Migrate Your Website from Drupal to WordPress

What makes a Drupal to WordPress migration different?

Drupal sites often contain years of structured content, permissions, modules and editorial decisions. The difficult part is not exporting pages. It is understanding how the current system works, deciding what should be preserved and rebuilding that structure in a way that makes sense for WordPress.

Content types and WordPress custom post types

Drupal content types and fields can usually be mapped to WordPress pages, posts, custom post types and custom fields. We document the source model first, including reusable components and relationships, then design a WordPress structure that preserves the useful distinctions without carrying across unnecessary complexity.

Taxonomy and content relationships

Categories, tags, vocabularies and entity relationships often drive navigation, filtering and related content in Drupal. These need explicit mapping into WordPress taxonomies and relationships. We test the migrated data alongside menus, search, filters and templates so the content remains usable rather than simply existing in the database.

Users, roles and permissions

Drupal can contain detailed user roles and publishing permissions that do not have direct WordPress equivalents. We review who can create, edit, approve and publish each type of content, then recreate the permissions that are still needed. User accounts can often be migrated, although passwords may need to be reset securely.

Multilingual content

Multilingual Drupal migrations require more than copying translated pages. Languages, translation relationships, regional content, menus, metadata and URL structures all need to remain connected. We plan the WordPress multilingual setup before importing content and test each language as part of the launch process.

Modules, integrations and custom functionality

Drupal modules cannot be moved directly into WordPress. We identify the business purpose behind each important module, then replace it with reliable WordPress functionality, an integration or custom development. This avoids rebuilding old technical decisions that the organisation no longer needs.

Editorial workflows

For larger publishing teams, we map draft, review, approval and scheduled publishing processes as part of discovery. WordPress should make the editorial experience clearer, not remove controls that people rely on. Training and documentation can be included so editors understand the new blocks, templates and workflow before launch.

Redirect mapping and SEO protection

Drupal URL aliases, language paths, taxonomy pages, files and historic redirects all need attention. We inventory the current URLs, map them to the new structure and add permanent redirects where addresses change. We also migrate useful metadata and check canonicals, internal links and indexation settings before the site goes live.

A Drupal migration delivered by Make Do

Make Do migrated and redesigned the GBSB Global Business School website, moving the full platform from Drupal into WordPress. We reorganised the content structure, simplified the navigation and created custom block patterns and reusable templates so the GBSB team could manage and expand the site without losing design consistency.

Read the GBSB Drupal to WordPress migration case study to see how we approached discovery, content mapping, multilingual delivery and launch.

Drupal to WordPress migration questions

Can Drupal content types and taxonomy be preserved?

Yes. Drupal content types, fields, vocabularies and terms can usually be mapped to WordPress custom post types, custom fields and taxonomies. We first decide which structures are genuinely useful, then migrate the data into a model that supports the required templates, filters and editorial workflow.

How are Drupal modules replaced in WordPress?

There is rarely a direct one-for-one replacement. We audit the purpose of each important Drupal module and decide whether WordPress core, a maintained plugin, an external integration or custom development is the best replacement. This keeps the new site focused on required functionality rather than reproducing the old technology stack.

Can user accounts and permissions be migrated?

User details and role assignments can often be migrated, but Drupal permissions need mapping because WordPress uses a different roles and capabilities model. Passwords may not be portable in a secure form, so users might need to set a new password. We agree this process before launch and test access for every important role.

What happens to multilingual content?

Translated content can be moved into a suitable multilingual WordPress setup, with relationships maintained between language versions. The migration also needs to consider language-specific URLs, navigation, taxonomies, metadata and untranslated content. We test each language separately instead of treating it as a duplicate of the main site.

How do you protect rankings during a Drupal migration?

We create an inventory of indexable Drupal URLs and map each important address to its new WordPress destination. Where URLs change, we add permanent redirects and test them. We also carry across useful metadata, review canonicals and internal links, preserve valuable content and check that the new site is indexable at launch.