SEO helps to be noticed on Google pages and it is essential for ranking on Google. The website domain is important for making one’s presence felt on search engines.
Search engine optimization (SEO) happens to be a process of improving the quality as well as quantity of website traffic to a website or perhaps a web page from search engines.
It is not advisable to relocate the website to a new domain in a quick manner.
Why Change the Domain Name of a Website?
If the domain name is not relevant or getting any more popular.
How to Change Domain Without Losing Ranking?
Look for a Hosting Plan
Before migrating to one’s site, looking for a hosting plan is required. Once a hosting plan is chosen, click the buy button, and then complete the purchase. Migrating the entire site to another new domain is easy if using WordPress.
Back-Up the Site and Perform an SEO Audit on Current Website
Making sure of a full backup of one’s current site and its data helps. It is a good idea to do an SEO site audit before deciding to change one’s domain name. Several site audit tools are indeed available that will assess one’s website’s current SEO effectiveness. An SEO audit will assist a person to determine what is working and what needs to be improved upon.
Permanent Redirection
A permanent redirect is no doubt an important part of any domain change. This can be done with a permanent redirection. It will redirect Google to recognize that one’s old page has been replaced with a new one. Then collecting these URL changes, and updating the index accordingly needs to be done. Making sure all the pages of the website have a redirect is necessary.
Let Google Know about One’s Changed Domain
It is time to notify Google that a person has migrated one’s website to its new domain and configured the 301 redirects. To get started with one’s website crawling while making use of the new domain, and then go to Google Search Console. A person can allow Google to know about one’s new name via the search console settings. Once the submission of a request for a new domain has been done, then Google will begin the process of indexing it.
Create Sitemap
Google does indicate providing an XML sitemap in case the person has a large website with a lot of pages. This can be done from the left menu of the Search Console by of course selecting Sitemaps.
Checklist to Follow When Changing the Domain Name
- Make redirects and also keep them for a minimum of 120 days. Update the new domain name on Google Search Console. Also, update Google Analytics with the new domain name. All internal links also need to be updated to one’s new domain as well.
- Remember to update the existing backlinks. Google recognizes pages with several backlinks. The more backlinks one’s website has, the higher a person’s search rank, which does contribute to higher site traffic.·
- Optimizing the content for search engines. The content on the website is useful from an SEO perspective. The transition will be easier, and the impact will be less on the search results.
- Update one’s custom, professional email address to match one’s new domain name.
- Making a list of all company materials cum communications where it is required to update the domain name and links helps.
- Notify the customers via communication or on-site messaging.
Takeaway
The competition is indeed high and several companies are trying to make their mark in the same industry. So, if the current domain name does not adequately represent a person’s brand or business the person may want to change the domain name. The name of the domain needs to help the person to identify the product or business in the marketplace.
Conclusion
Changing domain names is no doubt a major decision.
