Import methods
| Method | Best for |
|---|---|
| URL import | Bringing in individual posts from a live website by pasting the post URL |
| WordPress migration | Moving an entire WordPress blog’s content library |
Importing a post by URL
The URL import tool fetches the content of a published blog post from any publicly accessible URL and creates a draft post in your blog site. This is the fastest way to migrate individual posts from a WordPress blog, Squarespace, Webflow, Ghost, or any other CMS.Navigate to your blog site
Go to Sites > Blogs and open the blog site you want to import posts into.
Open the import option
Click the import icon or look for the Import Post option in the blog site menu. Select Import via URL.
Paste the post URL
Enter the full URL of the published blog post you want to import (e.g.,
https://youroldsite.com/blog/post-title).Review the import
The tool fetches the post content and creates a draft. Review the imported content in the editor to verify:
- Text formatting has carried over correctly
- Images are present (see image handling note below)
- Headings are structured correctly
- No extraneous code or styling artifacts appear
Configure SEO metadata
Before publishing, set the URL slug, category, author, meta title, meta description, and cover image in the post details panel. These fields are not imported automatically from the source.
Images embedded in imported posts may remain linked to their original hosting location rather than being uploaded to your Media Library. After importing, click each image in the editor and re-upload it to your Media Library to ensure images are served from your own infrastructure and do not break if the original site goes offline.
Migrating from WordPress
For large-scale migrations of a WordPress blog, use the URL import tool on a post-by-post basis, or follow the steps below for a more structured migration workflow.Recommended WordPress migration workflow
Export your WordPress content list
In WordPress, go to Tools > Export and export all posts as an XML file. Open the file in a text editor or import it into a spreadsheet to extract the list of post URLs, titles, and publish dates.
Prioritize posts for migration
Not every old post needs to migrate. Focus on:
- Posts that rank in search and drive organic traffic (check Google Search Console)
- Evergreen content that is still relevant
- Posts linked from other high-authority pages
Import posts by URL
For each post on your migration list, use the URL import tool to bring the content into your blog site. Work through the list systematically, updating metadata and images as you go.
Set up redirects
After migrating, set up 301 redirects from each old WordPress URL to the corresponding new URL in the HoopAI platform. This preserves search rankings and prevents visitors from landing on a 404 page.Configure redirects in your domain’s DNS settings or hosting configuration, not within the HoopAI platform.
Content to update during migration
Use the migration as an opportunity to improve content quality. For each post you import, consider:- Updating statistics and data — replace outdated numbers with current figures
- Refreshing the meta description — rewrite for clarity and keyword inclusion
- Adding internal links — link to other posts and pages on your new site
- Improving the URL slug — simplify long or keyword-poor slugs
- Updating the cover image — replace low-resolution or irrelevant images
- Adding or updating the author bio — ensure the author profile is current
Handling duplicate content during migration
If your old posts remain live on the original site while you migrate, configure canonical links on the newly imported posts to point back to the original URLs. This tells search engines which version is authoritative and prevents ranking dilution. Once the migration is complete and redirects are in place, remove the canonical links from the new posts so that the new URLs become the authoritative version.Bulk import via CSV
For large-scale migrations where you have a spreadsheet of blog posts, use the CSV bulk import method:Prepare the CSV file
Create a CSV file with columns for: post title, body content (HTML), URL slug, category, author, meta description, cover image URL, and publish date.
Upload and map fields
Upload the CSV file. Map each CSV column to the corresponding blog post field in the mapping step.
Review and import
Preview the first few posts to verify formatting. Click Import to create all posts as drafts.
CSV-imported posts are always created as drafts. Review each post individually before publishing to ensure formatting and images are correct.
Import via URL
The URL import tool fetches content from any publicly accessible blog post URL and creates a draft in your blog site. This works with WordPress, Squarespace, Webflow, Ghost, Medium, and most CMS platforms. For detailed URL import instructions, see Importing a post by URL above. Key considerations for URL imports:- Images — images may remain linked to their original host. Re-upload them to your Media Library after import.
- Formatting — complex layouts (multi-column, custom widgets) may not import perfectly. Review and adjust in the editor.
- Embeds — third-party embeds (YouTube, Twitter) typically import as links rather than rendered embeds. Re-embed them manually.
- Rate limits — import one post at a time to avoid being blocked by the source website.