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Selecting a relevant and memorable domain name is important in establishing a reputable and distinguishable online presence. There are myriad reasons why a brand or site owner might want to change their domain name. These reasons can include:
- Your company name has changed
- Your domain name doesn’t reflect the current brand or goals after rebranding
- Your domain name is overly complicated (you want a more user-friendly URL)
- A better domain has become available
When determining whether to change a domain name, it is crucial to determine whether doing so will be a net positive or negative. If you have built up brand equity, for example, it would be less prudent to change your domain name simply because you would like a cleaner URL or a more memorable name.
Below, we break down how to change a domain name to make the process as seamless and safe for your brand as possible.
Can You Actually Change Your Domain Name?
You cannot technically change your domain name after registering it, as it is stored in the Domain Name System (DNS) databases. Instead, you will need to acquire a new domain name either from a domain marketplace or a different owner.
Registering a domain name with NameSilo, for example, is straightforward and affordable. The NameSilo marketplace allows you to view available domains via keyword search. You can also view parked pages that are currently taking offers for purchase. NameSilo also provides instructions for directly contacting a registrant should you wish to acquire an unavailable domain name.
Dos: Best Practices for Changing a Domain Name
Should you decide it is necessary or wise to change your domain name, be sure to keep a few best practices in mind.
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Perform a Thorough Analysis and Create a Clear Plan
Before making the decision to change your domain name, it is wise to thoroughly assess the reasons behind such a change and evaluate the potential benefits it may bring. Conducting comprehensive market research and competitor analysis will provide valuable insights that can inform your choice of a new domain name. By diligently considering these factors, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your goals and maximizes the impact of your website.
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Choose a Relevant and Memorable Domain Name
When selecting a domain name, it is crucial to choose a relevant and memorable one that effectively reflects the purpose and content of your website. Additionally, it should be easy to spell, pronounce, and remember.
You’ll want to carefully consider a name that not only aligns with the purpose and content of your website but also possesses the qualities of being easily spellable, pronounceable and memorable for your target audience. Taking the time to brainstorm and select a longer, descriptive domain name will ensure that it accurately represents your website and facilitates better recognition and recall among users.
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Back up all DNS
Be sure to back up records from the previous domain so they are mirrored for the new site. By taking this proactive step, you can safeguard important data, maintain continuity and prevent any loss or disruption during the transition process. Carefully preserving and transferring these records will help ensure a smooth and uninterrupted operation of your website on the new domain.
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Re-create Subdomains
When migrating to a new domain, you’ll want to recreate any subdomains used by the old domain. Subdomains play a significant role in organizing and structuring a website, as they allow for targeted content delivery and improved user experience.
By recreating these subdomains on the new domain, you can maintain the same logical hierarchy and ensure that all relevant sections and functionalities of your website remain intact. This approach will help preserve the familiarity and accessibility of your web content and allow for a seamless transition for both regular visitors and search engines.
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Update the A Record
Make sure to update the A record for the new domain so that it points to the same destination as the old domain.
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Preserve SEO and Website Ranking
Implement proper 301 redirects to maintain link equity. Additionally, update internal and external links to the new domain
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Notify Users and Stakeholders
You’ll want to inform existing audience and subscribers about your domain name change. Then, you’ll want to update social media profiles and other online platforms with the new domain to keep consistency across channels.
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Update Online Listings and Directories
In addition to updating social media accounts, you’ll also want to verify and update the website’s information in directories and listings. Be sure to confirm consistency across all platforms and listings to keep brand credibility and recognition and stay cohesive across all channels.
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Confirm SSL Certificates Still Work
After changing your domain name, you must confirm that your SSL certificates are still functioning properly. SSL certificates play a crucial role in securing the transmission of sensitive information and establishing trust with your website visitors.
To ensure uninterrupted security, we recommend you validate the SSL certificates on your new domain by conducting thorough testing and verification. This process involves checking for proper installation, certificate validity and correct configuration across all relevant pages and subdomains. By confirming that your SSL certificates are still in working order, you can provide a secure browsing experience for your users and maintain the integrity of your website’s data encryption.
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Monitor Traffic Over Time
Regularly monitoring your website’s traffic is crucial to ensure a smooth domain name transfer without any issues. By keeping a close eye on your traffic patterns, you can quickly identify any major unexpected changes that might indicate problems with your redirects. Sudden drops or spikes in traffic can be indicative of incorrect or broken redirects, which may result in lost visitors or negative user experiences.
Monitoring traffic allows you to promptly address any issues, such as broken links or misconfigured redirects, and take necessary corrective measures.
Don'ts: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Neglecting Proper Planning and Preparation.
Rushing into a domain name change without considering potential risks can be detrimental to brand credibility and recognition. What’s more, failing to create a comprehensive migration plan can result in major traffic losses for your site.
Changing Domain Names Frequently
Multiple domain changes can confuse and alienate users. Remember that consistency is important for both brand recognition and SEO. Don’t change your domain name unless you really need to.
Ignoring SEO Considerations
A major mistake when learning how to change a domain name is failing to implement 301 redirects or canonical tags. Both play a pivotal role in maintaining the website’s search engine rankings and ensuring a smooth transition.
By implementing 301 redirects, which inform search engines about the permanent move to a new domain, traffic and link equity from the old domain are redirected to the new one, preserving the website’s authority and SEO value.
Canonical tags, on the other hand, prevent issues with duplicate content by indicating the preferred version of a webpage when multiple URLs exist. By overlooking the implementation of these crucial elements, one risks a significant loss in search engine visibility and potential traffic.
Neglecting to Update Sitemaps
Neglecting to update sitemaps and search engine indexing can also harm the viability of your new site, as Google will have trouble crawling and indexing the pages, preventing viewers from finding them through organic search.
Disregarding Branding and Marketing Efforts
Should change your domain name, you’ll want to update any branding materials that mention your website. You may also want to update marketing campaigns, advertisements, and promotional materials should they reference your old domain.
Forgetting to Update Internal Links and Resources
Broken internal links can lead to a poor user experience. Be sure to update all internal links, including navigation menus and embedded content on product, service and blog pages.
Find the Perfect Domain Name for Your Business with NameSilo
It is highly important, should you choose to change your domain name, to carefully plan and execute the process to avoid significant losses from switching from your current domain. Following these best practices can minimize disruption to your site and maximize the success of the domain name change process.
For all of your domain name needs, visit NameSilo’s marketplace. Here, you can search for and register the perfect domain name for your website or business. NameSilo’s domains are affordable and secure. With the help of our world-class service team, you’ll receive support at all hours, 365 days a year. Visit NameSilo today.