLs to WordPress URLs

Once you have chosen a URL structure for WordPress, you need to map your Drupal URLs to WordPress URLs and create a redirect plan. You can use a spreadsheet or a tool like Redirect Mapper to match each Drupal URL with its corresponding WordPress URL. You should also indicate the type of redirect you will use, such as 301 (permanent) or 302 (temporary). You should avoid changing your URLs unless it is necessary or beneficial, as it can affect your SEO and user experience. If you do change your URLs, make sure to redirect them properly and update any internal or external links that point to them.

4 Import your content and apply your redirects

The next step is to import your content from Drupal to WordPress and apply your redirects. You can use a plugin like FG Drupal to WordPress or CMS2CMS to automate the migration process and transfer your posts, pages, images, comments, and other elements. You can also use these plugins to import your Drupal URL aliases and convert them to WordPress permalinks. Alternatively, you can use a tool like WP All Import or Duplicator to manually import your content and database. After you have imported your content, you can use a plugin like Redirection or Simple 301 Redirects to implement your redirect plan and manage your redirects.

5 Test and monitor your migrated URLs

The final step is to test and monitor your migrated URLs and make sure they are working as expected. You can use a tool like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to crawl your WordPress site and check for any errors, such as 404 (not found), 500 (internal server), or 301 (redirect) codes. You can also use Google Analytics or Search Console to track your traffic, conversions, and impressions before and after the migration and see how your URLs are performing. You should also look for any feedback from your users and address any issues or complaints they may have.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?