How do I migrate from WordPress to a custom site?

A WordPress-to-custom migration follows five phases: audit, architecture, build, content migration, and cutover.

Phase 1 — Audit (1 week): inventory every page, post, plugin, and integration. Document what each plugin does and whether the custom site needs equivalent functionality. Check 301 redirect requirements — every indexed URL must redirect to its new equivalent.

Phase 2 — Architecture (1-2 weeks): design the new site's information architecture, choose the CMS (headless vs no CMS), define the tech stack, and plan the content model. This is where you simplify — most WordPress sites have accumulated 3-5 years of cruft.

Phase 3 — Build (4-8 weeks): develop the frontend, integrate the CMS, implement forms and dynamic features, and build any custom functionality the plugins handled.

Phase 4 — Content migration (2-4 weeks): export WordPress content (WP CLI or REST API), transform it to the new format, import into the new CMS, and QA every page. Automated scripts handle 80% — the remaining 20% is manual cleanup.

Phase 5 — Cutover (1 week): set up 301 redirects for all old URLs, verify Google Search Console, submit the new sitemap, monitor for 404s, and compare analytics week-over-week.

Total timeline: 8-16 weeks. Cost: $15,000-$40,000 depending on content volume and complexity. The most common mistake: not setting up comprehensive 301 redirects, which destroys years of accumulated SEO value.