AEM to WordPress migration: The process, timeline, and team

Let’s start with a high-level snapshot of how migrating an AEM instance to WordPress works. We’ll first look at the steps that form the core of the migration process. In addition to them, you’ll also need to conduct a detailed assessment of your current AEM setup—this foundational step is critical for a smooth transition. We’ll cover this assessment in the next chapter.

For now, let’s focus on the actual structured AEM-to-WordPress migration process. At rtCamp, we’ve performed over 300 CMS migrations, and this is the process we follow. This approach guarantees complete parity between the functionalities of your AEM instance and the new WordPress stack.

We basically structure the migration into three key stages—frontend, backend, and content migration—each running in parallel within the development process. Here’s a breakdown of how it all works.

The AEM to WordPress migration process

First up, you’ve got frontend migration.

1. Frontend migration

The frontend migration ensures that the user-facing aspects of your site—such as the design, UI/UX, and interactivity—are seamlessly moved to WordPress.

At rtCamp, we start with a starter theme and build upon it to recreate your AEM design pixel-perfect on WordPress. Alternatively, if you’re planning a redesign, this is where it takes place.

We start by auditing your current AEM frontend, including its structure, navigation, design, interactivity, and more. We then map these elements to WordPress’s design capabilities, bringing everything together through a custom WordPress theme. 

But we don’t stop at it. We equip you with ready-to-use blocks, layouts, and pages, transforming Gutenberg into your very own personalized enterprise page builder—adding agility to your daily content ops.

2. Backend migration

The backend migration addresses the technical architecture, functionality, and integrations essential to recreate your AEM instance on WordPress. Here are the key steps:

• Technical infrastructure setup: Evaluating hosting options like WordPress VIP or other enterprise hosting providers. Alternatively, designing self-hosted configurations if you prefer to host your WordPress instance yourself.
• Custom features and functionality: Rebuilding AEM’s proprietary features as WordPress plugins or bringing them by integrating third-party solutions. This stage also includes rebuilding workflows that use AEM forms, automation, or eCommerce, through equivalent WordPress tools (e.g., Gravity Forms, WooCommerce, etc).
• Integration migration: Auditing and mapping existing third-party integrations (CRMs, analytics, marketing platforms) to WordPress, using WordPress REST API, GraphQL, or plugins to rebuild integrations as needed.

3. Content migration

Content migration involves transferring data and assets—such as text, images, videos, and metadata—from AEM to WordPress while maintaining SEO equity and data integrity. The key steps from this stage are:

• Content inventorying and mapping:
  • Performing a comprehensive inventory of AEM content, including pages, assets, and metadata.
  • Mapping AEM content types (e.g., pages, blog posts) to equivalent content assets in WordPress.
• Moving the content (using a combination of automated and manual methods):
  • Writing scripts or using tools to export content from AEM and importing it into WordPress.
  • Ensuring hierarchical structures (e.g., parent/child pages) are maintained.
  • Ensuring content structures are retained.
• Transferring the media library: Migrating all media assets, optimizing them for WordPress’s media management system, and moving any associated metadata as well.
• Preserving the SEO equity and metadata:
  • Transferring SEO metadata (titles, descriptions, alt text) for all the content.
  • Migrating the schemar markup.
  • Setting up new links and redirects to preserve existing URL structures and avoid SEO penalties.

Timeline

Every AEM instance is unique, so there’s no standard timeline for AEM to WordPress migration projects. That said, most migrations take about three months. Your setup’s intricacy and Adobe-specificity can extend the timeline. Here’s what a typical migration timeline could look like:

Discovery & analysis (W1–W2)

Auditing the current AEM environment and identifying everything that needs to be migrated is the first step in moving an AEM setup to WordPress. This process also includes outlining the best approaches to recreate the various aspects of the AEM instance on WordPress and sorting out project logistics (like setting up teams, managing access, and more). This phase typically takes around two weeks.

By the end of this phase at rtCamp, we have a complete blueprint for the project’s execution. Here’s a snapshot of what such a blueprint (discovery report) looks like:

You could book a paid consultation with us and receive a detailed handbook that you can use to execute in-house, have us handle it, or engage your preferred third-party vendor.

Application design (W2–W4)

The second step involves designing the new WordPress app, mapping AEM features to WordPress components and planning the needed coding, customizations, and integrations.

This stage, too, can span across two weeks.

Development & unit testing (W3–W8)

Coding can begin as soon as the discovery report is finalized at the end of week two. At rtCamp, we follow agile sprints for development, and depending on the project’s scope, multiple sprints may be required. Early development focuses on building the theme and developing new plugins for custom functionality, followed by third-party backend integrations.

Migration script development (W2–W8)

While development is underway, we simultaneously work on migration scripts to transfer content from AEM to WordPress. This involves automating data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL processes) to ensure a smooth content lift and shift.

SIT execution & support (W5–W11)

As coding progresses, we introduce System Integration Testing (SIT). SIT happens in parallel to coding sprints. This ensures that all components (content, design, and functionality) integrate seamlessly into the WordPress environment.

Content migration (W7–W12)

Once the frontend and backend are nearly ready, we move on to content migration. Content is migrated manually or via automated scripts, with a focus on ensuring accuracy, structure, and completeness. This step is essential to maintaining content integrity across the new site.

User Acceptance Testing (W10–W13)

This is where the migrated WordPress site is tested for usability, functionality, and any gaps compared to AEM. At this stage, at rtCamp, once we receive client sign-off, we shift focus to the live deployment.

Deployment to the live environment (W13–W15)

The live WordPress environment deployment happens here!

Post-production support (W15–W16)

The weeks following the migration are crucial for addressing any performance, usability, or technical issues that surface. At rtCamp, we offer post-production support for a few weeks after the migration. 

Team

Here’s a generic structure for an AEM to WordPress CMS migration project team.

Project manager

First up, you’ve got a project manager. This project manager is responsible for overseeing the entire migration process. They coordinate communication, track progress, and manage resources to ensure project success. They also ensure that timelines are met and that deliverables align with expectations. Above all, they make sure that the migration project is in line with the overarching business goals.

The core team

This group handles the hands-on execution of the migration. It typically consists of the following roles:

1. Technical architect:
   • This role designs the overall WordPress app architecture, including third-party integrations and workflows.
2. Backend engineers:
   • Lead backend development, handling tasks such as platform configuration, plugin creation, custom coding, coding customizations, building integrations, and more. Migration script developers also count toward these.
3. Frontend engineers:
   • Focus on the user interface and experience, including theme development, responsive design, and ensuring parity with the AEM site’s visual elements.
4. QA engineers:
   • Conduct thorough testing to identify and resolve issues related to functionality, performance, and user experience in the new WordPress CMS.
   • Validate data migration accuracy and ensure compliance with industry standards.
   • Verify that the deliverables meet the brief.

Support teams

In addition to your in-house resources, there may be third-party resources too. For example, if a managed hosting or specialized platform (e.g., WordPress VIP) is used, representatives from that platform assist with infrastructure-related requirements such as hosting setup, performance optimization, and security compliance. These roles provide strategic support and ensure a smooth collaboration.

Depending on your project size and complexity, additional team members, such as DevOps engineers or business analysts, may also be included to ensure all aspects of the project are covered.

In all, the team structure we just saw ensures that all the critical aspects of the migration—from strategy and execution to testing, QA, and ongoing support—are addressed comprehensively.