Upgrading to a Masterpiece: The Definitive Guide to Migrating from Wix Editor to Wix Studio

Wix Studio has arrived, representing a paradigm shift for web creators, freelancers, and agencies. It’s a sophisticated, collaborative platform built for crafting exceptional, high-performance websites on Wix. If you’re currently running a site on the classic Wix Editor, Wix Studio’s advanced capabilities will likely compel you to move your site.

However, moving from the classic Wix Editor to Wix Studio is not a simple click of a button. It takes a manual rebuild—a reimagining of your digital presence on a more powerful foundation. But don’t fret, as we’re here to discuss how to switch to Wix Studio. This guide provides an in-depth look at the process, covering design, SEO, benefits, and potential pitfalls, explaining why a professional touch is often the wisest investment.

Key Benefits of Upgrading to Wix Studio

Before diving into the “how,” it’s essential to understand the value proposition. Why undertake this migration?

• Unparalleled Design Freedom: Wix Studio breaks free from the traditional box model. With features like responsive AI for automatic scaling across all screen sizes, CSS grid and stack for complex layouts, and custom no-code animations, you can build truly unique, fluid designs that were previously difficult to achieve.

• Superior Performance: Websites built on Wix Studio are leaner and faster by default. With server-side rendering (SSR), optimised code, and streamlined infrastructure, you can expect significant improvements in load times and Core Web Vitals—a crucial factor for both user experience and SEO.

• A Collaborative Ecosystem: Designed for teams, Wix Studio allows multiple users to work on a site simultaneously. It includes a dedicated workspace, custom roles, and a client kit for seamless handovers, making it a professional-grade tool.

• Advanced SEO and Marketing Tools: While the classic Wix Editor has robust SEO features, Wix Studio enhances them with more granular control, faster indexing capabilities, and a framework built for modern search engine demands.

  
  

Phase 1: The Pre-Migration Blueprint (Preparation Is Everything)

Jumping straight into the rebuild is a recipe for disaster. A successful migration begins with meticulous planning. So, follow this blueprint before you switch your site from Wix Editor to Wix Studio. 

1. Full Content Audit: Go through every page, blog post, and product on your existing Wix site.

   
   

   What to Keep: Identify high-performing, relevant content.

   
   

   What to Improve: Flag pages with thin content that you can expand or update.

   
   

   What to Discard: Find outdated or irrelevant pages you can remove (and redirect).

   
   

   Action: Create a spreadsheet listing every single URL on your current Wix site. You will need this for SEO.

   
   

2. SEO Benchmarking: Before you touch anything, you need a snapshot of your current SEO performance.

   
   

   Track Rankings: Use a tool (like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console) to record the current search engine rankings for your most important keywords.

   
   

   Measure Traffic: Record your average monthly traffic, top-performing pages, and traffic sources from Google Analytics.

   
   

   Backlink Audit: Export a list of all websites that link back to yours. You must ensure these links don’t break during the migration.

   
   

3. Backup Your Content: Since this is a manual rebuild, you need to save all your assets.

   
   

   Text: Copy all text content from your pages and paste it into organised documents.

   
   

   Images & Videos: Download your entire media library. While Wix Studio can access your existing Wix media, having a local backup is a vital safeguard.

   
   

   Blog Posts: This can be tedious. Manually copy and paste each post into a document to preserve text, and note the original URL slug and publication date.

   
   

Phase 2: The Rebuild in Wix Studio

With your blueprint ready, it’s time to build.

1. Set Up Your New Wix Studio Site: Start with a blank canvas or a Studio-specific template to get a feel for the new editor.

   
   

2. Recreate the Site Structure: Using your content audit spreadsheet as a guide, build out the site’s main structure. Add blank pages for Home, About, Services, Contact, etc. Set up the primary navigation menu.

   
   

3. Master the Design Elements (The Fun Part):

   
   

   Global Styling: Set your Wix site’s typography (fonts, sizes) and colour palettes first. This way, you can ensure consistency across the entire site.

   
   

   Use Sections as Building Blocks: Structure each page with sections. Leverage responsive AI from the start by choosing “Scale Proportionally” or “Fit to Screen” to see how it adapts elements.

   
   

   Embrace Stacking and Grid: For complex layouts, use the “Stack” feature to group elements vertically or horizontally, ensuring they maintain their relationship on all screen sizes. To gain total control, use the CSS Grid to create sophisticated, asymmetrical layouts that were impossible in the Wix Editor.

   
   

   Refine with Breakpoints: While AI does much of the heavy lifting, fine-tune your design at different breakpoints (desktop, tablet, mobile) to ensure perfection on every device.

   
   

4. Migrate Content and Assets:

   
   

   • Carefully paste your text content onto the new pages.

   • Upload your images and media assets to the new Studio media manager.

   • Manually recreate each blog post, ensuring you set the original publication date to maintain your blog’s timeline.

   • If you have a Wix Store, Bookings, or other apps, you will need to set them up from scratch and manually re-add products, services, and events.

     
     

Phase 3: The Non-Negotiable SEO Migration

This is the most critical phase. Getting this wrong can erase years of SEO equity.

1. URL Mapping and 301 Redirects: Your new Wix Studio pages will have different URLs from your old site, even if the domain in Wix is the same.

   
   

   The Problem: Google has indexed your old URLs. If a user or search engine tries to visit an old link, they’ll get a “404 Not Found” error, and you will lose all the authority (link juice) from that link.

   
   

   The Solution: In your URL spreadsheet, create a second column for the new Wix Studio URLs. For every single old URL, you must set up a 301 redirect to its new counterpart. This permanently tells search engines, “The page has moved here.” You can do it in the URL Redirect Manager within Wix Studio’s SEO settings. This is the single most important step for preserving your SERP rankings.

   
   

2. On-Page SEO Elements:

   
   

   • Go through every single page and blog post.

   • Manually copy and paste or rewrite your SEO titles and meta descriptions.

   • Ensure your main heading (H1) is correct and that subheadings (H2, H3) are used logically.

   • Add alt text to all your images using descriptive keywords.

   
   

3. Schema Markup: Re-implement any custom schema markup (for FAQs, reviews, local business, etc.) that you had on your old Wix site to help Google understand your content.

   
   

4. Go Live and Post-Launch Checks:

   
   

   • Connect your domain to the new Studio site.

   • Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console.

   • Use Google’s “Inspect any URL” tool to ensure your main pages can be indexed correctly.

   • Monitor your rankings and traffic for the next few weeks to catch any issues.

     
     

The Challenges and Potential Negatives

• It’s a Time-Consuming Manual Process: There is no automatic conversion. Every element, every line of text, and every setting must be manually recreated.

  
  

• Significant Learning Curve: Wix Studio is a professional tool. While intuitive, mastering its advanced features like the grid, Editor X-like responsiveness, and custom animations takes time.

  
  

• High Risk of SEO Damage: A single mistake in the 301 redirect process or a failure to migrate on-page SEO settings can lead to a significant and sometimes irreversible drop in search engine rankings and organic traffic.

  
  

• App and Custom Code Complexity: Any custom Velo code or complex Wix app configurations will need to be entirely rebuilt in the Wix Studio environment, which may require development knowledge.

  
  

Why It’s Best to Use a Wix Professional

While a DIY migration is possible for simple Wix websites, engaging a Wix Studio professional or agency is a strategic investment for any serious business.

1. Efficiency and Expertise: A professional who lives and breathes Wix Studio can complete the rebuild in a fraction of the time. They already know how to switch from classic Wix to Wix Studio—they won’t waste time on a learning curve.

   
   

2. Risk Mitigation: An experienced Wix web designer will execute the SEO migration flawlessly. They understand the stakes and have a rigorous process to ensure your rankings are protected, if not improved.

   
   

3. Maximising the Platform’s Potential: A professional isn’t just rebuilding your old site on a new platform. They are re-architecting it. They will leverage the advanced web design and performance features of Studio to create a site that is objectively better, faster, and more engaging than the original.

   
   

4. Focus on Your Business: The time and mental energy you save by outsourcing the migration allows you to focus on what you do best—running your business.

   
   

In conclusion, moving from the classic Wix Editor to Wix Studio is a powerful upgrade that can transform your online presence. However, the path is a manual and complex one, laden with technical risks, particularly concerning your SEO. By understanding the process, preparing meticulously, and strongly considering the value of professional expertise, you can ensure your transition is not merely a change of platform but a true evolution of your brand.

If you consider hiring a professional to help you switch to Wix Studio, Volt Agency is here to help. With years of experience in Wix web design and development, we have a more-than-capable team to work on your site. Contact us now for an initial chat.