Skip to content
Hamburger Menu
, ,

How To Strategically Transfer Your Website When Changing Domains

Moving Your Website?

Here are the steps I used to successfully manage a large-scale project and make the transition less painfulThe least painful way to retain traffic.

Last year, I went through this process with a 200+ page enterprise website. Let me start by saying this: if there’s any possible way to avoid moving domains—do that first. Many executives or business leaders may not fully realize the negative impact it can have. A domain move should only be done if absolutely necessary. Common scenarios include:

  • Large-scale company rebranding with a new business name
  • Separating businesses into individual companies
  • Consolidating multiple websites
  • Company mergers
  • Acquiring a premium domain (like a .com)

If your business decides to move forward, prepare for immediate negative effects on your website traffic:

  • Loss of Domain Authority: Older domains usually have higher DA scores if they’ve maintained quality content and engagement.

  • Drops in Organic Search Rankings: Recovering organic traffic after a domain transfer can take 30–60 days on average, but in some cases several months or longer.

 

A Comprehensive 10 Point Website Transfer Plan

Here are the steps I used to successfully manage the large-scale project and make the transition less painful:

1. Set Expectations with Leadership

Ensure leadership understands the potential impact on website KPIs. Many businesses rely heavily on organic traffic for leads and revenue, so everyone should be aligned on the challenges ahead.

2. Perform an SEO Audit

This is the perfect time to evaluate how your pages are performing. Update outdated content that still gets traffic, and resist the temptation to reduce page count just to save work. Both site size and content volume play a role in SEO authority.

3. Think AI-First

With AI reshaping search, traffic drops aren’t only about domain transfers. Google’s Generative Search and other AI-driven changes are already reducing visibility for many sites. Incorporate  new AI-related performance metrics and consider how your content will perform with large language models (LLMs).

4. Forward Old URLs to New URLs

If possible, keep ownership of your old domain and set up 301 redirects to pass SEO value to the new pages. Avoid blanket redirects to your homepage—that increases bounce rate and damages rankings. Instead, audit all URLs in a spreadsheet and map them individually. Your IT team or CMS may help automate updates.

5. Create and Submit an XML Sitemap

As soon as the new domain goes live, create a fresh XML sitemap (plenty of free generators exist) and submit it through Google Search Console to expedite indexing.

6. Monitor Website Growth

Set up Google Analytics 4 and use SEO tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, or Diib to track domain authority, rankings, and competitor benchmarks. Export or snapshot data from your old domain for comparison—you may find keywords that need new or refreshed content.

 

When “Breaking Up” Your Business

If your business is splitting into separate companies, you may not get to keep the old domain. That was my experience, and here’s what helped:

7. Negotiate 301 Redirects

If the split is amicable, ask the other company to keep 301 redirects active for at least 6 months. If possible, build this into contracts ahead of time. Preserving traffic during the transition is a lifesaver.

8. Rethink Your Site Structure

A split is a chance to refine your site and content strategy. Narrow your keyword focus, streamline navigation, and ensure your content reflects the new business identity. Run a fresh keyword and competitor analysis to uncover new opportunities.

9. Consider a Refresh

You don’t always need a full redesign—but if your site is more than 3–5 years old, now is the perfect time. Launching on a new domain gives you a clean slate to modernize design, UX, and performance.

10. Consult the Experts

A second set of eyes never hurts. Whether through an agency or a consultant, expert feedback can catch oversights and industry-specific challenges you may miss.

Final Thoughts

Be prepared, have a plan, and don’t make this decision lightly. Your website is the hub of your marketing strategy and often your most valuable digital asset. Treat it with the same care as any other critical business resource—because the long-term health of your organic traffic depends on it.