Domain Change Checklist
For owners rebranding or moving to a new domain name. It covers the technical move, the Google Search Console steps and the off-site references that also need updating.
- critical
Why and how
- Why it matters
- A domain with an earlier history of spam can carry problems into your site and hold back rankings.
- How to check or fix it
- Check the Wayback Machine for earlier content, search for site:newdomain.com, and review its backlink profile in Ahrefs or Semrush.
- critical
Why and how
- Why it matters
- The Change of Address tool requires verified ownership of both properties.
- How to check or fix it
- Add each as a Domain property using DNS verification before the move starts.
- critical
Why and how
- Why it matters
- Keeping the URL structure identical makes the redirects simple and reduces the chance of lost pages.
- How to check or fix it
- Export the old URL list from a Screaming Frog crawl and verify each path exists on the new site.
- critical
Why and how
- Why it matters
- Permanent redirects pass signals to the new URLs and move users automatically.
- How to check or fix it
- Add a server-level rule in Apache, Nginx or your CDN that preserves the path and query string. Test with curl -I on a sample of URLs.
- important
Why and how
- Why it matters
- Canonicals pointing at the old domain send contradictory signals about the preferred URL.
- How to check or fix it
- Crawl the new site and check the Canonicals tab and sitemap URLs for any reference to the old hostname.
- important
Why and how
- Why it matters
- It tells Google that the move is intentional and speeds up transfer of signals.
- How to check or fix it
- Open Settings for the old property, choose Change of address, select the new property and submit. It works only for whole-domain moves with 301 redirects live.
- important
Why and how
- Why it matters
- Hard-coded links, images and scripts on the old host create mixed signals and break if the old domain expires.
- How to check or fix it
- Run a database search for the old hostname and check the crawl for external links to the old domain.
- important
Why and how
- Why it matters
- Out-of-date profiles keep sending visitors and links to the old address.
- How to check or fix it
- Edit Google Business Profile, social bios, email signatures, ad accounts and major directories to the new URL.
- nice
Why and how
- Why it matters
- Links pointing directly to the new domain are more durable than redirected ones.
- How to check or fix it
- Use Search Console Links or Ahrefs to find top linking domains and send a short email with the old and new URLs.
- nice
Why and how
- Why it matters
- If the old domain lapses, someone else can register it and receive your old traffic and links.
- How to check or fix it
- Turn on auto-renew with the registrar and keep the redirect rules active.
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Common questions
Does changing domain names hurt SEO?
There is usually a temporary dip while search engines process the move. With full 301 redirects and unchanged content, most sites recover their visibility.
Can I use the Change of Address tool when moving to a subdomain?
The tool is meant for moves between domains or root-level hosts. For other structural changes, rely on 301 redirects and updated sitemaps.
Do these next
Site Migration Checklist
Plan, redirect and verify every URL during a site migration so rankings and traffic survive the move to a new structure or platform.
Google Search Console Setup Checklist
Set up and verify Google Search Console correctly so you get clean search data, sitemap status and index alerts from day one.