How To Migrate WordPress Site To New Domain (& Keep SEO)

Over 90% of website owners cause a complete mess the first time they try to migrate WordPress site to new domain.

They:

• Lose SEO rankings and disappear from search results.
• Face traffic drops and watch their online sales collapse.
• End up with broken links that cause poor user experience and hurt SEO.
• Cause website downtime and make their company look unprofessional.

If you’re wondering how to transfer WordPress site to new domain? You’re probably also not ready to execute the process without making costly mistakes, yet…

Moving WordPress site to a new domain is a delicate process. And years of hard work are on the line.

As the owner of the SEO agency in Chicago, I’ve helped hundreds of businesses transfer WordPress to another domain. Unfortunately, many come to us after a migration went wrong – usually because they skipped critical steps.

I’ve prepared an 8-step framework that will allow you to move your WordPress site to a new domain stress-free and:

• Preserve your search engine rankings long-term.
• Ensure all your data remains safe.
• Keep your website running during the transfer process.
• Fix common issues after the migration and learn how to monitor the impact.

Table of Contents:

• Why Do Most Businesses Fail To Move WordPress Site To New Domain Without Causing A Complete Mess?
• 7 Steps To Transfer WordPress Site To New Domain (Without Losing SEO)
  • 1. Back-Up Your Existing WordPress Website
  • 2. Prepare Your New Domain Before Performing A Migration
  • 3. Set Up Your New Database
  • 4. Transfer Files To Your New Domain
  • 5. Set Up Redirects To Keep Traffic After You Move WP Site To New Domain
  • 6. Fix Broken Links (Pointing To Your Old Domain)
  • 7. Check Your WordPress Website To Confirm A 100% Successful Migration
  • 8. Inform Search Engines About Your WordPress Site Transfer
• Looking For Professionals To Migrate Your WordPress Site To Another Domain?

Why Do Most Businesses Fail To Move WordPress Site To New Domain Without Causing A Complete Mess?

Rebranding, upgrading to a more memorable domain, expanding into new markets…

These can be exciting moments for your company.

However, none of those are strong enough reasons to rush the migration process and start it before gaining full clarity.

Many businesses start migration without taking the time to plan things out properly.

Outcome? They forget critical steps or perform them in the wrong order, leading to:

• Data loss.
• Improper redirects.
• Links still pointing to the old domain.
• A significant drop in rankings if you don’t inform Google about changes on time.

And to make things worse, some companies make a second sin of WordPress migration… They try to do too much at once.

If you change the web design, alter the URL structure, and switch to a new domain all at the same time? Google gets confused, and you lose rankings.

Rushing and trying to do too much at once are the quickest ways to turn an exciting change into a complete mess.

And it can be difficult to recover from a poorly executed transfer to new domain.

If you’re not 100% confident in what you’re doing, don’t attempt to migrate WordPress to new domain (unless you don’t care about the consequences).

7 Steps To Transfer WordPress Site To New Domain (Without Losing SEO)

The best way to migrate a WordPress site to a new domain is to break the process down into phrases.

Alpha Efficiency has been using this 8-step formula for over 15 years, with a 99.78% success rate (on 150+ projects).

If you follow each step, you’ll learn how to move a WordPress site to another domain with minimum risks.

1. Back-Up Your Existing WordPress Website

Any attempt to migrate WordPress site to another domain involves risks.

Even if you’re 100% confident in your website content migration skills, backing up website files should be the first thing you do.

This way, you protect yourself from data loss. If things go wrong, you’ll be able to recover quickly.

There are three popular ways to backup your website:

• Using a backup plugin: One of the easiest ways to back up your website files is with plugins like WP Updraft Plus. However, I only recommend using plugins as a short-term solution and if you cannot perform other backup methods.
• FTP backup: I usually recommend this method to clients, as it gives you more control. You can manually back up your website by downloading all files through FTP (using a tool like FileZilla). You’ll also need to export your database through phpMyAdmin to ensure a complete backup.
• Backup through hosting provider: Many WordPress hosting providers offer automatic backup options. Check with your provider to see if you can create and download a full backup directly from your hosting dashboard.

No matter which method you choose, always double-check that your backup is complete before proceeding with the migration.

2. Prepare Your New Domain Before Performing A Migration

To transfer WordPress website to new domain, you’ll need to purchase the domain first. You can buy a domain through popular registrars like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains.

Once you’ve secured your new domain, it’s important to verify ownership.

Usually, you’ll receive an email with instructions from the domain registrar you choose. They’ll usually ask you to add specific DNS records (TXT, CNAME) to your domain settings.

Next, sign up for Google Search Console and add your new domain. Google will provide a verification code, which you must add either through your DNS settings or upload an HTML file to your website. Once you do this, Google will verify your domain ownership.

3. Set Up Your New Database

Before you migrate WordPress site to new domain, you’ll need to set up a new SQL database.

This is where all of your site’s data (such as blog posts, pages, comments, and settings) will be stored once you transfer it.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Log into your hosting account: Head to your hosting provider’s control panel (such as cPanel or Plesk) and locate the MySQL Databases section.
2. Create a new database: In the database management area, create a new database. Give it a recognizable and easy-to-track name.
3. Create a database user: Next, you’ll need to create a user for the new database. Assign a username and password, then make sure to grant full permissions to this user to manage the database.
4. Save your credentials: Write down your database name, username, and password. You’ll need this information when transferring your website later in the migration process.

With your new SQL database set up, you’re now ready for the next steps in the migration.

4. Transfer Files To Your New Domain

With your new domain and database ready, the next step is to transfer your WordPress files and database to the new domain.

This is done through phpMyAdmin and an FTP client.

Here’s how:

Export Your Current Database

1. Log into your hosting control panel (cPanel or similar) for your current domain.
2. Go to phpMyAdmin and select the database associated with your WordPress site.
3. Click on the Export tab at the top. Choose the Quick Export method and set the format to SQL.
4. Click Go to download the database file to your computer.

Transfer Your WordPress Files

1. Connect to your old domain using an FTP client. Download all the WordPress files from the root directory (this includes the wp-content folder, themes, plugins, and core WordPress files).
2. Now, connect to your new domain using FTP. Upload all the WordPress files you just downloaded into the root directory of your new domain.

Import Your Database to the New Domain

1. Log into your new hosting account and go to phpMyAdmin.
2. Select the new database you created in Step 3.
3. Click the Import tab at the top, then choose the SQL file you exported earlier from your old domain.
4. Click Go, and phpMyAdmin will import all the data into your new database.

Update wp-config.php

1. In your new domain’s root directory, find the wp-config.php file.
2. Open the file and update the database details (DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD) to match the new database credentials you created in Step 3.
3. Save and upload the updated wp-config.php file to your new domain via FTP.

Your WordPress site is now ready to run on the new domain.

But there are still crucial steps you must complete to move WordPress site to new domain without losing SEO.

5. Set Up Redirects To Keep Traffic After You Move WP Site To New Domain

After migrating your WordPress site to a new domain, one crucial step remains: setting up 301 redirects.

If your old domain is still live but not pointing to your new domain, visitors and search engines will keep trying to access the old domain. This leads to 404 errors and broken user experiences, and it’s terrible for SEO.

301 redirects tell browsers and search engines that your site has moved permanently. When someone types your old domain or clicks a link pointing to the old URL, they’ll automatically land on your new domain instead of a 404 page.

There are two ways to set up 301 redirects:

Option 1: Using a Plugin

If you prefer an easy, non-technical solution, a redirect plugin is your best option. Here’s how to do it:

1. Install a plugin like Redirection on your WordPress dashboard.
2. Open the plugin settings and add your old URLs, pointing them to the corresponding new URLs on your new domain.
3. The plugin will handle the redirect, ensuring visitors and search engines are sent to your new domain automatically.

Option 2: Manually Set Up 301 Redirects via .htaccess

If you have light coding skills, you can manually set up 301 redirects by editing your .htaccess file.

I usually recommend this method, as it gives you more control.

Here’s how to manually set up 301 redirects after you migrate WordPress site to new domain:

1. Connect to your old domain’s server using an FTP client.
2. In the root directory of your old site, locate the .htaccess file (if you can’t see it, make sure hidden files are enabled in your FTP client).
3. Open the .htaccess file and add the following code:
   
   #Options +FollowSymLinks
   RewriteEngine on
   Unchanged: RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.new-domain.com/$1 [R=301,L]
4.  Replace “new-domain.com” with your new domain.
5. Save the file and upload it back to your server.

6. Fix Broken Links (Pointing To Your Old Domain)

Next, it’s crucial to fix all internal links that still point to the old domain.

If you skip this step, search engines might struggle to crawl your new site properly.

By fixing broken links, you will keep your site’s structure intact and maintain the flow of link equity.

One of the easiest ways to identify and fix broken internal links is by using a plugin like Better Search Replace.

However, you can also update all your links manually. If your site is big, or you’ve tried to transfer WordPress blog to new domain, there’s a risk that you might fail to spot all broken links.

7. Check Your WordPress Website To Confirm A 100% Successful Migration

Do a thorough check to ensure everything is working as it should.

Here’s how:

• Check internal links: Start by clicking through the internal links across your site. Make sure that every link points to the correct page on your new domain and doesn’t lead to 404 errors. As a Chicago WordPress developer, I usually use Semrush to crawl a site and spot any links I missed fixing.
• Verify images and media: Look through your pages and posts to confirm that all images, videos, and other media files are displaying correctly. If any media is missing or broken, it could mean that the files weren’t properly transferred, and you’ll need to re-upload them.
• Test forms and interactive features: Ensure that any forms (such as contact forms or lead capture forms) are functioning correctly. This includes testing submission processes, confirmation emails, and integrations with any third-party services.
• Review content: Make sure text, formatting, and layout appear as expected.

8. Inform Search Engines About Your WordPress Site Transfer

After you’re 100% sure that you successfully moved your WordPress site to a new domain, it’s time to inform search engines about the change.

This ensures that your new domain is recognized and indexed correctly and that your SEO rankings remain intact.

Here’s how to do it:

Submit Your New Domain to Google Search Console

Google Search Console is your direct line to Google, so it’s essential to notify them of your domain change:

• Add your new domain to Google Search Console if you haven’t already.
• Go to the Change of Address tool in your account settings. This will allow you to officially inform Google that your site has moved to a new domain.
• Google will process this information and start indexing your new domain, ensuring your search rankings remain stable.

Inform Other Search Engines

While Google is the largest search engine, don’t forget about others like Bing and Yahoo. You can submit your new domain to their webmaster tools (such as Bing Webmaster Tools) to ensure they also register the domain change.

Update Your XML Sitemaps

Your XML sitemap shows search engines how your site is structured. After your migration:

• Update your XML sitemap to reflect the new domain.
• Make sure all links within the sitemap point to your new URLs, not the old domain.
• Once updated, resubmit your sitemap to Google Search Console and any other search engine tools you’re using.

Monitor Crawl Errors & Performance

After submitting your new domain, keep an eye on your crawl reports in Google Search Console. These reports will help you catch any issues related to redirects, broken links, or indexing problems that could affect your site’s visibility.

Also, take advantage of Google Analytics 4 benefits and monitor your website’s performance in the upcoming weeks.

Looking For Professionals To Migrate Your WordPress Site To Another Domain?

Don’t want to leave anything to chance when it comes to your WordPress migration?

At Alpha Efficiency, we’ve successfully completed 150+ WordPress migrations. My team and I can help you secure a stress-free process of moving your WordPress site to another domain.

You can expect:

• 100% protection for your SEO results – without any ranking drops.
• Multi-level backups to eliminate risks of data loss.
• Custom process tailored to your unique website structure
• Zero downtime, so your website stays live throughout the entire migration.
• No broken links or messy redirects.

Book a consultation, and we’ll assess your website and find the friction-free path to migrate it to your desired domain.