How to Change Domain Name Without Losing SEO
Changing your domain name is a big deal for any business—and we don’t just mean for your brand. It can also have huge implications for your SEO, and if you’re not careful, you could lose all the hard work you’ve done to build up your search rankings on your original domain.
If you’re wondering how to do SEO when changing domain name and how to change domain without SEO loss, you’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll walk through how to change your domain name without losing SEO step-by-step, ensuring you retain as much SEO value as possible.
Does changing domain name affect SEO?
Yes, changing domain name has SEO impact. That’s because your SEO is connected to your domain—everything Google does to index and rank your website is attached to your website’s address (aka your domain name.)
So, changing your domain name can throw off those rankings, because now your website exists at a totally new address. If you’ve worked hard to build up your SEO, that can be disappointing…but you don’t have to start from square one with SEO for the new site.
With a game plan and a little time well spent, you can minimize these effects and maintain your digital footprint. Let’s talk about changing domain without SEO loss.
How to change domain name without losing SEO
So, which steps do you need to take to make sure you have all your bases covered? Let’s talk about SEO when changing domain names. Here’s what we suggest…
Step 1: Plan and Review Your Current SEO
Before you make any changes, you have to take inventory of where you currently are. So, take stock of your website’s current state and its SEO performance.
- Benchmark Current Performance: Utilize tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to gather data on your site’s traffic, keyword rankings, and backlinks. Exporting this information into a spreadsheet will help you monitor progress and address any issues post-migration.
- Create a Full Site Backup: Always, always, always make sure you have a complete backup of your website, including all files and databases. If anything goes wrong with the domain change, this is like an insurance policy to get your site back online with minimal hiccups and downtime.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Domain Name
Selecting an SEO-friendly domain name is key for maintaining your site’s visibility.
- Consider SEO Factors: Choose a domain that is relevant, memorable, and includes keywords if possible. Avoid complex or non-intuitive spellings to ensure ease of access for your users.
- Maintain URL Structure: Keeping your URL structure consistent with your old domain helps preserve user experience and aids in smoother redirections.
Step 3: Implement 301 Redirects
So, how will Google know that your website has moved? That’s what 301 redirects are for. They’re like a change of address form for the internet—they let search engines know that your site’s URLs have permanently moved.
If you don’t set up redirects, you’ll break backlinks to your site from other places around the internet, and that can have a huge effect on your SEO.
- Set Up Individual Redirects: Map every old domain URL to the corresponding new domain URL to ensure that the SEO value is transferred.
- Comprehensive Redirects: Beyond just your homepage, ensure every page from your old website is redirected to prevent 404 errors and potential loss in search rankings.
Step 4: Update Internal Links
Internal links should be updated to point to the new domain. You don’t want to rely on 301 redirects for everything, because that can slow your website down. And, of course, having a slow website can also impact your SEO.
Step 5: Manage External Backlinks
External backlinks (links to your website from other people’s websites) are a major part of your site’s SEO value. Reach out to webmasters and update these links to point directly to your new domain to retain link equity. This is a fairly common request, and most people are willing to do it if you ask!
Step 6: Update Google Search Console and Analytics
Inform Google of your domain change and update your settings in both Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
- Change of Address: Google Search Console provides a tool specifically for notifying Google about your domain change. This helps Google transfer your site’s historical data and rankings to the new domain.
- Submit New Sitemap: Provide Google with a new XML sitemap for the new domain for quicker indexing of your updated URLs.
Step 7: Monitor Your Site’s Performance
After the domain change, closely monitor your site’s SEO performance:
- Track Changes: Keep an eye on your rankings and traffic through Google Analytics and other SEO tools. A temporary dip is normal, but your metrics should stabilize over time.
- Address Crawl Errors: Regularly check Google Search Console for any crawl errors and correct them promptly to ensure your new site is indexed correctly.
Step 8: Update Digital Footprint
Your domain change should be reflected across all your digital platforms:
- Social Media and Directories: Update your new domain on all social media profiles and business directories to maintain consistency and SEO relevance.
- NAP Consistency: Ensure that your name, address, and phone number are consistent across all listings to support local SEO efforts.
Step 9: Maintain Brand Continuity
If you are also rebranding, make sure your new branding is consistent across all platforms to help users and search engines associate your new domain with your business.
Step 10: Implement HTTPS
If you haven’t already, switching to HTTPS is advisable during your domain change as it secures your site and is favored by search engines.
Changing your domain name doesn’t have to mean starting over with your SEO.
With the right steps, you can transition smoothly and maintain your online visibility. For those unsure about handling this process alone, consider partnering with an SEO professional to guide you through the transition effectively.
Ready to change your domain without losing SEO?
We can help! Contact us today for an expert SEO consultation and ensure your site remains powerful and visible, no matter which URL you’re at.