Moving your website without starting over
You have a website that works, but maintenance takes too much time, hosting is expensive or you are stuck in a system you no longer understand. Starting over feels like wasted work. It does not have to be: a move is different from a new site. In this article you read how to bring your existing site along, what can go wrong during a move and how to keep your place in Google.
Why people move their website
The four reasons we hear most
Theme and plugin updates that keep breaking something.
Paying for hosting, plugins, backups and security one by one.
Built with an AI tool or by someone who can no longer be reached.
A webshop, more languages or new pages that do not fit.
Where is your site now?
The first question is not where you are going but where you are coming from. That decides how your site can come along.
Three ways in
| Your site lives… | Best route | What comes along |
|---|---|---|
| In a GitHub repository (Lovable, Claude Code, Codex, Bolt, v0) | ✓Connect GitHub | Every file, source code included |
| Live on WordPress or another system | ✓Paste the web address | Pages, copy, images and styling as the visitor sees them |
| As a folder of HTML, a WordPress export or a Figma design | ✓Upload the file | What is inside the file, shown before anything happens |
The step-by-step plan
Moving in six steps
- Take stockList your pages and their addresses.
- Make a backupKeep a copy of your current site before you change anything.
- ImportVia GitHub, web address or file.
- CheckGo through every page, form and link.
- ImproveNow the site is in, expand it with AI.
- Move your domainOnly when everything is right, and keep your addresses the same.
1. Take stock of your pages
List every page visitors use, with its address. Look at your menu, your footer and your sitemap. You will use this list later to check that everything came along and that the addresses stay the same.
2. Make a backup
A move almost always goes well, but a backup costs little. Keep a copy of your current site and leave the old site online until the new one is ready.
3. Import your site
Choose the route that matches where your site lives. Connect your GitHub account once and pick your repository, paste the web address of your live site, or drag a .zip, WordPress export or Figma design into the studio.
4. Check everything
Open every page on your list. Are the copy and images right? Do the forms work? Do the buttons and links work? Look at it on your phone too.
5. Improve what you always wanted to improve
Now comes the fun part. Because your site is in, you can expand it right away: a new service page, a faster home page, a webshop or an English version. You ask the AI in plain language or adjust it yourself in the visual editor.
6. Move your domain
Only when the new site is right do you connect your own domain name. That way visitors never see half a site.
Bringing your existing site?See which route fits your site: GitHub, web address or file.
To importing →Keeping your place in Google
The biggest risk of a move is not technical but in your search results. Google knows your pages by their address. If that address changes without a redirect, the page starts over as far as Google is concerned.
- Keep the same addresses where you can
- Redirect old addresses that do change
- Bring page titles and descriptions along
- Check that every page has its own title
- Submit your new sitemap in Google Search Console
- Watch Search Console for errors in the first weeks
Read more about the basics of findability in our SEO checklist for a new website.
Pitfalls you avoid
What often goes wrong, and how to do it right
| Pitfall | Better |
|---|---|
| ×Taking the old site offline before the new one is ready | ✓Keep both until your domain moves |
| ×Changing every address at once | ✓Keep addresses the same, improve later |
| ×Not testing forms | ✓Really send every form once |
| ×Sharing the password of your old platform | ✓Connect via GitHub, address or file |
| ~Expecting plugins to come along | ✓Note beforehand which features you need |
What comes along and what does not?
With an import via the web address you take over what the visitor sees: pages, copy, images and styling. The WordPress theme and plugins stay behind. That sounds like a drawback, but it is often exactly the reason for the move: no more plugins to keep updated. Features you need, such as a contact form or a webshop, you rebuild in NerrieBuilder with the AI.
Want to start with a fresh look right away? You can also choose one of the professional templates and bring your copy along.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to give the password of my old platform?
No. With GitHub you give permission yourself through GitHub and can withdraw it there. With a web address or file no connection is needed.
Will I lose my place in Google?
Not if you keep your addresses the same or redirect old ones, bring your page titles along and submit your new sitemap in Google Search Console.
Can I import my WordPress site?
Yes. Paste the address of your live site, or upload a WordPress export. Pages, styling and images come over; the theme and plugins stay behind.
Does my site stay mine after the move?
Yes. Your site stays yours and you can export it at any time.