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Moving a WordPress site to a new host can reduce maintenance friction, but rushed DNS changes and incomplete backups can create downtime. This practical WordPress hosting migration checklist helps you plan a safer move, whether you choose Hosting.com or another provider.
Before migration: inventory your website
Record the domain registrar, DNS provider, SSL setup, PHP version, database version, cron jobs, email routing, CDN settings, caching plugins and any third-party payment integrations. For WooCommerce, identify order-processing windows and dynamic checkout pages.
Step 1: make a complete backup
Export the database and copy WordPress files, including wp-content, uploads, plugins and themes. Keep a separate off-site copy and verify you can restore it. A backup is only useful if restoration works.
Step 2: compare hosting environments
Confirm PHP extensions, database limits, disk capacity, SSL, email support, staging and scheduled jobs. When comparing managed WordPress hosting plans, ask whether the provider handles migration, updates and backups or only provides infrastructure.
Step 3: prepare staging and test
Restore the website to the destination, inspect images and internal links, test forms, login, search and checkout, and review error logs. Avoid indexing a staging copy; password protection is preferable to relying solely on robots.txt.
Step 4: plan DNS cutover
Lower DNS TTL ahead of time when possible, confirm destination IP and records, then switch DNS during a low-traffic window. Keep the original host active until the transition is verified. Email MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records need special attention.
Step 5: verify SEO after migration
Preserve URL slugs, canonical tags, redirects, sitemap URLs and robots directives. Check that HTTPS works without redirect loops. Use Google Search Console to watch indexing and crawl errors; do not submit unnecessary URL changes if the domain stays the same.
Step 6: monitor after launch
Test critical pages on mobile, monitor server errors, compare performance, validate transactions and watch analytics. Keep your rollback plan available for several days.
How Hosting.com fits into a migration plan
Hosting.com advertises free managed website migration and 24/7 in-house support. Before ordering, ask its team to confirm what will be moved and whether email, ecommerce databases and DNS changes are included. Do not assume every migration is eligible.
Review Hosting.com migration and hosting options →
Migration FAQ
Will moving hosting hurt SEO?
Changing servers alone does not inherently change rankings, but downtime, blocked crawling, broken redirects or slower pages can affect search visibility.
How long does DNS propagation take?
It varies by TTL, caching and DNS providers; allow a transition window rather than promising a fixed time.
Should I cancel my old hosting immediately?
No. Keep it until site functionality, email delivery and backups are confirmed on the new host.
Can I migrate a WooCommerce store without losing orders?
Yes with careful planning, but live orders and inventory updates need a controlled synchronization or maintenance window.
For a broader evaluation of provider features, read our Hosting.com hosting review.