How to change your website domain without losing Google rankings

Changing your domain does not have to cost you your Google rankings. If every old URL redirects with a 301 redirect to its equivalent on the new domain, you report the move in Google Search Console and you take care of email, rankings usually recover within a few weeks. The sites that lose the most visibility are the ones that redirect everything to the homepage or let the old domain expire.

Below is the process I follow for clients. The order matters, because some steps have to happen before the switch and some only after it.

Will a domain change hurt my rankings?

Briefly, yes, but only temporarily. Google has to transfer what it knows about the old address to the new one, and that takes time. In practice traffic can dip for a few weeks and then return to its previous level.

There is one condition: Google and your visitors need a clear signal of where every page went. If that signal is incomplete, part of your visibility is lost for good.

Before you change the domain

I prepare these things before touching the server:

• A list of your most important URLs. I export pages with impressions and clicks from Google Search Console. They get redirects first.
• A full backup of the site, the database and the DNS settings of the old domain.
• The new domain with an SSL certificate, connected to hosting before the switch.
• A decision about email. Do mailboxes move to the new domain right away, or do both run in parallel for a while?
• The old domain paid for years ahead. This is the step people skip most often. If the old domain expires, the redirects stop working and every link to your site from other websites leads nowhere.

If the domain change comes with a redesign, I recommend separating the two. Change the address first and ship the new content and layout once Google has processed the move. With both changes at once it is hard to tell what caused a drop.

Changing the domain step by step

1. Move the site to the new address. In WordPress, besides the site settings, the old address has to be replaced across the whole database, including data stored by plugins and page builders. I use a tool that handles serialised data correctly, because a plain text replace can corrupt it.
2. Add 301 redirects for every important URL. Each old page should point to the same path on the new domain, for example old.com/services/ to new.com/services/. A 301 means a permanent move, and it is what passes the page’s history to Google. A temporary 302 redirect does not.
3. Verify the new domain in Google Search Console and submit the new sitemap.
4. Report the change of address. In Search Console, in the settings of the old property, there is a “Change of address” tool. It only works when both domains are verified and the old homepage redirects to the new one with a 301.
5. Fix the site itself. Canonical tags, image URLs, internal links and SEO plugin settings should point to the new domain directly instead of relying on redirects.
6. Update everything outside the site. Your Google Business Profile, social media, business directories, email signatures, ad campaigns and Google Analytics. The more of them point to the new address, the faster Google accepts it.
7. Monitor after the switch. For several weeks I check Search Console for 404 errors and whether the new URLs appear in the index. Every error gets its own redirect.

What about email when you change domains?

Email is the part of a domain change people forget, and it is where problems show up first. Clients and partners will keep writing to your old addresses for a long time.

• Create mailboxes on the new domain and move your message history into them.
• Set up MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records on the new domain so your emails do not land in spam.
• Keep forwarding or an auto-reply with the new address on the old domain, for at least a few months.
• Update your address in signatures, invoices and every service you log into with email.

Most common domain change mistakes

• Redirecting everything to the homepage. Google treats this much like deleting the pages, so their visibility disappears.
• Temporary (302) redirects instead of permanent (301) ones.
• Letting the old domain expire after a year or two. Redirects should stay in place for at least a year, preferably longer.
• Canonical tags still pointing to the old domain in the SEO plugin settings.
• Forgotten email, so messages from clients go nowhere.
• Changing the domain and the URL structure at the same time without a page-to-page redirect map.

How long does a domain change take?

The technical part usually takes one working day. Google processing the change takes longer, typically a few weeks and up to a few months for larger sites. During that time the most important thing is that the redirects work without interruption.

When is it worth hiring someone?

A small brochure site can be moved on your own if you know WordPress and DNS well. With an online store, a site with significant Google traffic, or when email moves too, the risk of a mistake is higher and its effects only show up weeks later.

I handle domain changes with 301 redirects, the Search Console change of address and email migration. Details are on the WordPress migration page. If you are planning a move, get in touch and I will tell you where to start.

If your domain stays the same but your hosting provider moved your site to a new server, see what to check after that kind of migration.

FAQ

Will I lose Google rankings after changing my domain?

With correct 301 redirects and the change of address reported in Search Console, rankings usually recover within a few weeks. They are lost permanently mostly when redirects are incomplete or the old domain expires.

How long should I keep redirects from the old domain?

At least a year, and ideally as long as possible. Links from other websites and saved bookmarks keep pointing to the old address for years, so it is worth renewing the old domain for longer.

Can I redirect the whole old domain to the new homepage?

Technically yes, but it is one of the most common mistakes. Every important page should lead to its equivalent, because only then does it carry its history in Google.

What should I do with email when changing domains?

Create mailboxes on the new domain, move your message history, set up MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records, and keep email forwarding on the old domain for at least a few months.

Should I change the domain and redesign the site at the same time?

Better not. Change the address first and redesign once Google has processed the move. With both at once it is hard to find the cause if rankings drop.