Key takeaways
- Map every old URL to its new equivalent before anything goes live.
- Use permanent server-side redirects, one hop, old URL to final URL.
- Use Search Console's change of address tool after the redirects work.
- Keep the old domain and its redirects for the long term.
Domain moves are a project we deliver under agency brands as part of white label SEO. If the URLs change but the domain does not, follow the website redesign SEO checklist instead; many steps overlap.
Why is a domain migration risky for SEO?
Because every signal Google has collected about the old URLs, including links, history and rankings, has to be transferred to new ones. Redirects are how that transfer happens. Missing, wrong or chained redirects break it. Google says a move can cause temporary fluctuations even when done well, so plan and set expectations with the client.
Google's guide to site moves with URL changes is the reference for every step below.
Before the move
- Crawl the old site and export every URL, plus URLs from the sitemap and Search Console.
- List pages with links and traffic so they get extra checks.
- Map each old URL to the most relevant new URL, not to the home page.
- Verify both domains in Search Console.
- Prepare the new sitemap and update canonical tags, hreflang and internal links to new URLs.
- Set a launch date away from the client's busy season.
Which redirects should a domain migration use?
Permanent server-side redirects, such as 301 or 308, from each old URL directly to its new equivalent. Google treats permanent redirects as a strong signal that the new URL should be canonical. Avoid chains through intermediate URLs, avoid redirecting everything to the home page, and avoid JavaScript redirects unless nothing else is possible.
See redirects and Google Search for how each type is treated.
Launch day
- Switch on the redirects and test a sample of old URLs, including the top pages.
- Check robots.txt on the new domain allows crawling.
- Submit the new sitemap in Search Console.
- Use the change of address tool in the old domain's Search Console property.
- Inspect key new URLs with the URL Inspection tool.
- Update the Business Profile, social profiles and important external links you control.
The URL Inspection tool confirms how Google sees each key page.
What should you monitor after the move?
Watch the Page indexing report for both domains, clicks and impressions on the new property, 404 errors, redirect errors and rankings for the money pages. Compare weekly for at least the first months. Fix any redirect or indexing problem the same week; the longer an error stays, the more value it loses.
The Page indexing report shows when old URLs leave the index and new ones enter.
How long should the old domain and redirects stay?
For the long term. Google recommends keeping redirects in place for at least a year, and many sites keep them indefinitely, because old links and bookmarks keep sending people to the old URLs. Renew the old domain so nobody else can register it and inherit the client's history.
Keep URL structure clean on the new domain with SEO-friendly URLs, and run a full technical audit a month after launch. Planning a move for a client? Book a call.
Frequently asked questions
Will rankings drop after a domain change?
Some fluctuation is common. A clean redirect map keeps it short.
Can we change domain and redesign at the same time?
It is possible but riskier. Separating the steps makes problems easier to find.
Do backlinks pass through redirects?
Permanent redirects are how Google consolidates signals to the new URL.
Should we update old backlinks?
Ask the most important sites to update their links; redirects cover the rest.
How long until the new domain settles?
It varies by site size; monitor for several months.
About the author
Juan José Giraldo is a senior SEO specialist with 5+ years of experience. He works on technical and local SEO for 600+ US car dealerships and supervises the SEO of 18 US e-commerce stores. He runs White Label SEO LATAM from Medellín, Colombia, and delivers white label SEO for agencies in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Read more · LinkedIn.