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Is It Possible to Change My Domain Name Without Losing Ranking?

by laurencengirard
20 replies
  • SEO
    • |
I started a health blog one month ago. I have around 130 posts. I hate my domain name. It's applebananacoconut.com. It sounded good at the time, but I want to change it to something like eatforgoodhealth.com. I have a bunch of incoming links, but don't mind losing them too much because this is a 10 year project for me that I plan to continue my whole life (I'm 19). Is there any way I can change the domain name without getting penalized for duplicate content?..... what's the best way to go about this, do you get the gist of what I'm trying to say? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
#change #domain #losing #ranking
  • Profile picture of the author mike-seo
    In the end it is your call, but you already answer to yourself in your post.
    You should be ok changing the domain name.
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    Well, the other domain name is probably something that will benefit you more! You an do a 301 redirect from your current domain to your new one and get some of the link juice from it!
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    • Profile picture of the author laurencengirard
      Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

      Well, the other domain name is probably something that will benefit you more! You an do a 301 redirect from your current domain to your new one and get some of the link juice from it!
      hmmm, I will ask my friend how to do this properly because I don't know about it but.... could I log into wp admin from the new domain?
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
        Originally Posted by laurencengirard View Post

        hmmm, I will ask my friend how to do this properly because I don't know about it but.... could I log into wp admin from the new domain?
        Who do you use for hosting? It may be as simple as changing the domain pointers to the directory in your website, then changing the live site variable to the new domain and doing a 301 redirect from your old to the new! I know it sounds complicated, but it really isn't. This is something that can potentially be done in about 15 minutes! Possibly 30.
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      • Profile picture of the author SEOFocused
        Originally Posted by laurencengirard View Post

        hmmm, I will ask my friend how to do this properly because I don't know about it but.... could I log into wp admin from the new domain?
        just do a google search for 301 redirect and you will find all the resource you need. basically on a linux/unix based hosting environment, there is an htaccess file that you will need to modify or create. once the htaccess file file been modified, yuo then upload it to your server.

        find some resource on google and if you are still not sure, call your host for support
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  • Profile picture of the author J Bold
    Put the whole site on your new domain name. Either transfer or just from scratch again and repost all the posts on the new site using Wordpress.

    Then, take the old domain and do a 301 redirect like SEOFocused suggests.
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  • Profile picture of the author halmo
    Originally Posted by laurencengirard View Post

    I started a health blog one month ago. I have around 130 posts. I hate my domain name. It's applebananacoconut.com. It sounded good at the time, but I want to change it to something like eatforgoodhealth.com. I have a bunch of incoming links, but don't mind losing them too much because this is a 10 year project for me that I plan to continue my whole life (I'm 19). Is there any way I can change the domain name without getting penalized for duplicate content?..... what's the best way to go about this, do you get the gist of what I'm trying to say? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
    I was just reading about this very thing in Google Webmaster Tools. You can do it, so Google will recognize your content on your new domain, and (I think) will keep all your current rankings (not sure about this).

    You have to create an account (free) at Google Webmaster Tools. Enter your domain, and verify it. Go to "Site Configuration" on the left, then "Change of Address." You will Google's instructions on how to do it. You might find some of this information by doing a search too before signing up.
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    • Profile picture of the author laurencengirard
      Originally Posted by halmo View Post

      I was just reading about this very thing in Google Webmaster Tools. You can do it, so Google will recognize your content on your new domain, and (I think) will keep all your current rankings (not sure about this).

      You have to create an account (free) at Google Webmaster Tools. Enter your domain, and verify it. Go to "Site Configuration" on the left, then "Change of Address." You will Google's instructions on how to do it. You might find some of this information by doing a search too before signing up.
      thank you so much for the info
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    • Profile picture of the author Daniel LaRusso
      Originally Posted by halmo View Post

      I was just reading about this very thing in Google Webmaster Tools. You can do it, so Google will recognize your content on your new domain, and (I think) will keep all your current rankings (not sure about this).

      You have to create an account (free) at Google Webmaster Tools. Enter your domain, and verify it. Go to "Site Configuration" on the left, then "Change of Address." You will Google's instructions on how to do it. You might find some of this information by doing a search too before signing up.
      How hard is this to do? The htaccess file thing sounds complicated, but this sounds a little bit easier to do. How long will users going to the old domain be bounced to the new domain name? Is it pretty much as long as each is hosted?

      I need to do this too!
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
        Originally Posted by Daniel LaRusso View Post

        How hard is this to do? The htaccess file thing sounds complicated, but this sounds a little bit easier to do. How long will users going to the old domain be bounced to the new domain name? Is it pretty much as long as each is hosted?

        I need to do this too!
        You can't do that through google, that has absolutely nothing to do with your other domain or any server files. Htaccess 301 redirect is very very very simple. Anyone can do it!
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        • Profile picture of the author Simon Lee
          Do the redirect, or if your really concerned - cause you only have 130+ posts which is not that big a deal anyway, you can choose to start with a clean slate. And start fresh! I know - this sounds like "work", but work we love, isn't really that bad is it? Good luck on whatever path you choose;-)
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      • Profile picture of the author Vcize
        Originally Posted by Daniel LaRusso View Post

        How hard is this to do? The htaccess file thing sounds complicated
        It's very, very easy. All you have to do is google 301 redirect, copy the 3 lines of code that it gives you (replacing example.com with your domain names) into your .htacess file, and upload it.

        That's it. It takes all of 3 minutes.
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  • Profile picture of the author twmaffun
    Originally Posted by laurencengirard View Post

    I started a health blog one month ago. I have around 130 posts. I hate my domain name. It's applebananacoconut.com. It sounded good at the time, but I want to change it to something like eatforgoodhealth.com. I have a bunch of incoming links, but don't mind losing them too much because this is a 10 year project for me that I plan to continue my whole life (I'm 19). Is there any way I can change the domain name without getting penalized for duplicate content?..... what's the best way to go about this, do you get the gist of what I'm trying to say? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
    Do not change the domain name. You can deal with the current domain to make the PR better for the keywords you are targeting.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    A 301 redirect will do the trick. Just move the site to the new domain and redirect the old domain to the new domain in your cpanel.
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    • Profile picture of the author RaptorGabe
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      A 301 redirect will do the trick. Just move the site to the new domain and redirect the old domain to the new domain in your cpanel.
      I won't repeat what everyone is saying sooooo yeah go get your domain name and do a 301 redirect. It works (but yes it's not as good as keeping the old domain active) and you can still keep your links at least.
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    • Profile picture of the author halmo
      Originally Posted by laurencengirard View Post

      thank you so much for the info
      You're welcome.

      Originally Posted by twmaffun View Post

      Do not change the domain name. You can deal with the current domain to make the PR better for the keywords you are targeting.
      The OP's site is only one month old. He is unhappy with the domain. It's much better to change it now than later when many people will know it. If he is unhappy with the domain now, he would probably be unhappy with it a year from now. So, changing it now will have little consequences, if any, and can build a following much better on a domain that has more appeal to his target market.

      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      A 301 redirect will do the trick. Just move the site to the new domain and redirect the old domain to the new domain in your cpanel.
      Yes, in my post I assumed that the 301 redirect is done in the hosting control panel (very simple) exactly as sbucciarel said, and do the "Change of Address" in Google Webmaster Tools for the sake of your content's credibility in Google search results. Basically you maintain control by telling Google that both domains belong to you, and telling them which one will have the content from now. If you wouldn't move your content to the new domain but would have it on both domains (wouldn't be a good idea), Google would decide by itself which site to rank, etc. I would do both 301 redirect and Webmaster Tools.

      Originally Posted by Daniel LaRusso View Post

      How hard is this to do? The htaccess file thing sounds complicated, but this sounds a little bit easier to do. How long will users going to the old domain be bounced to the new domain name? Is it pretty much as long as each is hosted?

      I need to do this too!
      User will get redirected to the new domain as long as you have the redirect in place, and you keep the old the domain.
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  • Profile picture of the author mandark
    Either redirect from your old site to your new one, or MOVE all the content from your old site to your new one (as in, delete it from the old site so you don't get hit for duplicate content).
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  • Profile picture of the author tritrain
    I have to do the same thing, only in my case it is from HTTPS to HTTP. I haven't yet been able to find a way to do it, including a 301 redirect.

    I will check into Webmaster Tools possibly being able to do it. ...that would be so nice...
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel LaRusso
    Thanks y'all! I think my site is new enough that I will just start fresh, and try to build traffic from scratch. Great advice as usual!
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrea Wilson
    The first domain you have is pretty interesting. But it is your plan to change it then no one should be able to stop you. its your choice that matters. Like what the other folks says just do a redirect right now and don't think about the rankings or whatever for a while because Im sure you'll regain that if you still post daily into your site.

    Andrea
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