Deutsch Deutsch English English

Domain Migrations

Introduction

Domain migrations are among the most critical SEO measures and require careful planning and technical implementation. A faulty domain migration can lead to massive ranking losses and traffic drops. This guide shows you step by step how to perform a SEO-optimized domain migration.

What is a Domain Migration?

A domain migration refers to the change from one domain to another, while the content and structure of the website largely remain intact. This can have various reasons:

  • Rebranding - New brand requires new domain
  • Better Domain - Shorter, more memorable URL
  • Technical Reasons - Server change, hosting provider change
  • Legal Aspects - Domain conflicts, trademark rights

Types of Domain Migrations

1. Complete Domain Migration

Complete migration of all content from old to new domain.

2. Partial Domain Migration

Only certain areas or subpages are migrated.

3. Subdomain-to-Domain Migration

Change from subdomain.example.com to example.com.

4. HTTP to HTTPS Migration

Technically also a domain migration, as the URL structure changes.

Technical Preparation

Create URL Mapping

Create a complete list of all URLs from the old domain:

Old URL
New URL
Status Code
Priority
https://olddomain.com/
https://newdomain.com/
301
High
https://olddomain.com/products/
https://newdomain.com/products/
301
High
https://olddomain.com/blog/article-1
https://newdomain.com/blog/article-1
301
Medium
https://olddomain.com/outdated-page
https://newdomain.com/
301
Low

Implement 301 Redirects

301 redirects are the heart of a successful domain migration:

Apache (.htaccess):

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^olddomain\.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://newdomain.com/$1 [R=301,L]

Nginx:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name olddomain.com;
    return 301 https://newdomain.com$request_uri;
}

Google Search Console Setup

1. Add Both Properties

  • Add old domain as property
  • Add new domain as property
  • Verify both

2. Use Change of Address Tool

The Change of Address Tool in Google Search Console informs Google about the domain migration:

  1. In the old property: "Settings" → "Change of Address"
  2. Select new domain
  3. Confirm redirects
  4. Activate tool

3. Update Sitemaps

  • Create new sitemap for new domain
  • Remove old sitemap
  • Submit new sitemap in GSC

Content Migration Checklist

Before Migration

  • [ ] Create complete backup of old website
  • [ ] Document URL mapping
  • [ ] Test 301 redirects
  • [ ] Prepare Google Search Console properties
  • [ ] Update analytics tracking
  • [ ] Check internal links

During Migration

  • [ ] Perform DNS change
  • [ ] Activate 301 redirects
  • [ ] Activate Change of Address Tool
  • [ ] Submit new sitemap
  • [ ] Perform technical tests

After Migration

  • [ ] Verify redirects
  • [ ] Check crawl errors in GSC
  • [ ] Monitor rankings
  • [ ] Analyze traffic development
  • [ ] Update backlinks

Avoid Common Mistakes

1. Missing 301 Redirects

Problem: Old URLs lead to 404 errors

Solution: Complete URL mapping and 301 redirects

2. Wrong Canonical Tags

Problem: Canonical tags point to old domain

Solution: Update all canonical tags to new domain

3. Internal Links Not Updated

Problem: Internal links point to old domain

Solution: Automated search and replace of all internal links

4. Analytics Tracking Forgotten

Problem: Tracking code points to old domain

Solution: Update Google Analytics and other tracking tools

Monitoring and Optimization

Important KPIs to Monitor

  • Organic Traffic - Development after migration
  • Keyword Rankings - Losses and gains
  • Crawl Errors - Technical problems
  • Backlink Profile - Lost and new links
  • Conversion Rate - Impact on conversions

Recovery Timeline

  • Week 1-2: Fix technical problems
  • Week 3-4: First ranking improvements
  • Month 2-3: Full recovery expected
  • Month 6+: Optimization and improvement

Tools for Domain Migrations

SEO Tools

  • Screaming Frog - URL mapping and crawling
  • Ahrefs - Backlink monitoring
  • SEMrush - Ranking tracking
  • Google Search Console - Technical monitoring

Technical Tools

  • Redirect Checker - Test redirects
  • DNS Checker - Monitor DNS propagation
  • PageSpeed Insights - Performance after migration

Best Practices

1. Use Staging Environment

Test all changes before live migration in a staging environment.

2. Phased Migration

For large websites: perform migration in phases.

3. Communication

Inform users and partners about the domain migration.

4. Documentation

Keep detailed records of all measures taken.

Related Topics

Last Update: