How to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide

After blogging for months together and some times even a year or two, the decision to migrate from Blogger to WordPress is indeed a tough decision.

There are several Pros and Cons both in favor and against of both these platforms. But in the life of we bloggers, a decision to Migrate from Blogger to Self hosted WordPress has to be made some times sooner or later, and we can not just avoid it.

In this article, I am going to be concise and deliberate upon only point wise so that any blogger facing the burning question of How to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress, finds an answer here, and is able to migrate smoothly.

Remember, this article is going to be a lengthy one because it is really a lengthy subject and at times I will refer procedures for multisite migration also. So it is a huge task and you are requested to keep patience while going through each and every step if you are really interested and using this article as a migration guide.

Following steps can be followed to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress

1. Getting Started.
2. Backup your Blog.
3. Export Content From Blogger
4. Remove Custom Redirect
5. Change DNS Settings.
6. Install WordPress.
7. Post WordPress Installation Steps
8. Import Blogger Blog into WordPress.
9. Setup Permalinks.
10. Installing Plugins for permanent redirection
11. Fixing BlogSpot mobile redirect in WordPress
12. Setup Feed Redirects
13. Add theme, pages, menu & logo etc.
14. Installing must have plugins for security and SEO benefits
15. Finishing Installation

1. Getting Started.

I had been using Bigrock after purchasing a domain from them for my blogger platform. So I decided to use Bigrock services for hosting purposes also when I planned to host my site on WordPress platform.

This guide, therefore, will ostensibly be quoting examples from Bigrock series of actions. However by and large steps are similar for other hosting providers also.

Let us now get started. At this point, the first and foremost thing I will say that, Before you start to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress, It is always advisable to put a message in form of a post or otherwise on your Home page to apprise the prospective visitors that you are Updating your Blog or migrating. A message as below will perhaps serve this purpose.

I never thought I’d say this, but we’re moving the blog from Blogger to WordPress. If things look a bit different around here, you’re on WordPress now.
You may also find us some times NOT AVAILABLE.
Thanks for being an awesome reader – more great content soon !!

2. Backup your Blog before Starting to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress.

Now next step to migrate from Blogger to WordPress is undoubtedly backing up the blog you are going to migrate. You should not only backup the template but equally, you should backup your all customized widget codes and settings separately. You should also pen down the description of the blog and various important pictures such as favicon etc.

To backup, the template goes to Blogger > Template > Backup.

3. Export Contents From Blogger

Export the contents from Blogger and save the files preferably on the desktop itself, so that at the requirements they can be easily accessed to import them after the migration process is over.

Before you can import contents into WordPress, first you need to export it from your Blogger blog. Blogger allows you to export content in an XML file as follows:

You should backup the blogger posts, pages, comments etc. by navigating to Blogger > Settings > Other > Import & backup. As said earlier, remember it is always advisable to keep a copy of this backup on the desktop for migration.

4. Remove Custom Redirect before Starting to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress.

One of the beginning steps to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress will be to remove Redirect from custom domain to blogspot domain by going to Blogger > Settings > Basic > Publishing Blog Address. By using ‘Cross’ mark against the domain, delete the custom domain entry. Your Blogger address should have only the blogspot.com URL.

Also since you don’t want your Blogspot to be available to Google Search anymore. To disable go to the privacy setting by Blogger > Settings > Basic > Privacy and click on the Edit button. Make sure to Let search engines find your blog option is set to No and SAVE.

Please be aware that these redirects may take up to 72 hrs. to upgrade so until then your blog will keep on showing your old custom domain with the redirects as earlier.

Very Important: At this point please remember that you are also required to change your blogger custom template (or any other template) to blogger provided default Classic Template. You will come to know the reason for doing so and its use later on in this post.

5. Change DNS Settings

Now it’s time to change the DNS setting of the host providers for WordPress service. I had purchased hosting service from the Bigrock, so here I’m going to quote examples from the Bigrock. More or less same settings apply for other hosting providers also.

Change DNS Setting in Bigrock DNS Control panel as follows:-

Name Server 1: xx1.xx-in-xx.bigrock.in
Name Server 2: xx2.xx-in-xx.bigrock.in

To manage your website through cPanel, you might have received some mail which will provide you the URL address, IP address, user name and the password for customization/ maintenance using both cPanel and FTP.

Please keep this information ready for use after migration.

6. Install WordPress

Now the real task of Migration from Blogger to WordPress is beginning. So this is the time for the actual installation of WordPress to meet the need of your blogging requirements. You can install WordPress using cPanel. Bigrock uses the Softaculous script. You must first log in to the system using the URLs or IP address, user ID, and password as discussed in Step 5.

After login to your cPanel account, look for Softaculous icon or WordPress installer icon in the cPanel. You can find the installer under Auto Installers section.

Clicking on these icons will launch Softaculous auto-installer for WordPress. First, you will see an overview of WordPress. You need to click on the Install tab to continue.

During the course of installation, Softaculous will ask you about the place you want to install WordPress. At this point, you need to choose http:// or http://www. as protocol.

If your site has SSL and HTTPS, then you can select https:// or https://www. as protocol.

After that, you need to choose the domain name where you want to install WordPress. Most users want to install WordPress in their domain’s root directory, like example.com. In that case, you need to make sure that the ‘In Directory’ field is blank.

Scroll down a little, and you will see there Site Settings Section.

You should enter here the Site Name, Site Description and the Admin Email here. Softaculous will automatically provide you an Admin Username and the Admin Password. You should change this information by your own. Other information can be left as provided by default.

WordPress Installation

Now click the ‘Install’ button to install WordPress.

Please remember that WordPress requires following information (URL address, IP address, user name and the password) for any future customization or maintenance purposes.

cPanel
FTP
AdminPanel

The cPanel and FTP information is provided by your hosting provider whereas the AdminPanel information was put by you as discussed above in Step 6.

After clicking the Install button, Softaculous will run the installer and the progress bar will show you about the progress of the installation process. It takes normally a couple of minute for complete installation of WordPress.

After the installation is completed, the WordPress will greet you with the following message.

“Congratulations, the software was installed successfully
WordPress has been successfully installed at:
http://example.com
Administative URL: http://example.com/wp-admn/”

7. Post WordPress Installation Steps

After installation of WordPress is over, you must perform certain steps to migrate from Blogger to WordPress in its customization process.

Now From Dashboard …
Go to Settings and select Site Language
Move to plugins & disable all plugins
Go to posts> You will see Hello World post> Delete them
Move to Pages> You will see sample Page> Delete that

At this point, We recommend using WPML (WordPress Multi Language) plugin. This paid plugin is used by thousands of websites from all over the world to create user-friendly multilingual websites with WordPress.

At this point, it is pertinent to keep in mind that if you are going to use a Multisite Network for WordPress, then you should follow little different customization process

I am using Multisite Network for my WordPress, so I followed little different customization procedure.

Please be aware that setup for the Multisite Network is a complex process, so keep patience and follow the tutorial on Installing and Setting Up WordPress Multisite Network .

Please remember that if you are going to create Sub-domains for your Multisite Network then you should do it only when all the customization process as per the above tutorial is followed and over.

8. Import Blogger Blog into WordPress

WordPress has been installed on your system. But that is just one part of the whole procedure. Your domain has been just configured with WordPress. But still your all Posts, Pages, Comments, Pictures, RSS Feed etc. are still on blogger. They have not been imported on your newly configured WordPress. So now let us do that.

First Login to your WordPress Admin panel by going to Administrative URL: http://example.com/wp-admn/ and enter the password. AFter login you must visit Dashboard > Posts and Dashboard > Pages respectively. At both, these place WordPress might have installed Sample Post and a Sample Page. If you have not deleted them, delete them now.

Now navigate to Tools > Import Page.

While carrying forward the task to migrate from Blogger to WordPress, You will find at the Import page a list of various platforms from where you can import the things. At this point, you can select the Blogger option as that is the place for you to import the files.

On clicking on the Blogger will bring up a popup window which will guide you to download and install the Blogger Importer Plugin for you.

Once the plugin is installed you will be provided the option to activate it. Otherwise, you can navigate to the Dashboard > Plugin and from there activate the newly downloaded Blogger Plugin and run it.

Blogger Importer

The Blogger Importer will provide you the option to enter the backup XML file. Here you should enter the imported file which you got at step 3 and have exported them on your desktop.

You will be now asked Author details etc. which you should invariably enter the same details that of the blogger. However, it is not mandatory and you can use fresh details other than used in your earlier account of blogger.

If All above steps have been successfully completed then, Congratulation, you have installed WordPress and successfully imported all your files and links from there. The process to migrate from Blogger to WordPress is more than half way through.

There are few more things to accomplish in the task to migrate from Blogger to WordPress, so please be with me.

9. Setup Permalinks to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress.

WordPress by default follow the different Permalink Settings than the Blogger. To match and synchronize the settings, you should go to the Permalink page.

Go to WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Permalinks and there select the ‘Custom Structure’. Now you can enter the following:

/%year%/%monthnum%/%postname%.html

This will cause 301 permanent redirections of all your Blogger Posts to WordPress Posts.

Now as told earlier, the WordPress Permalink follows a different structure. Therefore for your any future post at the WordPress, your old Blogger Permalink structure should be maintained for continuity and synchronization.

For doing so install “wp-maintain-blogger-permalinks plugin”. You can find this plugin by navigating to WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Add New and search for it. Otherwise, you can also find it from JUST INSOMNIA.

You can download ‘wp-maintain-blogger-permalinks-2.1.zip (v2.1) plugin’, install and activate it. After activating go to WordPress Dashboard > Tools > Maintain Blogger Permalinks and on the Maintain Blogger Permalinks panel click on “Maintain Blogger Permalink” button.

Now your WordPress Posts have been matched exactly with Blogger Posts structure of the title and its length.

There are few more plugins which you should compulsorily install and activate after the migration. Your complete answer to the question of How to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress is just at a little distance more.

10. Installing Plugins for permanent redirection

This is an important step, just before concluding to migrate from Blogger to WordPress.

You should search, install and activate the ‘Blogger 301 Redirect’ Plugin from the WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Add New option.

Then go to WordPress Dashboard > Settings > General option and change the time zone settings. For India, it is UTC+5:30. You can choose the Date Format and the Time Format as per your choice. Set your Site Language this point here.

Now go to WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Blogger 301 Redirect Settings and check the following and SAVE it.

(a) Do not redirect to the homepage.
(b) Redirect Blogger Post Feeds…
(c) Redirect Blogger comment feeds…
(d) Redirect Blogger Archive feeds….

Here remember, just below the ‘Save Changes’ button, you are provided with following two methods to make the redirect to WordPress Working. Just follow the instruction as provided and copy-paste the codes.

(i) Method 1: Using New Blogger Template
(ii) Method 2: Using Classic Template

I followed the Method 2 for my redirection.

Remember at Step-4, I changed the blogger template to Classic for this purpose only.

11. Fixing BlogSpot mobile redirect in WordPress

This is one important thing that will cause an issue on many browsers & popular browser like Opera, UCWeb will show redirect loop error. This is happening due to BlogSpot mobile redirect. To fix this, you need to edit your WordPress .htaccess file & replace default code with the one given below:

# BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} ^m=1$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /$1? [R=301,L]
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ – [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
# END WordPress

# Begin Redirection
#Redirect archives
RewriteRule ^([0-9]{4})_([0-9]{1,2})_([0-9]{1,2})_archive.html$ $1/$2/ [L,R=301]
#Redirect labels/categories
RewriteRule ^search/label/(.*)$ category/$1/ [L,R=301]
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} ^m=1$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /$1? [R=301,L]

#ATOM Feeds
RewriteRule atom.xml feed/atom/ [L,R=301]
RewriteRule feeds/posts/default feed/atom/ [L,R=301]
#RSS FEEDS
RewriteRule feeds/posts/default?alt=rss feed/ [L,R=301]
RewriteRule rss.xml feed/ [L,R=301]
#Comments Feed
RewriteRule /feeds/comments/default comments/feed/ [L,R=301]
RewriteRule /feeds/comments/default?alt=rss comments/feed/ [L,R=301]
# End Redirection

12. Setup Feed Redirects

You have successfully redirected your Blogger blog to WordPress. However, users who have subscribed to your Blogger RSS feed will stop receiving updates.

You need to redirect feed requests to your WordPress feeds. This can be easily achieved by editing .htaccess file in your WordPress site’s root folder.

Find .htacces file from your cPanel by navigating to File Manager > public_html and paste the following code before any other code in the file.

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule atom.xml /feed? [L,R=301]
RewriteRule rss.xml /feed? [L,R=301]
RewriteRule ^feeds/posts/?.*$ /feed? [L,R=301]
RewriteRule ^feeds/comments/?.*$ /comments/feed? [L,R=301]
</IfModule>

Save your changes and upload the .htaccess file back to the server. Your Blogger feed subscribers will now be redirected to your WordPress site’s feed. Congratulations, your stupendous task How to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress is complete now.

13. Add theme, pages, menu & logo etc.

When you carry out migration from Blogger to WordPress, by default the WordPress will assign you a default Theme. If you like this theme you can customize it for Menus, logo etc. Otherwise, you can download a new theme from FREE or PAID versions and carry out the customization.

During the process of this customization, you can also import all your images which are stored on Picassa through Blogger. Because there is a chance that in the case of disabling your Gmail account you may lose access to all these images in future.

To import this image you can download, install and activate the Cache Image Plugin

It is normally said that in new WordPress versions all your images from blogger are also imported during the import process, so there is no need to install the above plugin.

But practical facts are little different. Yes, it is true that in our new version of WordPress, images are imported along with the post. But please be aware that except the featured images, other images are not stored in WordPress gallery. They just form part of the post and remain embedded there. So it is better to use the above plugin and store all your blogger post images into the WordPress gallery for any future usage.

14. Installing must have plugins for security and SEO benefits

Now it’s time to install certain must have plugins for security and SEO benefits. We recommend with our experience the following Plugins.

(a) All in One SEO Pack or Word Press SEO Yoast.
(b) Anti-Spam
(c) Loginizer
(d) SumoMe
(e) W3 Total Cache
(f) Wordfence Security
(g) WP Smush

You can verify these plugins for their utility in respect of your site and then install it.

15. Finishing Installation

Your blogger site has been successfully migrated to WordPress. Maximum due cares have been taken to instill and bring back ditto copy in this migration process.

However, technology is never complete and few hiccups will be always there. You have to manually men each and every post or such hiccups to make up them. Be it formatting issues, certain missing images, Rewriting the Category, Title and Description etc

I have tried my best to deliberate upon each and every aspect of migration and provide a complete answer to the question How to Migrate from Blogger to WordPress. By mistake, if some thing is left and missing, you are requested to refer to expert advice.

Thanks, Guys, and All the Best…..