Tilda is an excellent builder: it lets you start quickly without a programmer. But there comes a point when you need your own sections, automatic publishing and control of speed and security. We moved our own site of more than 700 pages and 650 blog articles to a private server. Here is the checklist that comes from that experience.
Know what the export does not include
Tilda lets you export pages, but the export does not include the blog feed and the forms. We exported 457 pages (425 of them in the sitemap), then separately exported 384 blog posts from the feed, and rebuilt forms and payment ourselves.
The checklist
- Keep page addresses. Do not rename URLs unless there is a reason. For pages that must change, set permanent 301 redirects.
- Move the blog completely. Make sure it works without calls to Tilda's servers.
- Reconnect forms and payments. They are tied to the builder's infrastructure and will not move on their own.
- Test on a closed copy. Deploy the site on a separate address closed to search engines, check that every address from the sitemap opens and that the home page text matches the live one.
- Do not switch Tilda off until the new site is verified. Switch the address only after the checks, and keep the old site for a safety period.
- Update robots.txt, the sitemap and analytics before launch. Close service pages from indexing.
- Turn on monitoring and backups from day one. Check the site every few minutes and keep daily copies.
- Do not change texts at the same time. The fewer simultaneous changes, the easier it is to see the cause if rankings move.
What we gained
The site became fully ours: our own forms (every enquiry arrives in Telegram at once), our own payments, our own blog with search and categories, new sections that the builder could not host, and automatic publishing by AI agents. Direct costs did not fall: the server costs slightly more than the Tilda subscription did. The gain is in time (what took 20-25 hours a month of edits now takes minutes) and in freedom.
Be honest about the risks
Every move carries a risk to rankings. It is lower if you keep the addresses, redirect correctly and do not change content during the move. We promise careful work, not specific positions.
Need help? Read our full case study or request a free consultation.
