Critical Warning
Poor domain migration can result in 20-60% SEO ranking loss. Follow this guide carefully to preserve your search visibility.
Domain migration is one of the most technically challenging SEO tasks. This comprehensive guide provides a proven framework to successfully migrate domains while preserving rankings, traffic, and search visibility.
Pre-Migration Planning Phase
Essential Pre-Migration Audit
SEO Baseline Assessment
- • Current keyword rankings
- • Organic traffic levels
- • Backlink profile analysis
- • Page performance metrics
- • Technical SEO health check
Content Inventory
- • Complete URL list with traffic data
- • High-value content identification
- • Internal linking structure
- • Media and asset locations
- • External link references
Timeline Planning
- • 2-4 weeks preparation
- • Migration weekend
- • 4-6 weeks monitoring
- • 3-6 months recovery
Risk Assessment
- • High-traffic pages
- • Revenue-generating URLs
- • External dependencies
- • Technical complexities
Tool Preparation
- • Google Search Console
- • Analytics setup
- • Crawling tools
- • Monitoring systems
Step-by-Step Migration Process
1
Set Up New Domain
- • Configure hosting environment
- • Install SSL certificate
- • Set up Google Search Console
- • Configure analytics tracking
- • Test site functionality
2
Create URL Mapping
Mapping Strategy:
- • 1:1 URL mapping preferred
- • Group similar content
- • Handle removed pages
- • Plan for consolidations
Documentation:
- • CSV mapping file
- • Priority categorization
- • Redirect rules
- • Exception handling
3
Implement 301 Redirects
Redirect Best Practices:
- • Use 301 (permanent) redirects only
- • Avoid redirect chains
- • Test all redirects thoroughly
- • Monitor redirect performance
# Apache .htaccess example
Redirect 301 /old-page/ https://newdomain.com/new-page/
Redirect 301 /category/ https://newdomain.com/new-category/Technical Implementation Checklist
Server Configuration
- DNS propagation completed
- SSL certificate installed
- 301 redirects implemented
- XML sitemaps updated
- Robots.txt configured
SEO Elements
- Internal links updated
- Canonical URLs set
- Hreflang tags updated
- Schema markup migrated
- Meta tags preserved
Post-Migration Monitoring & Recovery
Critical First 48 Hours
Immediate Actions:
- • Submit change of address in GSC
- • Test critical user journeys
- • Monitor server error rates
- • Check redirect functionality
- • Verify analytics tracking
Monitoring Metrics:
- • Organic traffic levels
- • Crawl errors and 404s
- • Page load speeds
- • Conversion rates
- • User engagement metrics
Week 1
Initial Stabilization
- • Fix critical errors
- • Monitor crawling
- • Update external links
Month 1
Recovery Phase
- • Rankings stabilize
- • Traffic recovery
- • Link equity transfer
Month 3-6
Full Recovery
- • Complete stabilization
- • Growth opportunities
- • Optimization phase
Common Migration Mistakes to Avoid
Technical Errors
- ×Using 302 redirects:
Always use 301 redirects for permanent moves
- ×Redirect chains:
Avoid multiple redirect hops
- ×Missing XML sitemaps:
Update and submit new sitemaps
Process Errors
- ×Insufficient testing:
Test all redirects and functionality
- ×Poor timing:
Avoid peak traffic periods
- ×No rollback plan:
Prepare contingency procedures
Ready for Your Domain Migration?
Follow this proven framework to successfully migrate your domain while preserving SEO rankings and search visibility.