As with most web updates, if not done correctly, changing your domain name can hurt your keyword rankings. If search engines are indexing the current domain name and web pages, it matters a great deal how the implementation of a new domain name is handled.
The first order of business is to create a process for implementing 301 redirects from your current web pages to the new web pages. We would recommend mapping out existing content and implementing the permanent 301 redirect to similar content under the new domain. To improve the user experience, avoid redirecting all pages to the homepage on the new domain.
The second order of business is to identify top link referring sources of traffic and ask them to update their links to your new domain name. This will help maintain top traffic sources for the new domain.
It’s important to make it easy for search engines to understand that you’ve made a permanent change from one domain to another, the goal is to retain as much “link equity” in that change as possible to keep keyword rankings high.
As part of any good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) program, an ongoing link building campaign needs to be deployed to grow quality inbound links to your new domain. Contact TopRank Online Marketing to learn more about SEO and quality link building tactics.
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