Migration: Domain Change
Changing domains without starting from zero.
Google has a specific process for a domain change, separate from a redesign or a hosting move. We run it in the right order: verify both domains, redirect every URL, then tell Google directly which one is new.
- Both domains verified in Search Console first
- Old domain kept registered, not let go
- Free scope within one business day
The entity map
Every URL, one clean handoff.
Every page, mapped one to one
A pure domain change usually keeps the same page structure underneath, so most pages map directly to the same path on the new domain. We still crawl the full old site to catch anything that will not carry across exactly as expected.
The redirect plan
A 301 from every old URL to its exact new-domain equivalent, deployed live the moment the new domain goes public. Because the paths usually match, this is often the most mechanically simple redirect map we build, but it still needs to be complete.
Telling Google directly
Search Console has a Change of Address tool built for exactly this move. Both the old and new domain need to be verified properties before it can be used, and it only works domain to domain, not for a folder or subdomain change.
Tracking that must survive
GA4 and Google Ads both need their property and conversion settings pointed at the new domain, and Search Console needs the new domain verified before the old one is retired. We check every setting rather than assuming the switch carries itself.
What a domain change actually risks
If you plan to let the old domain lapse
we recommend keeping it registered for a good while after launch, since a 301 redirect only works while you still own the domain it redirects from. Losing the old domain to registration lapse mid transition can quietly cut off redirect traffic.
If your backlinks point at the old domain
we cannot change the anchor text or destination other sites use, only redirect the traffic that follows those links. A 301 carries most of the ranking value forward, but the fastest path is still asking your most valuable links to update where they can.
If you are changing domain and redesigning at the same time
we flag that combining both raises risk, since more signals move at once and problems get harder to isolate. Where the timeline allows it, we recommend separating the two changes.
What we cannot promise
We cannot promise zero fluctuation while Google reprocesses the new domain, since some temporary movement is normal. What we can promise is a complete redirect map and daily monitoring so any real problem gets caught early.
How the migration runs
01
Verify both domains
Both the old and new domain are verified in Search Console before anything else, since the Change of Address tool requires it.
02
Redirect and launch
The full redirect map goes live at cutover, the new domain's sitemap is submitted, and the Change of Address tool is run.
03
Monitor closely
We watch Search Console and analytics daily through the first weeks, checking that the new domain is being indexed and the old one is redirecting cleanly.
Domain change migration FAQ
It is the setting inside Search Console that tells Google you have moved your entire site to a new domain. It requires both domains verified as properties, and it only applies to a full domain change, not a subfolder or subdomain move. Using it speeds up how quickly Google reprocesses the new domain.
Longer than most people expect. A 301 redirect only works while you own the domain sending it, and some backlinks and bookmarks keep sending traffic for a long time. Keeping it registered protects that value instead of losing it to a lapsed renewal.
Some short-term fluctuation while Google reprocesses the new domain is normal. A sustained drop past a few weeks usually points to a specific issue, like an incomplete redirect map or a verification step that was missed, not the domain change itself.
Not necessarily a brand-new property, but the data stream and any domain-specific settings need to be updated to the new domain, and Search Console needs to be reverified. We check this as part of the tracking handoff.
Cost tracks the size of your site, since a ten-page site and a five-hundred-page site need very different amounts of redirect work. Tell us your domain and expect a firm number back inside one business day, nothing added on top.
Change domains without losing what you built.
Tell us your current domain and the new one you are moving to. We will build the redirect and verification plan and reply within one business day.