The SEO Impact of Changing Your Domain Name: Risks and Rewards
Are you ready to change your domain name? Then make sure you take the necessary steps to maintain your website’s authority, search engine rankings, and traffic. For example, you'll have to redirect your old URLs to new ones, migrate the content, and update all the internal links.
This process can be difficult and time-consuming, but without it, you risk losing your site's organic rankings. The reason is that switching to a new domain name can confuse users and search engines, resulting in traffic loss and diminished visibility.
However, there are situations where changing domain names can drive a business forward—and the benefits outweigh the risks. You just need to do it right.
Why Switch to a New Domain Name?
Switching domain names is sometimes necessary and can benefit your business. For instance, you may have to do it when undergoing a rebrand or expanding your services. A new domain name would ensure consistency and reflect your brand's image.
Other valid reasons include:
● You found a better domain name: A short and simple domain name like "CreativePR" is more memorable and easier to spell than a long, complicated one, such as "CreativePR4U."
● You want a different domain extension: While you can choose from around 1,600 domain extensions, or top-level domains (TLDs), only a few inspire trust and credibility. A popular TLD like .com, .org., or co sounds more professional than a lesser-known one. If, say, your domain name ends in .xyz, .tk., or .icu, consider making the switch.
● You're facing legal issues: You may already have a great domain name, but you could run into trouble if it infringes on someone else's trademark or intellectual property. If that's the case, you should get a new domain name to avoid a lawsuit and potential penalties.
● Your business has changed: Consider switching to a new domain name if your business is undergoing significant changes, such as a merger or acquisition. You may also need a new domain if you want to change your business name, industry, or target market (e.g., you run a physical store and plan to relocate to the UK, but your domain name ends in .ca or .us).
A new domain name could open up new market opportunities and help you expand your reach. It's also an opportunity to reinforce your brand message and give your business a fresh start.
For example, popular companies like Dropbox, Uber, and Facebook changed their domain names as part of a rebranding process. Jamba, Tesla, and Domino’s made this move after expanding their product lines.
How Does Changing Your Domain Name Affect SEO?
Your domain name is not a ranking factor, meaning it doesn't impact your website's position in search results. However, things are different if your website has content and you switch to a new domain.
Google and other search engines crawl, index, and rank web pages. Naturally, changing the URL of a web page, such as when migrating to a new domain, will impact its search engine rankings. Here's why:
● You would lose domain authority
● You'll experience a decline in organic traffic (or even lose all your traffic!)
● Your new domain will be less visible in search results
● Your old links will no longer work
● Visitors may have a hard time finding your new site
For example, search engines take into account the number and quality of backlinks when ranking web pages.
When you switch domains, your old backlinks will become outdated, redirecting to a non-existing page. This aspect alone can impact your website's visibility, organic traffic, and rankings.
That's why it's crucial to set up proper redirects and have a domain migration strategy in place. Be aware that even if you take all the right steps, you may still see a temporary drop in search results.
Should You Make the Switch?
Domain name changes have major implications and take a lot of work. You need to get the timing right, develop a plan, and be prepared for the unexpected.
Generally, it's not a good idea to switch domain names if:
● You're running a major marketing campaign: Changing your domain in the middle of a marketing campaign would lead to wasted resources. The banners, flyers, billboards, and other promotional materials displaying your old URL will become obsolete.
● You're having a busy season: Migrating to a new domain during high-sales periods could result in revenue loss. This move can confuse customers and diminish your website's visibility online, hurting sales.
● You're on a budget: Domain migration involves more than just buying a new domain name. The costs associated with SEO, rebranding, and marketing can run into tens of thousands of dollars. Plus, you may need to employ web developers and other experts to implement the changes you want to make.
If you still want to make the switch, choose a new domain name and configure the DNS settings. In the meantime, back up your website content so you can restore it in case something goes wrong.
The next steps require technical expertise, and you may need to hire a developer. They will create a staging site on the new domain, set up 301 redirects, and update the internal links.
Also, you'll need to set up your Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Bing Search Console accounts for the new domain and create a sitemap. Remember to update your social media pages, too.
Give Your Website a Fresh Start
Domain migration is more or less complex, depending on your hosting provider, database size, and content management system. If you take the DIY route, you should first check your web host's knowledge base.
Once the migration is completed, conduct a website audit to ensure everything works as expected. Look for broken links, duplicate content, crawling and indexing issues, and SSL errors. You’ll also want to check for usability issues, such as slow-loading pages.
These steps may seem tedious, but they are necessary for a successful migration. If you do it right, you’ll give your website a new identity without sacrificing SEO.
