Squarespace Migration: What Transfers & What Needs Work

When you migrate a website to Squarespace, your pages, blog posts, images, and basic site settings transfer automatically, but your email accounts, custom code, and advanced e-commerce data do not. This guide explains exactly what carries over, what you must rebuild or move manually, and how to plan a smooth migration.

Background: Why Migration Isn’t One-Click

Squarespace is a closed, hosted platform. Unlike WordPress or Joomla, where you control the server and database, Squarespace stores your content in its own proprietary system. That means there is no universal “import everything” button. Instead, Squarespace provides specific importers for the most common content types (like blog posts and products), and everything else must be copied by hand or recreated using Squarespace’s built-in tools. Understanding this limitation from the start helps you set realistic expectations and avoid losing important data.

What Transfers Automatically

Squarespace’s native import tools cover the most common migration scenarios. If you are moving from WordPress, Squarespace 5, or another Squarespace site, the following items typically transfer without manual work:

• Pages and blog posts: Titles, body content, and basic formatting (headings, bold, italic, lists) come over. For WordPress, the importer also brings featured images, categories, tags, and comments.
• Images and files: Photos and documents attached to your imported pages or posts are downloaded and re-uploaded to your Squarespace site. Note: this can fail for very large files or if your source site is slow.
• Product data (basic): If you’re using the Squarespace Commerce importer, you get product names, descriptions, prices, SKUs, and images. Inventory counts and variants may or may not come over depending on your source platform.
• Site settings: Your site title, logo, and basic SEO settings (like meta descriptions) are imported when you use the site import tool.

What Needs Separate Work

The following items almost never transfer automatically and require manual setup or third-party tools:

• Email accounts: If your email is hosted with your old provider (e.g., Google Workspace, cPanel, or Office 365), you must create new mailboxes in your new provider and migrate your emails separately. Squarespace only offers email forwarding, not full email hosting, so this is a common sticking point.
• Custom code and functionality: Any custom HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or third-party integrations (like a custom contact form, a membership plugin, or a booking widget) will not transfer. You’ll need to rebuild them using Squarespace’s built-in blocks or add new integrations.
• E-commerce advanced data: Customer accounts, order history, and abandoned cart data do not import. You can export these from your old platform as CSV files and manually re-import or recreate them, but it’s time-consuming and often not worth it for small stores.
• Forms and submissions: Existing form entries (like contact form submissions) are not migrated. You’ll need to export them from your old site and either store them externally or recreate the forms in Squarespace.
• Menus and navigation: Your site’s navigation menu structure is not imported. You’ll need to rebuild it in the Squarespace menu editor.
• URL redirects: If you’re changing your domain or URL structure, you must set up 301 redirects manually to avoid broken links and preserve SEO.

How to Choose the Right Migration Method

The best migration method depends on your current platform and your technical comfort level. Here are the most common options:

• Native Squarespace importers: Use these if you’re coming from WordPress, Squarespace 5, or another Squarespace site. They’re free and handle the basics well, but they don’t cover everything.
• Third-party migration services: Tools like CMS2CMS or MoveIt can transfer more data (including some custom fields) for a fee. They’re useful if you have a complex site and don’t want to manually copy content.
• Manual copy-paste: For small sites (under 20 pages), copying text and images by hand is often faster and more reliable than using an importer. You can also use this method to bring over content that importers miss.
• Hire a professional: If you have a large e-commerce site or custom functionality, a developer can handle the migration and rebuild any lost features. This is the most expensive but also the most reliable.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

Even with a good plan, migrations can hit snags. Here are the most frequent issues and how to prevent them:

• Images not importing: If your source site has slow hosting or very large files, the importer may time out. Fix: compress your images before migrating, or upload them manually after the import.
• Formatting loss: Complex layouts (like tables or multi-column sections) may not survive the import. Fix: rebuild those sections manually using Squarespace’s layout blocks.
• Missing SEO data: Your page titles and meta descriptions might not come over perfectly. Fix: export your old site’s SEO data as a CSV and manually update each page in Squarespace.
• Broken links after migration: If your URL structure changes, internal links may break. Fix: use a link checker tool after migration and set up redirects for any changed URLs.

Costs and Time Considerations

Migration costs vary widely. Using Squarespace’s native importers is free, but you may need to pay for a third-party tool (typically $50–$200 depending on site size) or a developer (usually $500–$2,000+). The time required also depends on your site’s complexity: a simple blog might take a few hours, while a large e-commerce store with custom features could take several days. Always budget extra time for testing and fixing issues after the migration.

Safety and Backup Before You Start

Before migrating, back up your entire old site. For WordPress, use a plugin like UpdraftPlus to download a full backup. For other platforms, export all content as CSV or XML files and save them locally. This ensures you can revert if something goes wrong. Also, test your new Squarespace site thoroughly before canceling your old hosting or domain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my Google rankings drop after migrating to Squarespace?

Not necessarily, but you need to set up 301 redirects from your old URLs to your new ones. If you keep the same domain and use the same URL structure, you’ll likely see minimal impact. If you change URLs, you may see temporary fluctuations until Google re-crawls your site.

Can I migrate my email from Google Workspace to Squarespace?

Squarespace doesn’t offer full email hosting, so you can’t migrate your email directly. You’ll need to move your email to a third-party provider like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 and then update your MX records in Squarespace’s domain settings. Your old emails can be exported and imported into the new provider.

Do I need to manually recreate my product reviews?

Yes, product reviews don’t transfer. You’ll need to either export them and re-import them manually (if you have the data) or encourage customers to leave new reviews on your Squarespace store.

What about my custom domain?

You can connect your existing domain to Squarespace by updating your DNS settings or transferring the domain entirely. Squarespace provides step-by-step instructions for both options. If you’re keeping your domain, make sure you don’t cancel it before the migration is complete.

Can I migrate from Wix or Weebly?

Squarespace doesn’t have native importers for Wix or Weebly. You’ll need to manually copy your content or use a third-party service that supports those platforms. The process is more labor-intensive, but it’s doable.

Related

• Machine Learning & Business Growth: How It Works
• Forward Deployed Engineer vs Solutions Engineer
• Second Free Mystery Game Epic Games Store Vampire Survivors?