If your site runs on Concrete5 and you have started noticing the cracks, whether it is limited plugin options, outdated support documentation, or a design that no longer reflects where your business is headed, you are not imagining the problem. A Concrete5 to WordPress migration is one of the most impactful decisions you can make for your website’s long-term growth, SEO performance, and overall scalability.
This guide walks you through every stage of the process, from why the switch makes sense to exactly how to execute it without losing rankings or traffic.
TL;DR: Concrete5 Migration to WordPress Site
- A successful Concrete5 site to WordPress migration starts with a full content audit, complete site backup, and a staging environment set up before anything goes live
- Every existing Concrete5 URL must be mapped and redirected using 301 redirects to protect your Google rankings and domain authority
- Concrete5 themes and add-ons cannot be ported directly into WordPress and need to be rebuilt or replaced with equivalent plugins like WPForms, WooCommerce, and Rank Math
- Migrating metadata, including meta titles, descriptions, and image alt tags, is just as important as transferring page content for maintaining search visibility
- Professional migration typically costs between $499and $2,000, depending on site size, custom features, and redesign requirements
- Simple sites can go live within one to three days, while larger sites with custom functionality may take one to two weeks for a fully tested launch
Step-by-Step Concrete5 to WordPress Migration Process
Understanding the steps before you begin is what separates a smooth migration from one that creates headaches at every turn. Each phase builds on the previous one, so following this order is not just a suggestion; it is the structure that keeps the project on track.
Work through each step carefully and resist the urge to jump ahead, because decisions made early in this process directly affect how clean your site looks and performs when it finally goes live.
Step 1. Set Up a Staging WordPress Environment
The migration must never happen directly on your live domain.
- Set up a complete WordPress installation on a staging server or subdomain first.
- Configure your permalink structure to match your planned URL format, install your chosen theme, and add the baseline plugins you know you will need.
This staging environment is where you will run all your testing, and it must closely mirror the live server’s configuration.
Step 2. Export Your Content from Concrete5
Unlike WordPress, Concrete5 does not have a native one-click export tool that packages all your content cleanly for import elsewhere.
Your export options typically include:
- Manually copying page content
- Using database export tools to pull structured data
- Using a third-party migration service like CMS2CMS that automates the transfer of pages, posts, and internal links between platforms.
For sites with large amounts of content, the automated route saves significant time, though it still requires cleanup afterward.
During this step, make sure you also export your media files separately. Images, documents, and videos stored in Concrete5 are separate from your page content and need to be transferred to your new WordPress media library as part of the migration.
Step 3. Import Content into WordPress
Once your Concrete5 content is exported, you can use WordPress’s built-in importer under Tools to bring in XML-formatted content.
For larger or more complex sites, migration plugins offer more control over the process. Expect some formatting cleanup at this stage.
The way Concrete5 structures its block-based content does not map perfectly to WordPress blocks, so certain page layouts will need manual adjustment to look correct in the Gutenberg editor.
Pay particular attention to these content elements during import:
- Page titles and slugs, which need to match your URL mapping plan
- Embedded media, which should be re-linked to the new WordPress media library
- Internal links within your content, which will need updating to reflect the new WordPress URLs
- Custom page templates or layout blocks that may not have a direct WordPress equivalent
Step 4. Replace Concrete5 Features with WordPress Plugins
This is one of the most important things to understand before starting migration: you cannot simply port your existing Concrete5 themes or add-ons into WordPress.
The two platforms are architecturally different, and Concrete5 extensions are not compatible with WordPress.
Instead, identify the functionality each Concrete5 add-on provides, then find a WordPress plugin that delivers the same or better results.
Here are some common replacements that work well in practice:
- Concrete5 forms replaced by WPForms.
- Image galleries replaced by Envira Gallery or a Gutenberg block gallery.
- Concrete5 eCommerce replace it by WooCommerce.
- Concrete5 SEO tools replaced by Rank Math.
Step 5. Set Up 301 Redirects from Old Concrete5 URLs
This step is non-negotiable for SEO protection.
A 301 redirect tells Google that a page has permanently moved to a new address and transfers the link authority that the old URL had built over time.
Without these redirects, anyone who had bookmarked your old pages, linked to them, or discovered them through a Google search will land on a 404 error instead, which damages both user experience and your search rankings.
The Redirection plugin for WordPress makes this manageable for sites with a moderate number of URLs.
For sites with hundreds of pages, you can prepare a CSV file with your old and new URL pairs and import them in bulk. Your URL audit spreadsheet from Step 1 becomes your redirect mapping document at this stage.
Migrate Any CMS to WordPress Starting at $499
From Concrete5 to WordPress and beyond, we handle content migration, media transfer, redirects, and SEO preservation with a smooth, structured process built for growth.
How to Protect Your Google Rankings During the Migration?
Organic traffic is often the most valuable asset a website has, and protecting it through a platform migration requires deliberate, methodical action at every stage. The good news is that none of what follows is particularly complicated; it just needs to be done completely and in the right order.
Most site owners fear the same thing when they consider switching platforms: losing the organic traffic their site has built over months or years.
With the right approach, you can not only protect those rankings but set your site up for better performance post-migration than it had before.
URL Mapping is Non-Negotiable
Every page that currently receives organic traffic, has backlinks pointing to it, or appears in your internal link structure, needs a destination on the new WordPress site.
Mapping those URLs is mandatory and cannot be done at the last minute. Build your redirect map during the pre-migration audit phase, review it, and implement it on the staging site before you go live.
Migrating Meta Titles, Descriptions, and Alt Tags
Your on-page SEO metadata needs to follow your content to the new platform.
- Meta titles and descriptions should be transferred to each corresponding WordPress page, either manually or using Rank Math’s supported bulk import tools.
- Image alt tags need to be reviewed and re-entered in the WordPress media library, since they rarely transfer cleanly through automated migration tools.
These are small details that have a measurable cumulative impact on your search visibility.
Submitting Your New XML Sitemap to Google Search Console
After your new WordPress site goes live, your first technical SEO action should be verifying the domain in Google Search Console and submitting your new XML sitemap.
Most SEO plugins generate this sitemap automatically. Submitting it promptly tells Google where your new pages live and accelerates the re-crawl process.
Monitor the Coverage report in Search Console closely for the first 30 days after launch, watching for any 404 errors or crawl anomalies that need to be addressed quickly.
How Much Does a Concrete5 to WordPress Migration Cost?
Migration costs vary more than most people expect, and the range depends heavily on the size and complexity of what you are moving, rather than the platform switch itself. Understanding what drives the price up or down helps you plan accurately and avoid being caught off guard mid-project.
The honest answer is that it depends on what your site actually contains and how much of it needs to be rebuilt rather than simply transferred.
- For a straightforward informational site with 20 to 30 pages and no custom functionality, a competent developer or agency can complete the migration in a few days.
- For a site with custom Concrete5 modules, eCommerce, complex user permissions, and a large media library, the project is considerably more involved.
- DIY migration is technically feasible for simple sites, and the out-of-pocket costs for hosting and plugins are relatively low. However, the time investment is significant, and the risk of making SEO-damaging mistakes during the redirect setup or metadata transfer is real, particularly if you have not done this before.
Professional Concrete5 to WordPress migration services typically range from $499 to $2,000 or more, depending on content volume, redesign requirements, custom plugin development, and post-launch SEO setup.
For business-critical sites where even a week of reduced traffic has a measurable revenue impact, professional migration services more than pay for themselves through avoided mistakes and a cleaner launch.
At Seahawk Media, the migration process is handled end-to-end, covering content transfer, redirect mapping, plugin configuration, design implementation, and post-launch monitoring so nothing falls through the cracks.
When Should You Hire a Professional WordPress Migration Service
Not every migration needs professional help. But knowing where the line is between a manageable DIY project and one that genuinely warrants expert involvement will save you significant time, money, and frustration.
The answer comes down to what your site does and what is at stake if something goes wrong.
For a small site with light traffic and simple content, a carefully managed self-migration is entirely reasonable. But as complexity and business value increase, so does the cost of getting it wrong.
If your Concrete5 site generates leads, drives eCommerce revenue, has a large content library, or relies on custom Concrete5 functionality that needs to be rebuilt in WordPress, the complexity warrants professional help. Seahawk Media specializes in exactly this kind of migration.
Our team will handle the full process from initial content audit to post-launch monitoring, including the technical details of database migration, redirect implementation, SEO metadata transfer, and plugin configuration that often trip up first-time migrators.
Working with an experienced team removes the risk of the common mistakes outlined above. This ensures the site launches cleanly, on schedule, and without the traffic disruptions that poorly planned migrations cause.
Mistakes That Can Derail Your Concrete5 to WordPress Migration
Even well-planned migrations run into trouble when certain assumptions are made about what the process will handle automatically. Knowing where things most commonly go wrong gives you a meaningful advantage before you start.
These are not rare edge cases. They are the same mistakes that keep showing up across migrations of all sizes, and the good news is that every one of them is entirely avoidable with the right preparation.
Skipping the Staging Environment
Going directly from Concrete5 to a live WordPress domain without a staging environment is one of the most common and costly mistakes in CMS migration.
If something breaks during a live migration, your site is down for real visitors and real search engines during the repair window.
A staging environment gives you a safe space to test every element of the new site before it affects anyone outside your team.
Forgetting to Transfer User Data and Form Submissions
Many site owners focus entirely on pages and posts and forget that their site’s database also contains registered user accounts, contact form submissions, and, in some cases, eCommerce order history.
All of this data lives in the Concrete5 database and needs careful export and mapping to the new WordPress structure. Losing customer records or historical form submissions is a problem that is very difficult to undo after the fact.
Going Live without a Full QA Pass
A proper pre-launch quality assurance review is not just clicking through a few pages on the homepage. It means:
- Testing every contact form and verifying that submissions arrive correctly
- Checking every redirect to confirm it lands on the right destination
- Validating mobile responsiveness across multiple screen sizes
- Running a page speed test
- Addressing any performance issues
Confirm that all third-party integrations, like analytics, CRM connections, and chat tools, are functioning correctly.
Final Thoughts
Staying on Concrete5 is not a neutral decision. Every month that passes is a month of SEO growth, design improvements, and feature expansion that WordPress would have enabled and Concrete5 cannot.
The good news is that a well-executed Concrete5 to WordPress migration protects what your site has already built while opening the door to everything that comes next.
Seahawk Media works with businesses through every stage of this transition, from the initial audit to the final launch, making sure the process is clean, the rankings are protected, and the new site is genuinely better than the one it replaced.
Reach out to the Seahawk Media team today to get a migration assessment and a clear plan for your site’s move to WordPress.
Concrete5 to WordPress Migration FAQs
Can I migrate Concrete5 themes directly into WordPress?
No, Concrete5 themes are architecturally incompatible with WordPress and need to be recreated or replaced entirely. Most site owners treat migration as the perfect opportunity to modernize their design alongside the platform switch.
Will I lose my Google rankings after migrating?
Not if you follow the right SEO checklist. Proper 301 redirects, metadata transfer, and a sitemap submission to Google Search Console are all it takes to protect your rankings and often improve them post-migration.
How long does a Concrete5 to WordPress migration take?
Simple sites typically go live within one to three business days. Larger sites with custom modules, eCommerce, or a substantial media library generally take one to two weeks for a fully tested and clean launch.
