How to Manually Transfer a Website
Table of Contents
Why and When to Transfer Your Website
Typically, you don’t have to move a particular website very often. A website transfer is required only in the following scenarios:
- Changing Hosting Plans—Your current web host doesn’t meet your needs in terms of performance, security, resources, prices, geographic locations, or support. In this case, you may consider moving to a competitor that meets your criteria.
- Transferring Website Ownership—You may sell your business or develop a client website. Once you are ready, you must transfer ownership to another person.
- Changing the Domain Name—You may need to change a website’s domain name due to rebranding or SEO purposes. With some applications, this change is pretty simple and straightforward, but you may need to conduct a full-scale website transfer with others.
What to Do Before Transferring a Website
Before you start transferring a website, you should take some precautionary measures to ensure you have a full backup of your website, in addition to recovery options in case the migration fails.
Create a Website Backup
To transfer a website, you must create a full backup containing all files and the database. Also, you may inadvertently delete or lose some of the website files or database content during a migration, which may be essential for the website’s functionality. Thus, you should back up your website files and database to have a safe point you can fall back on in case the migration is corrupted.
To create a full backup, follow these steps:
- Archive the files—Use the File Manager on your hosting and navigate to the website root folder, which is yourdomain.com/public_html. Archive the folder into a ZIP file.
- Download the archive—Use File Manager or an FTP client and download the ZIP file to your local computer.
- Export the database—If your website has a database, you should export it (usually in an SQL file). Open phpMyAdmin and select the database from the left side menu. Then open the Export tab, select Quick from the Export method menu, and press Export.
Check the Available Resources on the New Host
Before transferring the website, you must ensure that the new account has enough resources—disk space, inode quota, and database size limits—to host it.
If you are a SiteGround user, navigate to your Client Area > Services > Hosting. Click on the Settings button of your hosting plan, and open the Statistics tab. On this page, you can view all critical resource usage statistics.
WordPress Migrator – The Easy Way to Transfer Your WordPress Website
To save time and hassle, we’ve automated the first three steps for all WordPress transfers to SiteGround with the SiteGround Migrator. For detailed information about this fascinating tool, you can refer to this SiteGround Migrator Tutorial.
A more detailed breakdown of the steps can be found below:
How to Manually Transfer a Website
Once you’ve collected the files and database, it’s time to migrate the website to your new hosting plan. Below, you’ll find all the necessary steps.
-
Step 1: Transferring the Files to the New Host
The first step is to upload the website’s files to your new web hosting account. The most convenient way is to use the File Manager on the new plan. If File Manager is not available or the backup is too large, you can use FTP. Information on how to use FTP can be found in this FTP tutorial.
Regardless of your choice, the process of transferring the files is the same. Navigate to the website’s main folder (usually public_html, www, or httpdocs). Upload the backup files to the folder. If you’ve uploaded a ZIP file, extract the files from the archive and place them in the root folder.
-
Step 2: Transferring the Website’s Databases
The next step is to transfer the database backup (usually an SQL file) you’ve already exported from the old hosting account. At SiteGround, users can manage MySQL databases in Site Tools > Site > MySQL.
Begin by creating a database where the SQL file will be imported. Later, you’ll connect your website with this database.
Then, add a user with all privileges to the database. Configuring your website with this user will connect it to the database.
For detailed instructions, read this guide on how to create MySQL databases and users.
You can now import your SQL backup file into the newly created database. There are several options for database import. If the SQL file is less than 128 MB, you can use phpMyAdmin. You can access it from Site > MySQL > phpMyAdmin in Site Tools.
If the file is larger than 128 MB, it might not import correctly via phpMyAdmin. In this case, you can use alternative methods suitable for larger SQL files. Learn about all import options in the following guides.
-
Step 3: Application Setup on the New Host
The setup depends on the website application that you’re using. In general, you must edit the application’s configuration file to make it work with the database you’ve imported.
Let’s take WordPress for example—you must edit its wp-config.php file, which contains its general configuration settings. To connect your website to the imported database, you must enter the database name and user credentials in the following fields:
// ** Database settings - You can get this info from your web host ** // /** The name of the database for WordPress */ define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name_here' ); /** Database username */ define( 'DB_USER', 'username_here' ); /** Database password */ define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'password_here' );
For step-by-step instructions on how to reconfigure some of the most popular applications, you can refer to these articles:
-
Step 4: Changing the DNS Settings
Finally, you have to change the nameservers for your domain name to point to your new host. This can be done at your domain registrar. If you’re transferring a website to a SiteGround hosting plan, the nameservers must be changed to:
ns1.siteground.net ns2.siteground.netNameservers of domains registered by SiteGround can be changed via Client Area > Services > Domains > Settings of the chosen domain. Open the Name Servers tab, press Manage, and enter the new nameservers.
More information can be found in this guide on how to manage your SiteGround DNS records.
What to Do After the Website Transfer
After the transfer, stay proactive by performing follow-up actions to prevent unexpected issues and ensure stable website performance on the new hosting environment.
Testing the Application
Thoroughly test all functionalities and features to ensure everything is working as expected. Check forms, interactive elements, scripts, and any dynamic content to confirm they operate correctly in the new environment.
Use the browser’s developer tools to observe how the website works and spot any unexpected behavior like broken links, failed scripts, HTTP errors, etc. For example, while visiting your website on Google Chrome, right-click somewhere on the page and select Inspect to open DevTools. In the developer console, you can track how your transferred website loads images, scripts, links, etc.
Check the SSL Certificate Installation
Ensure that your SSL certificate is properly installed on the new server to maintain secure connections for your website. This is crucial for protecting user data and maintaining trust with your audience. Verify that HTTPS is enforced across all pages and that there are no mixed content warnings.
Being a SiteGround user, you can quickly fortify your website with a free and trusted SSL certificate using the one-click SSL installer available to all clients. Learn how to use the tool in this guide on how to manage SSL certificates.
Performance Monitoring
Monitor the website’s performance on the new server to identify any issues with load times or server response. Regular performance checks can help maintain a smooth user experience.
Utilize tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to assess performance metrics and make necessary optimizations.
In Site Tools, you can monitor various website traffic statistics by going to Statistics > Traffic. Learn more about the different metrics in this guide to your website’s visitor stats.
Testing for 404 and Other 4XX Errors in Google Search Console
Use Google Search Console to identify any 404 or other 4XX errors that may have occurred due to the migration. Address these errors by setting up appropriate redirects or fixing broken links to ensure users and search engines can navigate your site without encountering dead ends.
Ensuring a Smooth Migration–Do It Yourself or Let Experts Handle It
Manually transferring a website can be time-consuming and effort-consuming, but with careful planning and attention to detail, it can be accomplished successfully. Whether you choose the DIY route or opt for a professional service like SiteGround’s, the key is to ensure that your website remains functional and accessible throughout the transition.
This guide outlined the fundamental steps of transferring a website, allowing you to minimize disruptions and maintain the integrity of your site. Remember, practice makes perfect, so you can practice transfers with non-essential or demo websites until you gain experience to conduct manual website transfers.
However, if you are not confident enough and you are time-pressed to move a website to your SiteGround account, our top experts can offer you professional assistance. With thousands of migrations each year, our team is perfectly trained to overcome any complications and issues, ensuring flawless website performance on your new SiteGround account.
For more information, read this guide on SiteGround’s professional website transfer service.
