This blog is published using Blogger (a Google company) but hosted on my own website so I can make sure things operate the way I want and not they way they want. This includes being able to fix individual files and graphics when they go wonky and such.
In March, just 60 days away, Blogger will no longer support FTP blogs hosted offsite. This means I need to find a second solution (also see this post from Blogger). Maybe someone out there knows how to make what I have (Dreamhost) work with their new hosted plan, but I am at a loss how to make it happen. I'd prefer it just because it's way less work, I keep all my Google rankings and traffic.
That solution needs to include:
- Moving the complete blog to a new blogging format but keeping all posts and comments
- Keeping the same URLs that already exist (to preserve page rank)
- Keeping the blog's look about the same
I can actually install WordPress on my site. That's easy. I'd just set it up to run in a directory called "q2" until we had it working, then we can swap directory names. What needs to be done is:
- A custom Wordpress theme
- Conversion of all posts and comments
- A lot of hand-holding and cleanup until it's debugged
- Maybe help with some other stuff (scripts, etc)
The blog has over 800 posts representing nearly 100MB worth of files, and well over 1,000 comments (many of which are on just a few threads). This blog appears to be larger than the conversion tool Wordpress provides can handle. I've Googled extensively on this and it's overflowed with problems and there's questions as to whether it even works at all any more. Keep in mind you'll need to make sure it's a recent post as in early 2009 they changed how it all works. I don't really like Blogger so much any more but changing at this point seems to be quite a chore.
I need someone who's really good at what they do, and someone who is experienced at WordPress (and Blogger too ideally). This job will pay. I'm not asking for a freebie if we go the conversion route. Just let me know what's involved and what you think it would cost.
Hopefully someone out there thinks this blog is worth saving and can help.
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11 Comments
I've been following your blog and I operate a hosting company. Check out my website at http://www.myresellerhost.info You can also contact me by using the contact form, don't want to post my email on your blog. Mark
No COmprendo.
Mom.e
I've gotten desperate and posted a formal job opening on WordPress's official website.
We just sent you an email from Varick Design. We have done blogger to wp conversions and would have no problems with the size import/export issue. We have done it.
Please look for our email. Thank you
Dude, just change to Blogger's custom domain option. Way easier and will save you money.
Bobby. That IS the backup plan. However, with the reliability of Blogger (FAIL), I am very leery of letting them have control of my files. As it stands they can't even properly export a copy of my blog to XML. Large portions of the blog are missing when they do it. (That, for the record, is a known bug.) So not only do they have your files, you can't get them back.
I can sure sympathize with you and I'm trying to figure out what to do as well. I host websites with Pair.com, and they charge extra for doing sub-domains. I've always given my web design customers a blogger blog if they wanted, and now I'm stuck with figuring out (and paying for) about 7 blogs to be changed over.
Not only is it a pain to figure out the A Name and all that, but I have to pay $5 per sub-domain plus a dollar a month extra for each one from now on. I am so disappointed in Blogger for doing this to us. I also feel like somewhere along the line all the pagerank benefit to these websites will dissipate.
I've never run across a problem with the XML files not working with Blogger, however. One of mine has nearly 200 posts. It's terrifying to think of screwing up years of hard work, too.
I would recommend PHOTON.NET which will set you up with anything you want reasonably. Dreamhost also doesn't charge but they are not so reliable anymore. And you're right about the pagerank.
Blogger has JUST fixed the export XML code to work properly. I had 830 posts and 1421 comments.
My friend did the work for me but there are many who will help. I was quoted around $100 w/o theme or $150 w/theme.
If you have questions, let me know.
Hi Eric,
Is the $100 to move it to wordpress or just to get it out of FTP mode and correctly up on a subdomain?
I hate to move them anywhere. I've got a large package with Pair, very reasonable for almost any amount of websites with their own IP numbers for $1.00 more a month. I've got about 12 on there right now.
I did one blog like that about a year ago and had to get them on the phone to help me with the DNS stuff. I'm just not technically inclined with server stuff, I'm afraid.
Our blogs are what really make our websites rank well. If we lose that pagerank help and links, even temporarilly, it's bound to make the websites lose rank.
It was quoted $100 to move it to Wordpress. If you want to move it to a subdomain you should use their tool. Not only does it move your blog (via a pointer using CNAME) but since it remains a Google blog you retain your site rank because it uses the META CANONICAL tag to do it. You really might want to consider reading their dedicated conversion blog. It's pretty details. I ran a test on a very small blog and it did work fine. It's pretty easy to do yourself. I hope this helps.
I did read that…and actually have moved one that way. It was anything but easy for me. The guys at Pair had to help. :-)
But that's what I'm going to have to do. I can't put them on blogspot and lose all the pages of the websites…
Thanks for the suggestions!