Best way to develop a WordPress version of your site and then move it?

[C-Style]

I have two websites that generate hundreds of organic hits each day. I want to switch both of them to WordPress. What is the best way to go about developing these sites then making them live while still keeping the current ones up?

[stevecounsell]

Hi,

Place your wordpress install into a subdirectory like "YourDomain.com/wp/.

Develop your site

Move the WP site to the Root. Follow the instruction on http://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress.

There can sometimes be issues with the image and media uploads but checking on the General Settings for the media Library pointer usually fixes that.

I build Wordpress Sites like this all the time.

Hope that helps.

Steve

[KeriMorgret]

Here's another post that may be of help in moving a dev wordpress site to a live site.

http://www.billerickson.net/how-to-move-your-wordpress-website/

Some services, like page.ly (which has a new discount for pro members now! http://www.seomoz.org/pro-perks)  make it real easy to do a dev site on their sub domain while your current site is still live, then switch it over after you finish everything in WP.