There are about 2 billion websites on the internet, but most of them are inactive. How many people are sitting on domain names that they’re never actually going to use? One of them could have the domain name that you’ve been waiting for.
If you finally get the opportunity to grab the perfect domain name, you might be tempted to move your website over. Should you change a domain name, or is it not worth the risk?
Read on to learn about a few potential risks to watch out for if you decide to make the switch.
It’s Bad for SEO
It’s an unfortunate fact that changing your domain name can negatively impact your SEO.
You’ve been building up your SEO on your current website for years. It has good domain authority, plenty of helpful links, and too many page views to count!
Because it’s an older site, Google prioritizes it. A site with all of the same content that was created yesterday would not be as high up in the search engine rankings.
When you change your domain, you’re creating a whole new website. You can’t just port all of your old content over or it will look like repeat content.
So what can you do?
We recommend taking your new site live long before you remove your current one. Give it time to start building up SEO so you’re not starting from scratch.
People Won’t Know Where to Look
This is a smaller problem, but a problem nonetheless. If you’ve always had your previous domain name and that’s where everyone knows to find you, a sudden change could be confusing.
This is especially true for small online business owners and bloggers. Your domain name becomes your entire identity.
There is an easy enough way to mitigate this problem, but you will likely still lose some website traffic. We recommend announcing the new domain name weeks ahead of time on your website and your social media platforms.
Should You Ever Change a Domain Name?
There are times when changing your domain name just makes sense, so if you have to do it, don’t be afraid.
If you’re changing your business name, or if you’re finally able to get a domain name that matches your current business name, of course you should change your domain name. While it will be a short-term hassle, the long-term results are worthwhile.
If you’re going through a total rebrand, a new domain name can also give you a fresh start. Domain name changes aren’t bad; you just have to be careful. Use a website migration checklist to go through the process without causing too much damage.
Be Careful With Domain Name Changes
Sometimes you have to change a domain name to boost your business, but keep in mind that it will cause some problems. Be prepared to lose some website traffic, at least for now, and start working on building up your SEO and redirecting traffic as soon as possible.
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