Can I change the domain name of my website?

Yes, you can change the domain name of your website anytime. However, it comes with some repercussions that should not be overlooked.  

Nonetheless, how you change your website’s domain name varies depending on your website hosting service and whether you want to link your old domain to your new one.

Here are some of how you can change your website’s domain name. 

How to change the domain name of your website 

1. Replace a domain name with a new one 

This is the most convenient way of changing your domain name and redirecting it to a new one. Thus, you ensure that there is no loss of data or traffic in the process. However, you will need to make all the necessary changes to your website’s code so that your new website now appears under the new domain.  

In case you maintain your website at Top.Host, you can contact our Customer Support team to help you with the domain change on your existing site.  

2. Redirect a new domain to the old one 

Do you want a new name for your business but still want to keep your existing website?  

You may find a new name for your business, register your new domain name, and then redirect it to your existing website. So, unlike the previous case, visitors to your new website are now redirected to your old one. In this way, you will link your new brand to your existing website.  

This is possible through a forwarding service, which is better to support URL masking so that the new domain appears in your site address. 

If you are a Top.Host’s customer and you need some help with this, feel free to contact our Customer Support team.  

3. Buy a new domain and build a website from scratch 

If you do not want to associate your new domain with your existing website, you better create a new website from scratch. It will allow you to start afresh without associating your new brand name with your old one. Also, this is useful when your old brand name is tarnished, and you want to build things from scratch without being related to your old business. 

Do you want a new domain name? Visit Top.Host and find a new name for your site!

Should I change the domain name of my website? 

Before going forward with the desire to change your website’s domain name, you should ponder the reasons for the change and the possible impact on your brand image.  

To help you out, here is: 

When you should not change the domain name of your website

1. You already have a well-established brand name 

It is easy to change the domain name in the early stages of brand building. The better your website has a hold over your online presence, the more complicated it will be to redirect from an old domain to a new domain. 

2. You do not want to drop your SEO rankings 

There is a lot at stake when changing from an old to a new domain name regarding your SEO rankings. Your SEO rankings can drop drastically even if you successfully redirect content and traffic from an old to a new domain. The backlinks, authority links, and external links are negatively affected, which can also impact the organic traffic on your website. 

3. Your old domain is currently under contractual and trademark issues 

You should not change the domain name if your current domain name is under legal scrutiny and disputes, and this will lead to more legal complications. 

4. Your website is currently undergoing a breakthrough 

You definitely should not change the domain name if your current website is performing well and responding well to the latest online marketing campaigns. Your website is crucial for maintaining your online presence, and a mere change in domain name can disrupt the traffic it is gathering. 

5. You do not want the change to impact the user experience of the customers 

No doubt, a change in domain name comes with the added responsibility of making the change as seamless as possible for your users as well. For this, you will have to set up 301 redirects, avoid 404 pages, update your email address, and notify your users and other stakeholders of the change to avoid confusion. 

6. You cannot find a suitable domain name that matches your brand identity 

It’s even more difficult to find a suitable domain name now than a few years ago. All popular domain names have already been taken, and the one you have in mind may not be available. 

At Top.Host you can search your ideal domain name and choose among dozens of extensions.

When you should change the domain name of your website

1. Your current domain name no longer matches your business goal 

2. Your business website is relocating to another country 

3. Your current domain name is not gathering enough traffic 

4. Your dream domain name is available 

5. Your business website is new and isn’t on top of search engine results 

All these reasons are viable for domain name changes. Under such circumstances, there is not a lot at stake, even if you choose to redirect your domain name or start a new website from scratch. 

What should you do before a domain name change? 

If you have finally decided to change your website domain name, here are some of the preparatory steps to follow: 

1. Back up all your data before migrating from the old domain name to the new domain name. 

2. Notify your users, clients, and other stakeholders of the change after successful migration to a new domain name. 

3. Notify search engines like Google and update your site address using the Google Change Your Address Tool. You also need to update Google Analytics and Google Search Console. 

4. Keep your old domain name active for a while until your new domain name starts showing some positive signs. 

So, to conclude, yes, you can change your website’s domain name. You just must be aware of the entire process.