Sitecore content migration to WordPress
Migrating from a Sitecore instance to WordPress means moving a range of content types—from posts and pages to media assets, user profiles, and analytics data among others.
As such there’s no straightforward way to export all this data from Sitecore. There are no dedicated Sitecore migration tools to handle end-to-end Sitecore content migration for you.
But before we get to why Sitecore to WordPress content migrations can get so complex, here’s how to go about content migration between Sitecore and WordPress: a mix of automated and manual methods.
| Automated migration | Manual migration |
| You can use automated methods like scripts to move the more “standard” content elements on your Sitecore instance—your blog articles, for example. You can also export your media assets using automations. User data, too, can be migrated with automations (but the user configuration for exporting will require manual efforts including custom coding permissioning and rules systems). | For moving the more “bespoke” elements on your Sitecore instance like your homepage or unique landing pages, you’d need to consider manual migration—which is simply manually moving them to your WordPress stack. |
With the bigger content migration picture clearer, here’s zooming in on the complexities with migrating Sitecore content:
- You could be using Sitecore in various ways—as Sitecore XM, Sitecore XM Cloud, Sitecore XP, or simply as Content Hub One. Not to forget the on-prem vs managed options that come for some of these. While Sitecore offers a bunch of bulk editing solutions, it’s important to choose the most optimal version for your needs… and there’s no one single right answer here.
- Sitecore’s different bulk data handling solutions, such as Content Serialization, PowerShell Extensions, and RESTful Services, offer varying levels of compatibility across the different legacy Sitecore solutions.
- Additionally, Sitecore’s setup is generally quite intricate, often involving multiple layers of content structures, personalization rules, and custom data types. These compound the already challenging content exporting.
That said, let’s look at some key bulk data exporting/migrating/manipulating solutions available in Sitecore that you can use to move your content to WordPress.
Sitecore Content Serialization
With its TDS, Unicorn, and Sitecore Serialization tools (these are the different export tools available in different Sitecore solutions), Sitecore gives you a number of solutions to bulk-manipulate your data. With TDS, you can export your Sitecore instance data as XML files. Unicorn supports JSON serialization, so you get JSON export files. Like TDS, Sitecore Serialization also uses the XML serialization format giving your XML files with your export data.
Depending on the Sitecore instance you’re looking at, you can choose any of these methods or a mix. For example, Sitecore Serialization offers basic exporting mostly using Sitecore’s built-in tools. While these can be helpful with moving static items (like posts or pages), it can feel limiting for exporting complex nested items (like custom posts, multilingual versions of an item, or forms). For these Unicorn may be a much better (and in some cases, the only) way to export. Depending on the Sitecore instance at hand—if it’s fairly standard—maybe TDS could be the best option.
Sitecore PowerShell Extensions (SPE)
Sitecore PowerShell Extensions (SPE) is Sitecore’s automation solution that lets you automate admin tasks. Using Sitecore PowerShell Extensions (SPE) you can export your Sitecore content items. With SPE, it’s possible to:
- Export content items in various formats (like JSON, XML, CSV etc.).
- Customize the export process to include specific fields and relationships.
- Automate bulk exports to save time and reduce manual effort.
But note that SPE doesn’t work with Sitecore versions 7.x or below. So when you create your actual content migration strategy, factor in such things!
Also the effective use of SPE for content export requires familiarity with PowerShell scripting and your Sitecore data structure.
RESTful Services
Sitecore also offers Sitecore RESTFUl Services APIs to retrieve/export data from a Sitecore instance.
You can export data in JSON formats which can be easy for processing to use on your WordPress site.
That said, these are typically focused on individual item access as opposed to bulk actions. So you’d need to make it work for bulk retrieval through scripts.
Also, you’ll need advanced knowledge about RESTful APIs and integration concepts to get this to work.
The choice between these options when migrating your Sitecore content to WordPress will depend on the specific requirements of your Sitecore instance, including reviewing your content, its scale, desired export format, the processing you’d need to do the export data and more.
Data mapping
Once you’ve exported your Sitecore content—or sometimes even before exporting (depending on the kinds of scripts you’re using)—it’s time to map it to WordPress’s ecosystem.
This step is crucial for ensuring that your content retains its integrity and structure during the migration process.
Here’s a table mapping the common elements from Sitecore to WordPress:
| Sitecore element | WordPress equivalent |
| Page | Page |
| Article | Post |
| Media Item | Media File |
| Category | Category |
| Tag | Tag |
| SEO Metadata | Translates to the different SEO metadata fields in the SEO plugin you choose |
| User Profile | User Profile |
| Template | Theme |
| Page Layout | Page Template |
| Component | Could be blocks, widgets or patterns |
Data importing from Sitecore to WordPress
Once you’ve mapped your Sitecore content to WordPress, here are a few ways to bring your data to WordPress.
Using plugins
You could use a plugin like WP All Import that can map your export data to WordPress’s native elements (like posts, pages, custom post types, or taxonomies) and do the import.
Alternatively, write a new plugin to handle the import. If your Sitecore instance uses complex data structures or content nesting, you’ll likely need a custom plugin.
Using scripts
If your Sitecore site has custom content types, intricate taxonomies, or relationships that don’t map directly to WordPress, custom scripts can help with the import. Custom scripts give full control over the data transformation process, enabling even complex importing.
Using APIs
APIs are also a great way to import Sitecore content to WordPress. You can use APIs to bring your Sitecore data to WordPress directly. APIs combined with custom scripts can be a powerful way to import content from Sitecore to WordPress.
