How To Not Lose SEO When Moving Your Site To A New Domain

So let’s say you’re rebranding and need to move your website over to a new domain. It’s scary enough making the switch and hoping that you don’t break your site… but what about everything that comes after your site has successfully been moved over to a new web address?

I’m talking about the SEO implications of moving your site. You obviously don’t want to lose the SEO juice you accumulated with the old domain, and thankfully you won’t if you make sure to follow the oh-so-crucial steps we’ve outlined below:

Redirect Your Site

Set up a 301 Redirect

Whatever you do, make SURE you configure a 301 redirect from your old domain to your new domain. Doing so will make it so that anyone who visits the old site will automatically get redirected to the new one.

Not only that, but this will pass on the traffic and SEO juice from the old domain to the new one, ensuring that none of it gets lost in the changeover.

If you’re not sure how to set up a 301 redirect or are a little wary of doing it yourself, consider enlisting the help of a website migration SEO specialist.

Check Your Links

Update your internal links

If your site runs on WordPress, change the site address in Settings, then General, so new links use the new domain. Then check that links between your own pages point at the new domain rather than relying on redirects. A site audit tool will list any that were missed, and our guide to fixing broken links explains what to do with them.

Ask other sites to update their links

Links to your site from other websites (backlinks) carry a lot of SEO value, so don’t leave them pointing at the old domain forever. The Links report in Google Search Console (or a tool such as Moz’s Link Explorer) shows which sites link to you. Contact the most important ones, thank them for the link, and politely ask them to update it to your new address. The 301 redirect covers you in the meantime.

Google Analytics

Update Your Existing GA4 Property

Once you switch domains, you’ll want to make sure that Google Analytics continues to track traffic data for your site. In Google Analytics 4 the property isn’t tied to one domain, so the easiest way is to keep the same property: open Admin, then Data streams, select your web stream and update its website URL to the new domain. Make sure the tracking code is still on every page of the new site.

… Or, Create A New GA4 Property

Some people find it easier to just start fresh by creating a brand new Google Analytics property for the new domain, even if it’s technically the same website as before, and that’s completely fine.

Essentially you’ll have all your analytics for the old domain saved under the old property and will be able to go back and reference it as needed, but it will remain separate from the analytics for the new domain which will be saved under the new property.

Note: If you go this route, be sure to remove the old GA tracking code and insert the new one into your site’s header.

Google Search Console

Verify New Domain

Just as you did for your old domain, you’ll need to add and verify your new domain in Google Search Console.

Submit a Change of Address

Next, you must submit a change of address in Google Search Console so that Google knows you’ve changed domains and can start indexing your site on the new domain.

Make sure you’re looking at the old domain property (and not the new one) in Google Search Console when you do this. Open Settings, then Change of address, and follow the steps.

Rock Solid Marketing provide SEO services from Mildura. Contact us if you need assistance moving your site to a new domain, or to learn more about how to set your website up for SEO success.