Moving a client html based site to WordPress

Background

I have been following an interesting study by Josh Shogren over at Passionintopaychecks.  Josh recently bought HVACtraining101.com and is documenting every stage of it’s transformation.  His intention is to flip the site in about 12 months by which time it will have greatly increased it’s earning potential.

Reading the first article in his blog I realised that he was moving to a WordPress platform for the new website and I reached out to him intially to offer some free advice on the way to do it.  As with many other IT related areas WordPress is a easy to use CMS when installed and set up, but like other platforms and software it’s a steep learning curve.  Add to this the move from the old pure html based website and it can be a long process for anyone with little prior knowledge of the WordPress platform.  Josh decided to hire me to  get the site up and running quickly and I was happy to carry out the work for him.

HTML to WordPress

After several email discussions on the structure and content I set about moving the old site and creating the new look HVACtraining101.com.

The work went very smoothly and included:

• Installation and setting up of WordPress on the new server
• Configuring and securing the installation
• Adding and configuring several essential plugins and some free themes, one of which was a close resemblance to the old website
• New blank pages were created ready for Josh to add the old text and Adsense code and redirect old to new pages.

I will be watching with great interest as Josh documents each step in flipping this site and I’m sure that there will be much of interest to anyone contemplating a similar project.