Complete Guide: Migrating from WordPress to Framer in 2025

Framer is quickly becoming the go-to platform for small businesses looking to simplify website management. Unlike WordPress, Framer offers:

• No Maintenance: Forget constant updates and plugin headaches.

• Built-in Security: No need for extra tools to protect your site.

• Consistent Speed: Framer sites score 90+ on Lighthouse without extra tweaks.

• Visual Design Tools: Create and customize without coding.

Switching is easier than ever with tools like the HTML to Framer Chrome extension. Follow this guide to migrate your content, maintain SEO rankings, and improve performance - all while saving time and effort.

Quick Comparison: WordPress vs. Framer

Ready to make the switch? Let’s dive in.

Why Framer Works Better for Small Businesses

Small businesses need websites that are simple to manage and deliver great results. Framer’s no-code design approach eliminates maintenance headaches, allowing you to focus on growing your business.

WordPress vs. Framer: Main Differences

Framer and WordPress offer very different experiences, and these differences can directly affect how you run your business. Here’s a quick look:

Framer’s visual-first approach not only streamlines the design process but also minimizes ongoing management. As Harish Malhi from Goodspeed explains, "Framer is a visual design and prototyping tool that prioritizes a code-free design process". These differences make Framer a strong choice for small businesses looking to save time and resources.

How Framer Helps Your Business

Framer offers several features that simplify the transition process and improve your website’s performance once it’s live. Here’s how it can make a difference:

• Lower Costs: Automatic updates mean you don’t need to spend extra time or money on maintenance.

• Improved User Experience: Framer’s built-in animations and interactive features keep visitors engaged.

• Quicker Development: Its drag-and-drop interface speeds up the entire design process.

"Framer excels where interactive UI design, customizability, animations, and collaboration are priorities." - Ropstam Solutions Inc.

• Consistent Performance: Framer delivers reliable speed, which can enhance search rankings, improve mobile usability, and boost conversion rates.

For small businesses, these advantages make Framer a practical and effective solution.

Before You Start: Migration Checklist

Getting ready before migrating from WordPress to Framer can save you time and headaches. Use this checklist to ensure all your content and functionality make the transition smoothly.

Review Your WordPress Content

Take stock of everything on your WordPress site. Make a detailed list of:

• Pages and Posts: Identify the key content you want to move.

• Media Files: Include images, videos, and documents.

• Custom Post Types: Note any unique content types.

• Forms: Record existing forms and their functionality.

• Navigation Menus: Map out your menu structure.

Don’t forget to check for plugin-generated content that might need extra attention in Framer.

Back Up Your WordPress Site

Protect your data by creating backups before making any changes:

• Database Backup: Use tools like phpMyAdmin to export your database completely.

• File System Backup: Download your WordPress files via FTP, including themes, plugins, media, and any custom code.

• Store Backups in Multiple Locations: Keep copies locally, on external drives, and in the cloud.

Once everything is backed up, you’re ready to start setting up your Framer site.

Set Up Your Framer Website

With your WordPress content reviewed and backed up, it’s time to configure your Framer site:

• Create CMS Collections: Set up collections in Framer that match your WordPress structure, including content types and field relationships.

• Adjust Core Settings: Configure your domain, navigation, and design templates. Organize your content layout to match your needs.

• Prepare for Import: Make sure Framer CMS fields align with your WordPress export. Add a 'Slug' field to keep content identifiers consistent.

Moving Your Content to Framer

After backing up and setting up your site, follow these steps to ensure your content moves smoothly to Framer.

Download WordPress Content

Start by exporting your WordPress content:

• Clean up your site: delete spam, unused drafts, and deactivate unnecessary plugins.

• Set your site to Public to ensure media transfers correctly.

• Go to Tools → Export and choose either a full or selective export.

• Download the XML file(s) that contain your content.

Once you've exported your content, it's time to format it for Framer.

Build Your Framer Site Structure

Prepare your content for Framer by converting and organizing your data:

• Convert the WordPress data into a CSV file. Use basic HTML tags for rich text, ensure dates follow the ISO8601 format, validate image URLs, and add a "Slug" field.

• Create fields in your Framer CMS that match the columns in your CSV. Make sure:

  • Field names are an exact match.

  • Data types are compatible.

  • Required fields are properly marked.

After formatting your data and setting up your CMS collections, you’re ready to review your migrated content.

Check Your Migrated Content

Carefully review your new Framer site to confirm everything is working as expected:

• Look over each page to ensure correct rendering, proper image loading, and intact formatting.

• Test all features, including internal links, form submissions, and interactive elements.

• Keep an eye on performance and address any optimization issues.

Keep your WordPress site live until you're sure all media has transferred successfully.

Keep Your SEO Rankings During Migration

After moving your content to Framer, the next step is making sure your SEO rankings stay intact. Here's how to protect your search performance during the transition.

Set Up URL Redirects

Redirects ensure both visitors and search engines can find your new content. Here's how to set them up in Framer:

1. Access Redirect Settings
Go to Site Settings → Redirects in your Framer dashboard.

2. Map Old and New URLs
Pair your old WordPress URLs with the new ones in Framer:

• Old: /blog/2024/03/post-title

• New: /blog/post-title

3. Use Wildcard Redirects
For groups of similar URLs, apply wildcard rules:

• Old: /blog/*/post/*

• New: /article/:1/entry/:2

This method simplifies redirecting multiple URLs with a single rule.

Transfer SEO Data

Set up your SEO elements directly in Framer's site settings:

• Add default metadata like the site title, descriptions, social sharing cards, and favicon.

• Customize page-specific elements, including:

  • Title tags

  • Meta descriptions

  • Header tags

  • Alt text for images

Framer also generates sitemap.xml and robots.txt files automatically. Optimizing these elements helps maintain your site's link structure and search engine visibility.

Fix Site Links

Internal links are crucial for SEO. Here's how to review and update them:

• Audit Internal Links: Check navigation menus, footers, in-content links, and resource references.

• Update URLs: Adjust links to match Framer's structure for blog posts, downloads, forms, and buttons.

• Test Everything: Ensure all links - navigation, downloads, forms, and media - work correctly.

Once your links are in order, you can focus on fine-tuning your site's overall performance.

Make Your Framer Site Better

Once your content is live and optimized for search, it’s time to refine your site’s design and performance.

Update Your Site Design

Framer offers tools to help you create a polished, branded website without needing to code.

Start with Pre-built Sections
Use Framer's ready-to-use Pages & Sections as a starting point. These sections are minimally styled, making it simple to customize them. Adjust colors, typography, spacing, layouts, and add visuals to make them your own.

Create Reusable Components
Framer's components feature lets you build a consistent design system. This makes it easier to keep your site's look unified and simplifies future updates. Consider creating components for:

• Navigation menus

• Call-to-action buttons

• Content cards

• Footer elements

Once your design is polished, shift your focus to improving site speed.

Speed Up Your Website

As of the June 4, 2024 update, Framer sites can load up to five times faster.

Image Optimization
Upload images at Auto resolution and let Framer handle the resizing and conversion for you. Use SVGs within frames for sharper visuals.

Video Performance
Host videos on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo instead of uploading them directly. These services:

• Adjust video quality based on network speed

• Reduce server load

• Ensure smoother playback

Code and Effects

• Use custom code sparingly and place scripts at the end of the body.

• Limit blur effects to fewer than 10.

• Restrict animations to above-the-fold content for better performance.

Test on All Devices

Leverage Framer's responsive design tools to test your site across various devices.

Desktop Testing

• Ensure navigation works as expected.

• Check content spacing and alignment.

• Test interactive elements for functionality.

Tablet and Mobile Views

• Verify menu behavior.

• Make sure touch targets are appropriately sized.

• Confirm images scale properly.

• Test forms and buttons for usability.

Performance Checks
Use the Site Settings dashboard to monitor performance. Look for the "Optimized" label to confirm your site meets Framer's standards.

Conclusion: Next Steps with Your Framer Site

Now that your migration is complete, it’s time to focus on maintaining and improving your site. Tools like PageSpeed Insights can help you monitor performance, but here are some key areas to prioritize:

Optimize Your Media
Take advantage of Framer's automatic media features. Upload images at Auto resolution for the best quality and performance, and embed videos through platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.

Keep an Eye on Site Metrics
Use Framer's built-in, GDPR-compliant analytics to track essential metrics like page load times, user engagement, traffic, and conversions. These insights will help you maintain strong performance and identify areas for improvement over time.

Prepare for the Future
Stay ahead with features like:

• Staging domains to preview changes before going live

• One-click rollback for quick fixes

• Automated SEO tools

• Server-side rendering for faster load times

These tools will help ensure your site remains efficient and adaptable as your needs evolve.

"As a fast-growing startup, having a web development partner that can quickly adapt to our changing needs has been critical. The Striking Alchemy team not only has been a great partner who can quickly deliver great outcomes as our needs evolve, but their guidance and advice throughout that time have been invaluable." – Jeremy Jarrell, RealX Ventures

If you’re looking to get even more out of your Framer site, consider working with Striking Alchemy. Their team specializes in optimizing design, speed, and user experience to help you achieve your goals.