How to Migrate Your Blog from Ghost to Another CMS Platform

Ghost excels at what it was built for—simple, beautiful publishing. But if you're reading this, you've likely outgrown it. 

10 Best Ghost Alternatives

Perhaps you need stronger lead generation tools, more robust SEO features, or better business integrations that Ghost simply doesn't prioritize.

This guide shows you exactly how to migrate your Ghost blog to another platform with minimal hassle. 

We'll walk through the export process, content conversion, and important post-migration tasks to ensure your SEO rankings remain intact. 

Process of Migrating Your Blog from Ghost

The following steps provide a general framework for migrating from Ghost to most modern CMS platforms. These steps can be adapted whether you're moving to Inblog, WordPress, or another solution.

Export Ghost Data

Access Ghost admin (Settings > Labs > Export) to extract the JSON export containing content schema, posts, pages, tags, and author data.

Extract Media Assets

Ghost excludes media from exports - use ghost-image-downloader utility or request a complete media archive from Ghost support. Preserve directory structure for path consistency.

Configure Target Environment

Set up your destination CMS in staging with DNS configured, dependency packages installed, and environment variables defined. Implement CI/CD pipelines if applicable.

Transform Content Format

Convert Ghost's JSON to your target platform's format:

• WordPress: Ghost-to-WP converters generating WXR format

• Static generators: JSON-to-markdown with frontmatter

• Headless CMS: API-based importers with content modeling

Execute Import and Verify

Run the import process, validate content integrity, check media references, and implement 301 redirects to maintain SEO equity and canonical URLs.

Special Considerations for Different CMS Platforms

While the universal process provides a framework, here are specific considerations for popular CMS platforms:

Inblog

• Import options:

  • Notion import if you've moved content there as an intermediary step

  • Direct import of converted Markdown files

• SEO preservation: Automatic maintenance of SEO elements with proper redirects

• Subdomain/subdirectory: Flexible hosting options to maintain SEO equity

• Migration assistance: Available for larger blogs or complex migrations

• Key advantage: No additional plugins needed as SEO, lead generation, and analytics features are built-in

WordPress

• Conversion tools: Use the free Ghost to WordPress Importer tool which converts Ghost JSON to WordPress XML format

• Image handling: WordPress can import some images, but you may need plugins to capture all embedded images

• Best practices:

  • Set permalinks to "Post name" to match Ghost URL structure

  • Run the importer multiple times if needed to catch any missed content

  • Check and reassign authors during import

• Plugins needed: May require additional plugins for SEO, forms, and analytics features

Hugo (Static Site Generator)

• Conversion tool: Use GhostToHugo to convert from JSON to Markdown with frontmatter

• Image handling: Requires manual path updates for both featured and embedded images

• Key advantage: Free hosting options (like Cloudflare Pages) versus Ghost's paid hosting

• Technical level: Requires more technical knowledge, including understanding of Git and command line

HubSpot

• Direct migration: Limited direct migration tools from Ghost to HubSpot

• Two-step process: Many users first migrate to WordPress as an intermediary step, then to HubSpot

• Suggested approach: Repost best-performing content with optimization rather than migrating everything

• Content strategy: Use migration as an opportunity to audit and update your content strategy

General Tips for All Platforms

• Run pre-migration content audits to identify canonical and high-value content for prioritization. 

• Deploy test environments with production data snapshots before attempting live migration. 

• Implement proper 301 redirect mapping at the server level rather than CMS-based redirects. 

• Utilize regex patterns for URL structure transformations to minimize manual mapping. 

• Automate image path correction with scripts rather than manual reference updates. 

• Monitor key SEO metrics and search console data for regression indicators post-migration. 

• Preserve URL structure where possible to maintain inbound link equity and social sharing metrics. 

Why Inblog May Be the Best Ghost Alternative

When comparing the platforms head-to-head:

Inblog’s Technical Advantages Over Ghost

• SEO Optimization Built-In 

Inblog delivers complete SEO functionality without plugins - Lighthouse scores above 90, semantic tags, XML sitemaps, proper metadata, and mobile optimization all work out of the box. The platform also includes direct Google Search Console integration and an index checker.

• Lead Generation Focus 

Convert readers to leads with built-in floating CTAs and customizable lead capture forms. The system includes lead management tables and multiple input types without requiring third-party tools or custom development.

• Business-Oriented Analytics 

Track keyword performance, organic traffic, and conversion metrics directly in your dashboard. Understand which content drives business results rather than just pageviews.

• Technical Advantages 

Inblog requires no developer expertise for customization, offers both subdomain and subdirectory hosting options, and includes social distribution tools. Blog templates, brand customization, and navigation setup can all be done without code.

• Cost Effectiveness 

Multiple plugins, developer assistance, and custom integrations are unnecessary. Pricing scales based on pageviews, with options from free to enterprise levels that are significantly more affordable than custom development.

Post-Migration Tasks

After completing the technical migration, several important tasks remain to ensure a successful transition:

• Implement Redirect Strategy

Generate a comprehensive redirect map and implement 301 redirects via .htaccess, nginx config, or your platform's API. Monitor server logs for 404 errors and adjust redirect rules as needed.

• Validate Content Integrity

Run automated tests to verify content rendering, image loading, and responsive display across viewports. Check for malformed HTML, broken internal links, and correct metadata inheritance.

• Reconnect External Services

Reauthorize analytics, search console, and marketing integrations. Update API keys and webhook endpoints. Configure new tracking snippets with data preservation between platforms.

• Verify SEO Infrastructure

Submit updated sitemaps to search engines, verify canonical URL implementation, check structured data validity, and monitor index coverage rates. Force-crawl critical pages for immediate indexation.

• Monitor Platform Performance

Track key performance metrics like load times and Core Web Vitals. Implement caching strategies, optimize media assets, and configure CDN settings for global distribution. Compare pre and post-migration metrics to identify and address any performance degradation.

Ready to Migrate Your Blog from Ghost? 

The migration process may seem challenging at first, but following the structured approach in this guide will help transfer your content with minimal disruption. 

Each platform has different strengths—WordPress offers direct import tools, Hugo provides a customizable but technical approach, and Inblog delivers a no-code path with built-in business features.

JigoAI migrated from Ghost to inblog — check out their blog!

Expect some temporary traffic fluctuation after migration, but with proper redirects and technical SEO, your content should quickly regain and potentially exceed its previous performance. 

More importantly, you'll now have a platform that aligns with your business goals and provides the tools needed to convert readers into leads.

Ready to explore how Inblog can transform your business blog? Start your 14-day free trial today and experience the difference of a platform built specifically for modern

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long will it take for my SEO rankings to recover after migration?

Most sites begin to recover within 2-4 weeks after migration, assuming proper 301 redirects are in place. Full recovery typically occurs within 1-3 months, depending on site size and crawl frequency. To speed up the process, submit your new sitemap to search engines and request indexing of key pages.

2. Will I lose subscribers when migrating from Ghost?

Subscribers must be exported separately as Ghost's JSON export doesn't include them. You'll need to manually export your subscriber list and import it into your new platform's email system. Some platforms may require subscriber reconfirmation due to privacy regulations.

3. Can I migrate my custom theme from Ghost?

Ghost themes use Handlebars while most other platforms use different templating systems. While direct migration isn't possible, you can recreate your design using your new platform's theming capabilities. Extract your Ghost theme's CSS and design elements to maintain visual consistency.

4. How can I test my migration before going live?

Set up your new CMS on a staging domain, complete the full migration process, and compare content side-by-side with your live Ghost site. Use tools like Screaming Frog to crawl both sites and identify any missing pages or broken links before switching DNS.

5. What's the most common issue during Ghost migrations?

Image path references are the most frequent problem. Ghost uses a specific directory structure for images that other platforms may not match. Ensure you update image references in your content during migration and verify all images display correctly before going live.

6. Is there a way to automate the entire migration process?

While certain aspects can be automated (content conversion, bulk importing), a successful migration typically requires some manual intervention, especially for handling media files, checking formatting, and setting up redirects. For sites with hundreds of posts, expect to spend at least 8-10 hours on the complete process.