How to Turn Your Website into an Easy-to-Manage CMS

Converting your website into a content management system (CMS) is one of the best decisions you can make to enhance the functionality, flexibility, and overall management of your site. Whether you're looking to streamline your content updates, improve SEO, or give non-technical users the ability to manage your website, a CMS like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal can transform the way you handle your online presence.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through 11 steps on how to turn your existing website into an easy-to-manage CMS. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of the migration process and the benefits of using a CMS to manage your website.

1: Assess Your Current Website

Before diving into the CMS conversion, take time to assess the current structure of your website. Whether it's built in HTML, CSS, or any other framework, it's important to know the specifics of your website’s content, design, and functionality. This helps in planning the migration effectively.

• Content: How much text, images, and multimedia content do you have?

• Design: Is your website design responsive? Is it mobile-friendly?

• Functionality: Does your site have any custom-built features or third-party integrations?

A thorough assessment will help you understand what needs to be migrated and how much work is required to make your website CMS-ready.

2: Choose the Right CMS Platform

Selecting the ideal CMS is a critical choice that can significantly impact your website's success. The CMS you choose will define how you manage and update your site in the future. Here’s a look at some of the top content management systems in use today.

• WordPress: The most popular CMS platform, known for its ease of use and flexibility. Ideal for blogs, small business websites, and eCommerce stores.

• Joomla: A more complex CMS that offers more advanced customization options.

• Drupal: Known for its scalability, ideal for larger websites and applications that require complex content structures.

Consider the size of your website, the features you need, and your technical expertise when choosing a CMS. WordPress is often recommended for those looking for ease of use, while Joomla and Drupal are ideal for more complex, large-scale sites.

3: Backup Your Website

Before you begin any migration process, it's essential to back up your current website. This ensures that you have a copy of your website’s content, files, and settings, in case anything goes wrong during the migration process.

• Files: Make sure to back up all your website’s files, including HTML files, images, and scripts.

• Database: Backup the website database to ensure all data is preserved.

• Backup Plugin: Use tools like UpdraftPlus or Duplicator (for WordPress) to automate backups.

4: Set Up a Hosting Account with CMS Support

If you don’t already have a hosting provider that supports your chosen CMS, now is the time to set one up. Most CMS platforms like WordPress offer one-click installation with popular hosting services.

• Hosting Providers: Look for hosting providers like Bluehost, SiteGround, or WP Engine, which offer optimized hosting plans for WordPress.

• Choose a Plan: Choose a plan that suits the size of your site, its expected traffic, and the resources you need (like bandwidth and storage).

A reliable hosting environment ensures your CMS runs smoothly after migration.

5: Install the CMS

Once you’ve chosen a hosting provider and signed up for a plan, the next step is to install the CMS. Most hosting services offer an automatic one-click installer for popular CMS platforms like WordPress.

• WordPress: Typically takes only a few minutes to install through a one-click setup.

• Joomla/Drupal: These platforms may require more manual installation, which can be done using their official guides.

Once installed, you will be able to access your new CMS’s dashboard, where you can begin customizing and adding content.

6: Choose a Theme or Template

One of the main advantages of a CMS is the ability to change your website’s design quickly. Select a design that aligns with your brand identity and supports your website's objectives.

• Free Themes: WordPress offers thousands of free themes, but be sure to choose one that’s responsive and well-coded.

• Premium Themes: If you want something unique, consider purchasing a premium theme that offers more features and customization options.

• Custom Themes: If you have a custom design, you can hire a developer to create a custom theme for your CMS.

Ensure that the theme you choose is mobile-friendly and works across all devices.

7: Migrate Your Content

After setting up the CMS and selecting your theme, the next step is migrating your existing content (text, images, and media) to the new CMS. The method of migration depends on your current website platform:

• Manual Copy-Paste: For small websites, manually copying and pasting content into your new CMS is the simplest approach.

• Content Migration Plugins: For WordPress, plugins like FG HTML to WordPress can help automate the migration of HTML sites.

• Database Import: For larger websites, you may need to use a database import method to transfer content.

Make sure all content is transferred without errors, and check that formatting and images appear correctly.

8: Install Essential Plugins

Plugins are what make your CMS functional and flexible. Install plugins to add features like contact forms, SEO optimization, and social media sharing. Some essential plugins for WordPress include:

• Yoast SEO: Enhances your content to boost its visibility and performance in search engine rankings.

• Akismet: Protects your site from spam.

• WPForms: Adds a contact form to your site.

• WooCommerce: If you plan on adding an eCommerce store.

Make sure to avoid installing too many plugins, as this can slow down your website.

9: Optimize for SEO

One of the main benefits of using a CMS is the ability to optimize your website for search engines. CMS platforms like WordPress come with built-in SEO tools and plugins that allow you to optimize your website’s content, meta tags, and URLs.

• Install SEO Plugins: Use plugins like Yoast SEO or RankMath to add meta tags, titles, and descriptions to your pages.

• Create Clean URLs: Make sure your URLs are clean, readable, and include relevant keywords.

• Improve Speed: Use tools like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache to cache your site and improve loading times.

SEO optimization should be an ongoing effort after your migration.

10: Test Your New CMS Website

Before you go live with your new CMS-powered website, it’s crucial to test all aspects of your site. Check for issues with:

• Functionality: Are all forms, buttons, and links working properly?

• Responsiveness: Does your site look good on all devices?

• Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your website’s performance.

Once you’re confident everything is working, you can move forward with launching the site.

11: Launch Your CMS Website

After completing the migration process and testing your site, it’s time to go live! Announce the launch to your audience, and continue monitoring the site for any issues or feedback.

• Monitor Site Performance: Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to monitor traffic and performance.

• Ongoing Updates: Keep your CMS and plugins up to date to ensure security and performance.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully converted your website into an easy-to-manage CMS!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How long does it take to convert a website to a CMS?

• The timeline depends on the complexity of your website and the CMS platform you choose. A simple HTML website can be migrated in a few days, while larger, more complex sites may take weeks.

2. Will I lose my website’s SEO during the conversion?

• If done properly, SEO rankings shouldn’t be lost. Ensure that URL structures, meta tags, and on-page SEO elements are preserved during the migration. A good CMS like WordPress offers built-in SEO capabilities to enhance rankings.

3. Do I need coding knowledge to manage a CMS website?

• No, one of the main advantages of CMS platforms is that they allow non-technical users to manage content easily. With the right theme and plugins, you can update your website without needing coding knowledge.

Converting your website into a CMS gives you more control, flexibility, and scalability. HireWPGeeks can assist you in making this migration smooth and efficient when you choose to convert website to CMS. Contact us today to learn more about our CMS migration services!