How to Migrate from Wordpress to Hugo

How to Migrate from Wordpress to Hugo

Migrating from WordPress to Hugo is a smart move if you want better speed, security, and lower maintenance. Many site owners switch because WordPress becomes slow, plugin-heavy, and hard to manage over time.

I’ve helped bloggers, businesses, and teams migrate real production sites from WordPress to Hugo. The results are usually the same: faster load times, fewer issues, and better SEO performance.

This guide explains how to migrate from WordPress to Hugo step by step, based on real-world experience.

Why Move from WordPress to Hugo?

Before starting the migration, be clear about your goal.

Most people migrate from WordPress to Hugo for these reasons:

  • Faster page load times
  • No plugin or security update stress
  • Better Core Web Vitals
  • Lower hosting costs
  • Stronger security with static files

Hugo is a static site generator. It builds HTML files in advance, instead of loading pages dynamically like WordPress. That’s why Hugo sites are much faster.

But there’s a trade-off. Hugo does not include a built-in admin panel. You’ll need tools like Netlify CMS or Git-based workflows if non-technical users edit content.

Step 1: Audit Your Existing WordPress Site

Before migration, list everything you currently have.

Check the following:

  • Pages and blog posts
  • Custom post types (portfolio, testimonials, docs)
  • Media files (images, PDFs, downloads)
  • Plugins and what they actually do
  • Theme layouts and reusable sections

This helps you avoid missing content during the WordPress to Hugo migration.

Tip: Use a simple spreadsheet to track progress.

Step 2: Export Content from WordPress

From your WordPress dashboard:

  • Go to Tools → Export
  • Choose All content
  • Download the XML file

For media files, use plugins like Export Media Library.

If you use Advanced Custom Fields or custom post types, tools like WP All Export give better control.

Step 3: Convert WordPress Content to Hugo Markdown

Hugo uses Markdown files, so your WordPress XML must be converted.

Popular tools:

  • Exitwp-for-Hugo (Python-based)
  • WordPress to Hugo Exporter (PHP-based)

Typical workflow:

  1. Run the WordPress XML through the exporter
  2. Review Markdown files for formatting issues
  3. Fix shortcodes manually if needed
  4. Move images to the /static directory

Complex layouts or shortcodes usually need manual cleanup.

Step 4: Create a New Hugo Site

Create a fresh Hugo project:

hugo new site my-site

This generates core folders like:

  • content
  • layouts
  • static
  • themes

Move your Markdown files into /content/posts or other sections.

Choose a Hugo theme from the official theme directory and set it in config.toml.

Preserving URLs is critical for SEO.

In config.toml, configure permalinks to match your WordPress structure:

[permalinks]
post = "/blog/:slug/"

Then:

  • Update internal links
  • Replace unsupported WordPress shortcodes
  • Prepare 301 redirects if URLs change

This prevents traffic loss after migration.

Step 6: Add Comments, Forms, and Dynamic Features

Since Hugo is static, you’ll need external services for interactivity.

Common options:

  • Comments: Disqus, Giscus, Commento
  • Forms: Netlify Forms, Formspree
  • Search: Algolia, Fuse.js

Only add what you actually need.

Step 7: Test Your Hugo Site Locally

Before going live:

hugo server

Then test:

  • All pages and posts
  • Mobile responsiveness
  • Images and assets
  • Internal and external links

Fix issues now, not after launch.

Step 8: Deploy the Hugo Site

Popular hosting platforms for Hugo:

  • Netlify
  • Vercel
  • GitHub Pages
  • Firebase Hosting

Most support Git-based continuous deployment, which makes publishing easy and reliable.

Real Migration Results

We migrated a large WordPress site for a hospitality brand with heavy images and custom design.

After moving to Hugo:

  • PageSpeed score increased to 94
  • SEO score improved to 93
  • Accessibility score reached 90
  • No downtime during traffic peaks

The site kept its design while becoming much faster and more stable.

Bonus Tips for a Smooth WordPress to Hugo Migration

  • Keep your WordPress site live until Hugo pages are indexed
  • Use redirects to protect SEO
  • Add Netlify CMS for non-technical editors
  • Optimize images using Hugo’s built-in tools
  • Train your team on Git-based publishing

Final Thoughts

Migrating from WordPress to Hugo is not just a technical upgrade. It’s a shift toward speed, simplicity, and long-term stability.

The process takes effort, but the payoff is worth it. Once your site loads instantly and stops breaking during updates, you won’t want to go back.

If performance, SEO, and control matter to you, Hugo is a solid choice.

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