AEM to WordPress Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Migrating from Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) to WordPress can be a big decision for businesses. AEM is a powerful enterprise-level CMS, but it comes with high costs and complexity. On the other hand, WordPress is a user-friendly, cost-effective, and highly flexible platform that powers over 40% of websites worldwide.

If you are planning to migrate from AEM to WordPress, this guide will help you understand the process step by step. As Sumit Dangashiya, a consultancy expert at Vision Infotech, I will explain this in simple and easy-to-follow steps.

Why Migrate from AEM to WordPress?

Before diving into the process, let’s understand why businesses choose to migrate:

• Cost Efficiency: WordPress is open-source and has a lower cost compared to AEM, which requires expensive licenses and maintenance.
• Ease of Use: WordPress has a user-friendly interface, making it easy for non-technical users to manage content.
• Flexibility: With thousands of themes and plugins, WordPress offers great customization options.
• SEO Benefits: WordPress is known for its SEO-friendly structure, which helps in better search engine rankings.
• Scalability: WordPress is highly scalable and can handle websites of all sizes.

Now, let’s move to the step-by-step migration process.

Step 1: Planning the Migration

Before starting, a well-defined plan is essential to avoid data loss and ensure a smooth transition.

Key Points to Consider:

1. Backup Your AEM Website – Ensure that all your website data, including pages, images, and user information, is backed up.
2. Identify Key Content & Features – List out the essential pages, posts, multimedia, and functionalities that need to be migrated.
3. Choose Hosting for WordPress – Select a reliable hosting provider like Bluehost, SiteGround, or WP Engine for your new WordPress site.
4. Select a Theme & Plugins – Decide on a WordPress theme that matches your existing AEM website design.

Step 2: Setting Up WordPress

Now that you have planned the migration, it’s time to set up WordPress.

Installation Process:

1. Install WordPress – Most hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installation.
2. Choose a Theme – Select a theme that aligns with your brand identity.
3. Install Essential Plugins – Some important plugins include:
   • Yoast SEO (For SEO optimization)
   • Elementor or WPBakery (For page building)
   • UpdraftPlus (For backups)
   • WPForms (For forms)

Step 3: Exporting Content from AEM

AEM stores content in a structured format, making it necessary to extract data properly.

Methods to Export Content:

1. Use AEM Content Exporter – AEM allows you to export content in XML or JSON format.
2. Manual Copy-Pasting – If you have a small website, you can manually copy content.
3. Use a Custom Script – Developers can create scripts to extract large volumes of content.

Step 4: Importing Content to WordPress

Once the data is exported, it needs to be imported into WordPress.

How to Import Content:

1. Use WP All Import Plugin – This plugin allows easy import of XML, CSV, or JSON files into WordPress.
2. Manual Migration – If you have limited pages, you can manually create posts and pages.
3. Use Custom Scripts – Developers can create scripts to import bulk content into WordPress.

Step 5: Migrating Media Files

Media files like images and videos need to be transferred separately.

Methods for Media Migration:

1. FTP Transfer – Use FTP tools like FileZilla to upload images to WordPress.
2. Use Media Importer Plugins – Plugins like “Import External Images” can help.
3. Manual Upload – Download images from AEM and upload them to the WordPress media library.

Step 6: Setting Up URLs & Redirects

To maintain SEO rankings, it’s crucial to set up proper redirects from AEM URLs to WordPress URLs.

How to Handle URL Changes:

1. Use Redirection Plugin – This plugin helps manage 301 redirects.
2. Edit .htaccess File – If using Apache server, add redirect rules in the .htaccess file.
3. Check Broken Links – Use tools like Screaming Frog to find broken links and fix them.

Step 7: Testing & Fixing Issues

After migration, testing is crucial to ensure everything is working fine.

Things to Check:

1. Check Pages & Posts – Ensure all content is properly migrated.
2. Test Links & Navigation – Verify internal and external links.
3. SEO & Meta Tags – Ensure SEO settings and meta descriptions are correctly imported.
4. Performance Testing – Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test page speed.
5. Cross-Browser Testing – Check your website on different browsers and devices.

Step 8: Launching the WordPress Website

Once everything is tested and working fine, it’s time to go live!

Final Steps:

1. Update DNS Settings – Point your domain to the new WordPress hosting.
2. Enable SSL Certificate – Ensure HTTPS is enabled for security.
3. Monitor Website Performance – Keep an eye on analytics and performance.
4. Train Your Team – If multiple users manage the site, provide WordPress training.

Conclusion

Migrating from AEM to WordPress may seem complex, but with proper planning, it can be done smoothly. WordPress Migration Services offers a cost-effective, user-friendly, and flexible platform for businesses looking to scale and manage their content efficiently.

At Vision Infotech, we have helped many clients successfully migrate from AEM to WordPress. If you need expert assistance, feel free to reach out!

Happy Migrating!

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