If you have a blog at WordPress.com, you know very much how many restrictions are there such as you cannot monetize your blog as you aren’t allowed to install JavaScript, cannot install any plugin of your choice, you need to pay extra for editing themes style sheet, less control on how you manage your server and so on.
While moving your blog from WordPress.com is not very difficult because of the availability of Export and Import Tools ( more at the end of the post ) but if you are very new to this, Automatic has launched a new service, Guided Transfer, where they will move your WordPress.com to a self hosted WordPress.org blog in 99$.
Here is the complete deal :
- Install the WordPress software
- Transfer over your WordPress.com blog
- Install Jetpack
- Any extra plugin which offer same features which you were using on WordPress.com.
- Check Permissions so in future you can upgrade your blog using WordPress One Click Upgrade.
- Switch your domain(s) over.
- 2 Week support if there are any issues.
However this is as of now supported only for recommended host like Blue Host, Network Solutions,GoDaddy, Media Template, Dream Host. Find if your hosting is included here.
Like I said in starting I will talk about moving your WordPress.com Blog :
On WordPress.com :
- Login to your WordPress Dashboard and switch to your blog using the menu bar which comes on the top.
- Now in your left hand side menu look for Menu which says tool, under that you have two options which you will use. Export and Import.
- Click on Export and using the default filter download the file which will be in form of xml.
On Self Hosted Blog :( WordPress.org )
- Login and Go to the Tools menu.
- Click on Import
- Browser to select the same file which you downloaded from WordPress.com
- Match the authors or save all under same author name.
- Also you can set option to import all media files like image etc to Self Hosted Blog. It will download and replaced the file names with new file name in your post.
- Before doing above step make sure to setup your Media Settings.
- Once done this all your posts, pages, tags, categories will be on your WordPress.org or Self Hosted Blog.
