# WordPress to static migration checklist

Canonical: https://beyondphp.com/insights/wordpress-to-static-migration-checklist/

Language: English

Reviewed: 2026-10-23

Insights / BeyondPHP

Use the checklist to uncover dependencies before the visual redesign takes over.

The short answer

A useful WordPress migration checklist covers the work the site performs, not only the pages it displays. Content export, feature replacement, URL continuity and the future editing workflow all need decisions before a cutover is scheduled.

Published 22 October 2026 · Reviewed 23 October 2026 · [BeyondPHP editorial review](https://beyondphp.com/editorial/)

## Trace a real visitor journey

Walk through an enquiry, download, newsletter request or purchase from the visitor’s first click to the business’s receipt. Record the services and people involved. Navigation and screenshots rarely reveal all of these dependencies. Include error states and notifications, because a form that looks complete may still fail to reach the intended team.

## Collect the material that survives the move

Export or inventory page content, media, downloadable documents and meaningful metadata. Check which images can be reused and which documents are current. Classify content before transferring it into the new structure. Keeping everything by default carries old errors forward; deleting everything outside the main menu can remove useful search landing pages.

## Define evidence for a safe handover

Write down the old-to-new URL treatment, enquiry checks, content sign-off and update procedure. Agree a recovery option before changing production. The checklist should include who verifies each item and what counts as a pass. A completed design preview proves the presentation can be reviewed; it does not prove the operational migration has happened.

## A small URL map before a large move

Start with one important service page, one article and one contact route. Record the old URL, proposed destination, content to retain, links to update and expected status. Check those journeys in a working preview. A successful homepage is not proof that the rest of the migration preserves useful content or URLs.

A practical next step

## What to prepare.

- **Feature register** Capture active forms, plugins with business functions and connected services.

- **Content decisions** Mark pages and files as retain, revise, combine or retire.

- **Release acceptance** Specify URL, enquiry, backup and post-launch monitoring checks.

## Questions worth asking.

Is an export enough?

No. An export helps recover content but does not document every business integration or delivery behaviour.

Should we remove plugins first?

Do not alter the working site merely to simplify the inventory. Assess dependencies before authorising changes.

Can this checklist guarantee migration success?

It organises the work; each item still needs evidence from the actual project and release.

## Sources & further reading.

Primary documentation for the factual background. Our project recommendations depend on your requirements.

[**Google Search Central: Site moves with URL changes** Covers URL mapping, redirects and monitoring when URLs change. Following the guidance does not guarantee preserved rankings.](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/site-move-with-url-changes)

Continue with the right context

## Useful next reads.

[Migration WordPress to static website migration Assess which parts of your WordPress site can become a simpler public website, with content, URL and operational planning before a rebuild.](https://beyondphp.com/migration/wordpress-to-static/)

[Insights Website migration redirect checklist Create a purposeful URL map and test redirect responses, destinations and internal links before a website move.](https://beyondphp.com/insights/website-migration-redirect-checklist/)

[Insights How to update a static website Choose an update workflow that covers content requests, review, delivery and recovery without assuming a dashboard is always necessary.](https://beyondphp.com/insights/how-to-update-a-static-website/)