Migrating from WordPress to Hugo in 2025 — A Practical Guide

Alright, let's dive into one of my favorite and most frequently asked about topics: migrating from WordPress to Hugo.

If you've ever felt frustrated by sluggish load times, constant plugin updates, or the feeling that your website is "bloated"—get this—trust me, you're not alone. I've helped dozens of bloggers and SMBs make the switch from WordPress (the old reliable) to Hugo (the nimble new kid), and it's always a blend of excitement and nostalgia.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty step-by-step stuff, a quick story:

A few years ago, I was working with a food blogger named Jenna who'd built up this wonderful recipe archive on WordPress. Trouble was, even after optimizing images and pruning plugins, her site crawled during peak hours. Readers started emailing her about slow pages — and that's basically a food blogger's nightmare.

After lots of late-night research sessions (and maybe too much coffee), we took the leap and did a full WordPress-to-Hugo migration. The difference was night-and-day — her site loaded instantly, she had fewer technical headaches, and she could still update content as easily as before.

So if you're thinking about how to convert a WordPress site to Hugo, or just exploring static site generator migration for more speed or security, here's my practical step-by-step guide based on real-world experience (complete with plenty of opinionated tips).

Let's take a step back for a moment.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Reasons for Migrating

First things first: why do you want to leave WordPress?

For some folks, it's about raw speed ("I need to speed up my website with Hugo!"). For others, it's maintenance sanity (no more plugin update roulette), or maybe cost savings.

But here's the catch — real talk: Hugo is blazing fast because it generates static HTML files instead of relying on dynamic PHP/database queries like WordPress does. But... you lose some out-of-the-box conveniences. There's no WYSIWYG backend unless you add something like Netlify CMS later.

Step 2: Inventory Your Current Site

Before moving, take stock:

• Pages & Posts: Count them. Any special post types (portfolios, testimonials)?
• Media: Photos, PDFs, downloads?
• Plugins: What features do they provide? Will you need replacements in Hugo?
• Themes/Design: Unique layouts or widgets?

Pro tip: Create a spreadsheet checklist. It keeps surprises at bay during the move.

Step 3: Export Content from WordPress

1. Export Posts & Pages: WP Dashboard → Tools → Export → "All content" (XML file).
2. Export Media Files: Use plugins like Export Media Library.
3. Comments & Users: Extra steps if important for your brand.
4. Download Theme Files (Optional): Helpful if recreating styles.

If you have custom post types or fields (ACF), consider WP All Export for more control.

Step 4: Convert WordPress Content to Markdown

Hugo uses Markdown files by default, so we need to convert your exported XML.

Tools:

• Exitwp-for-Hugo (Python-based)
• Wordpress-to-Hugo-Exporter (PHP-based)

Example Workflow (Jenna's blog):

1. Run export.xml through Exitwp-for-Hugo.
2. Check markdown output for formatting issues.
3. Spot edit in VS Code.
4. Upload media to /static/images.

Heads-up: complex posts with shortcodes may need manual editing.

Step 5: Spin Up Your New Hugo Site Structure

hugo new site my-awesome-site

This creates folders (content, layouts, static, etc.).

• Place .md files in /content/posts.
• Images go in /static.
• Choose a theme (e.g., Ananke, PaperMod) from themes.gohugo.io.
• Set theme in config.toml:

theme = "yourthemename"

Step 6: Polish Up URL Structures & Internal Links

In config.toml:

[permalinks]
    post = "/blog/:slug/"

Check internal links and replace unsupported shortcodes using search-and-replace or regex.

Step 7: Reintegrate Comments & Interactivity (If Needed)

Since Hugo is static, use alternatives like Disqus, Commento, or Giscus. For forms, Netlify Forms works great.

Step 8: Test Everything Locally Before Going Live

hugo server -d

Preview at localhost. Click through pages, test on mobile, and fix any issues before deployment.

Step 9: Deploy Your Static Site Online

Options: Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages, Firebase Hosting. Set up continuous deployment from Git for easy publishing.

Real-World Migration Success: The Numbers Don't Lie

We worked with Grand Hotel & Kurhaus, a historic Swiss hotel that's been welcoming guests since 1898. They came to us frustrated with their WordPress site's sluggish performance — not exactly the first impression you want for a luxury hospitality brand.

The challenge: migrate their entire WordPress site to Hugo without losing the elegant design and smooth animations that reflected their premium brand. We also implemented lazy loading for their stunning photography and ensured everything worked perfectly on mobile.

Results after migration:

• Performance jumped: 94/100 on Google PageSpeed Insights (vs ~70 typical WP).
• Accessibility improved: 90/100 score — better for all visitors, including those using assistive tech.
• SEO performance soared: 93/100 — crucial for attracting global guests.

Best of all, their marketing team stopped worrying about site crashes during peak booking seasons. They kept all their beautiful design elements and smooth animations — proving you don't have to sacrifice aesthetics for performance.

Bonus Tips From My Years in the Trenches 🎉

• Don't delete your old WP install until the Hugo site is indexed.
• Add Netlify CMS for non-tech editors.
• Automate image optimization with Hugo's built-in tools.
• Keep redirects handy for SEO continuity.
• Educate stakeholders on Git-based publishing workflows.

One Last Thought

Switching platforms isn't just technical — it changes how you think about publishing. Static site migration offers simplicity, performance, and autonomy.

Moving from WordPress might sound daunting… but once it's done, seeing your site load instantly worldwide is incredibly satisfying.

And hey — you've got me cheering you on from the sidelines 😄