How to Migrate Your Website to a New Web Hosting? 6 Steps

This is the appropriate article for you if you decide it’s time to transfer hosting providers but don’t know where to begin.

With the correct strategy, moving your website to a new hosting provider doesn’t have to be a challenging undertaking.

Moving your website by hand is one of the options. This covers tasks like directing your domain name and downloading and transferring your backups to the new server.

Asking the new web host for help with the migration is an additional option. If this option is available, we advise taking it since it’s the most practical choice for inexperienced users with minimal technical know-how or busy website owners with little free time. 

As an alternative, we’ll go over how to use a migration plugin to move web hosts for WordPress users.

This article explains How to Migrate Your Website to a New Web Hosting between companies using both a manual method and a plugin.

6 Easy Steps to Migrate Your Website to a New Web Host

Transferring your website to a new web hosting company may appear like a difficult undertaking, but it may go smoothly with proper preparation and execution. 

You may move your website effectively by following these 6 steps, regardless of your reasons for doing so, be it enhanced customer support, better performance, or just a change of scenery:

Let’s Examine Each One in More Detail.

Step 1: Get the New Hosting

The first step in migrating your website is to select and set up your new hosting provider. Research and choose a reliable hosting service that meets your requirements in terms of features, performance, scalability, and budget. 

Look for providers with good customer support and uptime guarantees. Once you’ve chosen your new hosting plan, sign up and create your account.

A few important factors to take into account when selecting a web hosting provider are as follows:

Examining web hosting evaluations is the last action to take before deciding on a provider. They might be found directly on the provider’s website or in well-known review portals like G2, Google My Business, and Trustpilot.

If the new web host offers direct website transfer between servers, ask them to do so as soon as you acquire a hosting plan with them.

You will need to do a manual website transfer by following the detailed steps in the following sections if your new host does not offer migration services.

Step 2: Get Your Backup Files Downloaded

Before making any changes, it’s crucial to back up all your website files and data to ensure nothing is lost during the migration process. Access your current hosting account’s control panel or use an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client to download all your website files, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and any other media files. Compress these files into a single archive for easier transfer.

Make a File Backup Using cPanel. The simplest approach to accomplish this is usually to use the full backup export option found in the control panel of your former hosting account. For example, cPanel includes a tool that lets users quickly and easily build a complete backup.

Using cPanel, obtain the files for your website:

Now that the website files have been downloaded, you should to be able to locate the Website Backup folder on your desktop.

Step 3: Download the Database for Your Website

In addition to backing up your files, you’ll also need to export your website’s database if it uses one. Log in to your hosting account’s control panel and access the database management tool (usually phpMyAdmin for MySQL databases). 

Select your website’s database and export it as a SQL file. This file contains all your website’s content, including posts, pages, comments, and settings.

Make a Database Backup Using cPanel. Click Backups in the Files section of your cPanel, just like you would with files. Next, get the database for your website:

Step 4: Transfer the Databases and Files to Your Newly Created Hosting Account

Now that you have your backup files and database ready, it’s time to upload them to your new hosting account. Access the control panel or use an FTP client provided by your new hosting provider to upload the files to your website’s root directory. 

Similarly, import the database SQL file into the new hosting account’s database management tool. Make sure to update any configuration files (like wp-config.php for WordPress) with the new database credentials if necessary.

Make a Database Backup Using cPanel. Click Backups in the Files section of your cPanel, just like you would with files. Next, get the database for your website:

You must edit wp-config.php with your new database information when moving a WordPress website.

Step 5: Navigate to the New Server with Your Domain Name

Once your files and database are uploaded to the new hosting account, you’ll need to update your domain’s DNS (Domain Name System) settings to point to the new server. Log in to your domain registrar’s website and locate the DNS management section. 

Update the A records or name servers to reflect the IP address or nameservers provided by your new hosting provider. DNS changes may take some time to propagate globally, so be patient.

Keep in mind that you should adhere to the following advice if your new host offers fewer nameservers than what is specified:

Step 6: Examine Your Website Before It Launches

Before making your website live on the new hosting server, it’s essential to thoroughly test it to ensure everything is working correctly. 

Visit your website using the domain name to verify that all page’s load properly, links work, and functionality is intact. 

Check forms, interactive elements, and any backend features to confirm they’re functioning as expected. This testing phase allows you to identify and address any issues before your audience encounters them.

Check that your website’s front end and back end are operating smoothly now. By doing this, you can also help prevent website outages and find faults so that they can be fixed before the site launches.

Get comfortable with your new control panel by navigating and exploring the various parts of your hosting dashboard. Make sure everything is set up according to the requirements of your website, and while you’re doing it, consider switching to ARZ Host for your email services.

Look through every page of your website from the front end. Verify that all material, including text, videos, and photos, loads accurately and without hiccups. Verify that every feature, such as contact forms, functions as intended.

You have completed the manual hosting transfer process if there are no errors. Bravo!

Migrating your website to a new web hosting provider involves careful planning, thorough preparation, and meticulous execution. By following these six steps, you can ensure a seamless transition with minimal downtime and disruption to your website visitors.

Remember to back up your files and database, choose a reliable hosting provider, and thoroughly test your website before making it live on the new server. With proper attention to detail, you can successfully migrate your website to its new home on the web.

What is Web Hosting?

Imagine your website as a house. You’ve built it with care, filled it with content, and now you want people to come visit. But for them to see your house, it needs a place to sit on the street. That’s where web hosting comes in.

Web hosting is a service that provides the space for your website to live on the internet.  Companies called web hosts own and maintain large computers called servers. These servers are essentially always on and connected to the internet. When you purchase a web hosting plan, you’re renting space on one of these servers to store all your website’s files and data.

Just like you wouldn’t want to put your house in a rickety shack, you don’t want your website on an unreliable server. Web hosting companies ensure their servers are secure and up-to-date so your website is always accessible to visitors. 

They also typically provide additional features like email addresses and tools to help you manage your website.  In short, web hosting is the foundation that makes your website visible to the world.

Benefits of Migrating Your Website to a New Web Hosting Provider

Choosing the correct web hosting company is essential in the rapidly changing digital landscape, where websites are the foundation of an online presence for both individuals and corporations.

However, it’s normal for website owners to consider changing to a new web hosting service as business needs and technology progress. 

Although moving to a new platform might be a scary decision, many advantages can greatly improve your website’s performance, security, and dependability. We’ll look at all of the benefits of switching to a new web hosting company in this part.

1: Improved Performance

One of the primary benefits of migrating your website to a new web hosting provider is the potential for improved performance. Web hosting providers vary in the quality of their infrastructure, including server hardware, network capacity, and software optimization. 

By choosing a reputable hosting provider with state-of-the-art infrastructure, you can ensure faster page loading times, reduced downtime, and overall better performance for your website visitors.

2: Enhanced Security Features

Security is a top priority for any website owner. With cyber threats becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s essential to have robust security measures in place to protect your website and sensitive data. 

Many reputable web hosting providers offer advanced security features such as SSL certificates, firewalls, malware scanning, and regular backups. By migrating to a hosting provider that prioritizes security, you can mitigate the risk of cyberattacks and safeguard your website against potential vulnerabilities.

3: Scalability and Flexibility

As your website grows and evolves, you may find that your current hosting plan no longer meets your needs in terms of scalability and flexibility. Whether you’re experiencing increased traffic, launching new features, or expanding your online presence, migrating to a new web hosting provider can offer greater scalability and flexibility. 

Look for hosting providers that offer scalable hosting plans, allowing you to easily upgrade or downgrade your resources as needed without any hassle.

4: Better Customer Support

Reliable customer support is invaluable when it comes to managing a website. Whether you encounter technical issues, have questions about your hosting plan, or need assistance with troubleshooting, having access to responsive and knowledgeable customer support can make a world of difference. 

When migrating to a new web hosting provider, consider the level of customer support offered, including availability, response times, and support channels. Opt for a provider that provides 24/7 support and has a reputation for excellent customer service.

5: Cost Savings

While cost shouldn’t be the sole factor when choosing a web hosting provider, migrating to a new provider can sometimes result in cost savings in the long run. Many hosting providers offer competitive pricing plans, introductory discounts, and cost-effective packages tailored to various budgets and requirements. 

Additionally, migrating to a new provider can help you avoid hidden fees, unnecessary add-ons, and inflated renewal rates that may be associated with your current hosting plan.

6: Access to Advanced Features

Technology is constantly evolving, and new advancements in web hosting can offer exciting features and functionalities to enhance your website’s performance and capabilities. 

By migrating to a new web hosting provider, you may gain access to advanced features such as content delivery networks (CDNs), caching mechanisms, staging environments, and integrated development tools. These features can streamline website management, improve user experience, and give you a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

7: Geographical Location

The geographical location of your web hosting provider’s servers can have a significant impact on your website’s performance and search engine optimization (SEO). Choosing a hosting provider with servers located closer to your target audience can result in faster loading times and better user experience for visitors in that region. 

Additionally, hosting your website on servers located in different geographic locations can improve redundancy and resilience, reducing the risk of downtime and ensuring continuity of service.

Migrating your website to a new web hosting provider can offer a wide range of benefits, including improved performance, enhanced security, scalability, better customer support, cost savings, access to advanced features, and optimized geographical location. 

Before making the transition, carefully evaluate your current hosting needs and research different providers to find the best fit for your website requirements and objectives. With proper planning and execution, migrating to a new web hosting provider can pave the way for a more efficient, reliable, and successful online presence.

Conclusion

Moving your website to a new host is not a difficult undertaking. We have demonstrated a few of the various methods for hosting migration in this article.

You can choose to handle it manually, ask your new host for a migration service, or, if your website is WordPress-based, use a plugin.

Leaving the work to your new hosting company is the simplest approach to move web hosting. Thus, be careful to select a new host that provides site migrating services when you’re buying.

Additionally, we have created a comparison of the well-known web hosts in case you are still unsure which one to choose:

We hope that this post was helpful to you while you transferred hosts. Please feel free to contact our support team or leave a comment below if you have any questions.

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