Business guide
Changing your domain name: an SEO plan for a business rebrand
Plan an old-to-new domain move with relevant redirects, verified properties, business link updates and separate consideration of email.
A new business name and a new web address are separate decisions
A rebrand may justify a new domain, but changing it is a wider job than updating the logo. Existing search results, customer bookmarks, directory links, email signatures and advertising can all point to the old address. Start by confirming why the address needs to change and what will remain the same.
Keep a list of the changes happening together. A domain move, a platform replacement and a complete content rewrite can make problems difficult to isolate if launched as one untracked event. Where practical, stage major changes so each has a clear baseline and a manageable recovery plan.
Secure control of the old and new domains
Confirm the business can manage both domains, DNS and website hosting for the transition. Keep the old domain active so it can redirect visitors rather than letting an established address expire. Check the new address carefully in the context of the business name and existing accounts before printing it on vehicles or stationery.
Plan email separately. A new website address does not automatically create new mailboxes or aliases. Decide whether staff email addresses will change, how old addresses will continue receiving mail and who updates devices and business systems. Use a written account inventory so the rebrand does not disconnect working communications.
Map old pages to equivalent new pages
For each useful old URL, identify the equivalent new page and use a direct permanent server-side 301 or 308 redirect where appropriate. Google recommends keeping redirects as long as possible, generally at least one year; keeping useful customer-facing redirects longer can still help. Include important images and downloads rather than checking only the homepage.
Update internal links, canonical references and the sitemap to use the intended new addresses. Test common variations of the old domain and the pages customers actually use. The desired result is a direct move to the relevant replacement, rather than a chain of intermediate redirects or an unrelated homepage.
- Control
Retain access to both domains and their services.
- Map
Pair useful old URLs with the right new destinations.
- Redirect
Publish and test permanent page-to-page redirects.
- Update
Change site references, business links and applicable search settings.
Use Search Console appropriately and update external links
For an eligible domain or subdomain move, use Search Console’s Change of Address tool after implementing and testing redirects. You must be an owner of both properties using the same Google account. Verify the relevant old-domain variants, including applicable subdomains and www/non-www versions. It is not the tool for ordinary page-path, HTTP-to-HTTPS or www-only changes, and it does not replace redirects.
Update important business-controlled links such as your Business Profile website field, directory listings, social profiles and advertising destinations. Ask relevant partners to update links where practical. Customers should be able to recognise the business at the destination; a brief rebrand explanation may help when the old name is familiar.
Monitor both sides of the move
Keep a dated record of the switch and check old URLs as well as new ones. Compare search visibility across the relevant properties, review indexing errors and test enquiries on the new domain. Do not judge success solely by the new homepage appearing in a search.
Google processes moves over time and rankings can fluctuate; there is no universal completion date to promise a business owner. My website migration work can scope the domain move, redirect inventory and post-launch checks separately from email migration or rebranding design, so each responsibility is clear before the change.