To change a domain name without losing SEO, set 301 redirects, update signals, and file Search Console’s Change of Address.
Switching web addresses can feel risky, but it doesn’t have to dent traffic. With a tight plan, search engines keep sending visitors while the new name takes over. This guide lays out a clean, step-by-step process site owners and devs can run with calm and control.
What This Move Really Changes
You’re not starting from zero. You’re moving the same content to a new home and asking crawlers to treat that as the source of truth. The aim is clear signals from every angle: redirects, internal links, canonicals, sitemaps, and webmaster tools. When those parts agree, crawlers shift value across and swap URLs in the index.
Launch Day Checklist At A Glance
Here’s the full move at a glance. Work through each row, tick it off, and you’ll keep users and rankings steady.
| Task | Where To Do It | What Good Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| Clone content | New host/CDN | Same paths and HTML; media loads; SSL ready |
| Map old to new | Spreadsheet or CMS | One-to-one URL list; no dead ends |
| Set 301/308 | Server, CDN, or app | Every old URL hops once to the matching new URL |
| Fix internal links | DB, CMS, theme | All links point straight to the new host, no chains |
| Update canonicals | Head tags | Canonical tags show the new host |
| Ship new sitemaps | /sitemap.xml | Only new URLs; fast 200; lastmod fresh |
| Keep old domain live | Old host/CDN | Fast redirects for at least a year |
| File change of address | Google Search Console | Both properties verified; tool submitted |
| Tell Bing | Bing Webmaster Tools | Site Move tool used where available |
| Measure | Analytics & logs | Traffic steady; 404s near zero; crawl errors drop |
Change Your Domain Name And Keep Rankings: A Safe Plan
This is the field plan. It runs in three phases: prep, launch, and follow-through. Keep the order and you’ll avoid messy loops and crawler churn.
Phase 1: Prep The Ground
Mirror the site. Build the new host with the same paths. If you’re re-platforming, keep slugs stable. Fewer path changes mean less work for bots and users.
Create a redirect map. Export every live URL from your CMS, sitemap, or a crawl. Map each one to a single destination on the new host. Fewer rules win. Wildcards help when path patterns match, but hand-check money pages.
Fix internal links early. In the new build, point nav, footers, and body links straight at the new host. No link should go old → new via a redirect. That wastes crawl budget and adds delay for users.
Move canonicals. Update rel=”canonical” to the new host. That hint lines up with redirects and makes the intent clear.
Stage sitemaps. Generate sitemaps that contain only the new host. Split large sites by type (posts, pages, products). Keep file sizes tidy and lastmod dates current.
Verify both properties. Add both domains to Google Search Console and Bing. You’ll need ownership to file the move and submit sitemaps.
Phase 2: Flip The Switch
Deploy 301/308 rules. Use permanent redirects for the move. Each old URL should jump once to its new twin. Avoid 302s, 307s, meta refresh, and JavaScript hops for this task.
Go live with the new host. Point DNS to the new stack. Watch TTLs so changes don’t drag out. Keep the old host serving redirects only.
Ship sitemaps and ping. Submit the new sitemaps in both search tools. Leave old sitemaps in place for a short window if they only contain old URLs that now redirect, then retire them.
Use the address change tool. In Search Console, pick the old property, pick the new one, and submit the Change of Address. In Bing, follow the guidance in the Webmaster Guidelines for permanent redirects and site moves.
Phase 3: Monitor And Tidy Up
Check logs and 404s. Hunt for misses in your redirect map. Patch patterns that slipped through. Fix any chains or loops at once.
Track index swaps. In Search Console, watch indexing reports. You should see new URLs replace old ones in a steady wave.
Keep redirects live. Leave rules in place for at least one year. Two years is even safer for long-tail links and slow crawls.
Update off-site links where you can. Change links in social profiles, key citations, and ad accounts. The redirects handle the rest.
Why Permanent Redirects Matter
Permanent rules tell crawlers that the move isn’t temporary. They forward signals and send users to the right place. A temporary rule can keep the old URL as the main one, which stalls the swap. For a domain move, stick with 301 or 308.
Common Mistakes That Sink A Move
Multiple Hops
Old → mid → new wastes crawl budget and hurts speed. Fold rules so each old URL lands in one hop.
Mixed Signals
Don’t point canonicals to the old host while redirects point to the new one. Keep canonicals, sitemaps, internal links, and redirects in sync.
Path Overhauls
Changing slugs at the same time multiplies risk. If you must rename folders or slugs, keep that to a small list and test each one with care.
Redirect Everything To Home
Catch-all to the homepage drops relevance and breaks user intent. Send each old URL to the closest match.
Thin Server Resources
Don’t drop the old host the day you flip DNS. Keep a lean box or CDN rule set online to serve fast redirects for the long haul.
Exact Steps With Time Boxes
Seven Days Before
- Crawl the site and export all 200 URLs.
- Map every old path to the new host.
- Update internal links, canonicals, and sitemaps in the staging build.
- Verify both domains in search tools.
Two Days Before
- Warm the new host with a canary crawl.
- Load redirect rules and test a sample of money pages.
- Lower DNS TTLs to speed up the flip.
Launch Day
- Point DNS to the new host.
- Turn on permanent redirects on the old host.
- Submit new sitemaps.
- Use the address change flow and the Bing move guidance.
Week One
- Watch logs for 404s and chains; patch rules.
- Check coverage and compare indexed pages.
- Look for traffic dips by landing page, not just overall.
Sample Redirect Rules
Keep rules tidy. Test with curl or your crawler. These patterns handle common cases.
| Old URL Pattern | New URL Pattern | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| http://old.com/(.*) | https://new.com/$1 | One hop; keep paths |
| http://www.old.com/(.*) | https://new.com/$1 | Fold www to apex |
| https://old.com/category/(.*) | https://new.com/topics/$1 | Folder rename |
| https://old.com/(.*)/index.html | https://new.com/$1/ | Drop index.html |
| https://old.com/?p=([0-9]+) | https://new.com/posts/$1 | Query to slug ID |
Proof Points From The Rulebooks
Google’s site move page lays out the steps: set permanent redirects, test them, ship fresh sitemaps, and submit the address change. Bing’s docs also ask for permanent redirects and a move notice. The two links above lead straight to those pages.
Monitoring: What To Watch And When
First 72 Hours
Expect mixed results while caches clear. Some users will hit the old host. That’s normal. Keep an eye on server logs, redirect hit counts, and any stray 404s.
First Two Weeks
Index swaps pick up. Queries begin showing the new host. Keep reviewing logs. Patch any leftover rules and keep shipping clean sitemaps.
One To Three Months
Most rankings should land back where they were, page by page. Some pages may rise, some may dip. Keep redirects live. Keep the old domain under your control.
FAQ-Free Quick Tips
- Keep one redirect hop. Chains slow pages and waste crawl budget.
- Match slugs one-to-one whenever you can.
- Link equity flows best when every signal agrees: redirects, canonicals, links, and sitemaps.
- Leave redirects up for at least a year; two years is safer for old backlinks.