Why Move from WordPress to Jekyll
Many site owners choose to move from WordPress to Jekyll for better performance, lower costs, improved security, and more control. Jekyll, being a static site generator, eliminates reliance on databases and server-side processing, resulting in lightning-fast loading times and fewer security vulnerabilities. However, the migration must be planned carefully to avoid damaging existing SEO rankings, backlinks, or site traffic.
Understanding the SEO Risks in Migration
Before migrating from WordPress to Jekyll, it’s important to understand what you stand to lose if done improperly:
- Loss of indexed URLs and backlinks due to broken links or changed permalinks
- Disruption in metadata and schema markup that search engines rely on
- Loss of image alt tags and media URLs
- Broken canonical URLs and Open Graph data
The goal of a successful migration is to preserve all existing SEO signals, maintain search engine visibility, and improve the technical health of the site.
Pre-Migration Checklist
1. Perform a Full Site Backup
Before doing anything else, export your entire WordPress site including:
- Posts and pages (XML export via Tools > Export)
- Images and uploads (via FTP or File Manager)
- Custom fields, taxonomies, and user-defined metadata
2. Crawl Your Current Site
Use Screaming Frog or a similar crawler to capture a full snapshot of URLs, titles, meta descriptions, header structure, internal links, and redirect chains. This data will serve as a migration reference to ensure nothing gets lost.
3. Identify Top-Performing Pages
In Google Search Console and Google Analytics, identify your highest traffic and backlink-generating pages. These must be migrated first and preserved at all costs, ideally with no change in URL structure.
4. Set Up a Staging Environment
Build your Jekyll site in a separate GitHub repository or local environment before replacing your live site. This allows you to test everything before going public.
Exporting WordPress Content to Jekyll
1. Use WordPress-to-Jekyll Exporter Plugins
Use the plugin “Jekyll Exporter” to convert all posts, pages, and metadata into markdown files with front matter. It will also export media and generate a folder structure for _posts, _pages, and _data.
2. Clean Up Exported Markdown Files
Manually review and edit the exported markdown files:
- Verify YAML front matter is correctly formatted
- Ensure title, date, description, and tags are preserved
- Fix any broken image references or internal links
3. Maintain Permalink Structure
If your WordPress used a custom permalink (e.g., /year/month/title), configure Jekyll accordingly in your _config.yml:
permalink: /:year/:month/:title/
Preserving SEO Metadata and Open Graph Tags
1. Use Front Matter for SEO Tags
Jekyll supports SEO metadata via YAML front matter. Include fields like:
title: "How to Migrate to Jekyll" description: "Comprehensive migration checklist to move your WordPress site to Jekyll without hurting SEO." keywords: "jekyll migration, wordpress to jekyll, static blog migration"
2. Add SEO-Friendly Head in Layout
Ensure your HTML layout includes metadata tags for title, description, canonical URL, and Open Graph:
{{ page.title }}
3. Create Schema Markup Manually
You can hardcode schema JSON-LD in each post or insert it dynamically using Liquid tags. Structured data helps Google better understand your site content.
Managing Redirects
1. Set Up 301 Redirects for URL Changes
If any URLs change, use redirect rules in your hosting platform (e.g., Netlify's _redirects file):
/old-url /new-url 301
2. Preserve Slugs When Possible
It’s best to avoid changing URLs altogether. If you must, ensure old links from external sites still resolve correctly through redirection.
3. Maintain Sitemap and Robots.txt
Regenerate your sitemap and robots.txt to reflect the new static structure. Submit the updated sitemap in Google Search Console immediately after migration.
Handling Images and Media Files
1. Move All Media to the /assets Folder
Jekyll expects static files like images to live in the /assets directory. Update all image references in markdown accordingly.
2. Preserve ALT Tags
If images had alt attributes in WordPress, make sure they are preserved in markdown or HTML image tags. ALT tags help with image SEO and accessibility.
Testing and Deployment
1. Use a Local Jekyll Server for Preview
Run bundle exec jekyll serve to preview your site and check for broken links or layout issues.
2. Validate SEO with Tools
- Use Google Lighthouse for on-page SEO audits
- Use Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to crawl and check internal links
- Test structured data with Google's Rich Results Tool
3. Deploy with GitHub Pages or Netlify
Choose your preferred static hosting platform. GitHub Pages is integrated with Jekyll, while Netlify offers redirect rules, form handling, and CI/CD out of the box.
Case Study: A Blog’s Seamless SEO Migration
Background
A digital marketing blog with 500+ articles moved from WordPress to Jekyll to improve speed and reduce hosting costs. SEO traffic accounted for 80% of their sessions.
Migrated Elements
- Permalinks maintained exactly
- 301 redirects added for old media URLs
- Structured metadata embedded in every post
- Custom sitemap and robots.txt rebuilt
Post-Migration Results
- Page speed improved from 2.8s to 0.6s
- Core Web Vitals scores all turned green
- SEO traffic dropped slightly for 2 weeks then recovered fully
- Manual URL inspection showed successful indexing of all key pages
Tips for a Smooth Transition
1. Run Both Sites Temporarily
Keep the WordPress site live (on a subdomain or hidden route) while building the Jekyll version. This reduces pressure and allows side-by-side testing.
2. Announce the Change to Google
Use the “Change of Address” tool in Search Console only if the domain changes. Otherwise, just resubmit your sitemap and request re-indexing for priority pages.
3. Watch Performance Metrics Closely
Monitor GSC and Analytics daily for crawl errors, traffic dips, or indexing issues during the first 2–4 weeks.
Conclusion: Jekyll Migration Done Right
Moving from WordPress to Jekyll offers performance, security, and maintenance advantages. However, SEO must be treated as a priority throughout the process. By preserving permalinks, front matter metadata, image alt tags, and internal link structures, you can retain your search visibility and even improve it post-migration. With thoughtful planning and clean implementation, the switch to Jekyll can be seamless, powerful, and future-proof.