Ultimate Guide to Changing Your WordPress Domain Name | Change WordPress Domain Name

Do you Want to Change WordPress Domain Name? Changing your WordPress domain name can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re rebranding, switching to a more relevant name, or simply seeking a fresh start, this ultimate guide will walk you through the process step-by-step. A clear plan and careful execution are crucial for a smooth transition that minimizes disruptions to your website’s traffic and user experience.

From creating backups to updating your settings and notifying your audience, each detail matters. In this guide, we’ll provide you with expert tips and best practices to ensure that your website remains fully functional and your SEO rankings stay intact during the switch. Prepare to take control of your digital identity and embark on a seamless journey to your new domain!

Understanding the Importance of Domain Name Changes

Changing your WordPress domain name is a significant decision that can have far-reaching implications for your website. A domain name is more than just an address; it is a key component of your brand identity and online presence. Whether you are rebranding your business, targeting a new market, or simply seeking a more memorable or relevant domain, the reasons behind a domain name change should be carefully considered. A well-thought-out domain change can enhance your brand recognition, improve user experience, and boost your website’s SEO performance.

Rebranding is one of the most common reasons for changing a domain name. As businesses evolve, their branding strategies may also change, necessitating a new domain name that better reflects their current identity and goals. For example, a company that started as a local business may expand internationally and require a domain name that resonates with a global audience. Similarly, startups often begin with domain names that are readily available, but as they grow, they may find it beneficial to invest in a more professional and brand-aligned domain.

Another important factor to consider is the impact of your domain name on SEO. Search engines use domain names as a key indicator of a website’s relevance and authority. A well-chosen domain name can improve your search engine rankings and drive more organic traffic to your site. Conversely, an outdated or poorly chosen domain name can hinder your SEO efforts. Ensuring that your new domain is optimized for your target keywords and audience is crucial for maintaining and improving your search engine visibility.

Actions to take before Change WordPress Domain

Disable Any Redirection Plugin or WordPress Security Plugin or WordPress Login URL Change Plugin for Collision Prevention

Before proceeding with a domain change, it is crucial to ensure that no plugins conflict with the process. Conflicts can cause redirection loops or prevent your site from loading correctly. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
3. Look for any plugins that handle redirection, Change WordPress login URL, or enforce security-related URL changes or WordPress Security Plugins.
4. Deactivate these plugins temporarily. Examples include plugins like Redirection, iThemes Security, or WPS Hide Login.

Once the domain change is complete, you can re-enable these plugins after testing their compatibility with the new domain.

Clear the cache and disable cache plugins to ensure a smooth WordPress domain change process.

Clearing the cache and disabling cache plugins is an important step after changing your WordPress domain. Cache plugins store static versions of your website to improve load times, but they can cause issues by serving outdated content. By clearing the cache and disabling any active cache plugins (WP ROCKET, LITESPEED and etc ), you ensure that your site visitors always see the most current version of your website, reflecting the changes you’ve made. Make sure to disable the cache plugins temporarily to avoid conflicts and enable proper redirection and URL updates.

Backup Your Website, Buy a New Domain, and Have the Old Domain and New Domain at the Same Time

Changing your domain is a significant step, and a full backup ensures you can restore your website if something goes wrong. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Backup Your Website:
   • Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus, All-in-One WP Migration, or BackupBuddy to create a complete backup of your website.
   • Include both files and the database in your backup.
   • Store the backup on a secure location like your local computer or a cloud storage service (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox).
2. Buy a New Domain:
   • Purchase your new domain from a trusted registrar such as Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains.
   • Ensure the new domain is unique and relevant to your brand.
3. Keep Both Domains Active:
   • During the transition, both the old and new domains should be functional to avoid downtime or broken links.
   • This ensures that users accessing the old domain are redirected properly once the migration is complete.

Preparing for Your Domain Name Change

Preparation is key to a successful domain name change. Before you embark on this journey, it is essential to have a clear plan and take several preparatory steps. The first step is to choose a new domain name that aligns with your brand and business goals. Consider factors such as simplicity, memorability, and relevance to your industry. Conduct thorough research to ensure that the domain name is available and not already in use by another entity. It is also wise to check for potential trademark issues to avoid any legal complications down the line.

Once you have selected your new domain name, the next step is to create a comprehensive backup of your website. This includes backing up all files, databases, and configurations. Having a complete backup ensures that you can restore your website to its original state in case anything goes wrong during the domain change process. Most hosting providers offer backup solutions, but it is also a good practice to create a manual backup using tools like cPanel or WordPress plugins such as UpdraftPlus.

Additionally, inform your team and stakeholders about the upcoming domain change. Communication is vital to ensure that everyone involved is aware of the process and their respective roles. This includes developers, SEO specialists, content creators, and customer support teams. Clear communication helps in coordinating efforts and minimizing disruptions. It is also a good idea to create a timeline for the domain change, outlining key milestones and deadlines. This timeline will serve as a roadmap and keep the process on track.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Changing Your Domain Name

Changing your WordPress domain name involves several technical steps that must be carefully followed to ensure a smooth transition. Here are the detailed steps you need to take:

1. Register Your New Domain: The first step is to register your new domain name with a reputable domain registrar. Ensure that the domain registration includes privacy protection to safeguard your personal information.
2. Update DNS Settings: Once your new domain is registered, you need to update the Domain Name System (DNS) settings to point to your hosting provider. This involves changing the nameservers to those provided by your hosting provider. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, so plan accordingly.
3. Add New Domain to Hosting Account: Log in to your hosting account and add the new domain to your hosting plan. This typically involves creating a new addon domain or updating the primary domain if you are replacing the old domain entirely.
4. Wait for Propagation: DNS changes may take 24-48 hours to propagate worldwide, although it often happens much faster (com domain usually take 10 minutes to change, domestic domains may take 24-48 hours ).

Reset .htaccess to WordPress Default to Prevent Collisions

The .htaccess file controls many aspects of how your site behaves, including redirections. Resetting it ensures a clean slate. Here’s how:

1. Access your site’s root directory via FTP or a file manager in your hosting panel.
2. Locate the .htaccess file. If you can’t see it, enable the option to view hidden files.
3. Replace the existing content with the default WordPress .htaccess code:

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

1. Save the file and upload it back to the server if necessary.

Change wp_options Table Value of “home” and “siteurl” to New URL

The wp_options table in your database stores critical site information, including the domain. To update it:

1. Log in to your hosting control panel and open phpMyAdmin.
2. Select your WordPress database.
3. Locate the wp_options table (or a similarly named table if you changed the prefix).
4. Edit the home and siteurl rows:
   • Replace the old domain with the new domain  (e.g.,if you have ssl on your website replace  https://olddomain.com with https://newdomain.com or for non https websites http://olddomain.com with http://newdomain.com).
5. Save the changes.

Add WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL to wp-config.php

Adding the domain information to the wp-config.php file provides an additional layer of consistency. Follow these steps:

• Access your site’s root directory using an FTP client or file manager.
• Open the wp-config.php file for editing.
• Add or Update the following lines, replacing https://newdomain.com with your new domain
  if you have ssl on your website add

define('WP_HOME','https://newdomain.com');

define('WP_SITEURL','https://newdomain.com');

if you dont have ssl on your website add :
define('WP_HOME','http://newdomain.com');


define('WP_SITEURL','http://newdomain.com');

• Save the file and upload it back to the server if necessary.

Updating Internal Links and Media

Once the above steps are completed, visit your website using the new domain. Log in to the WordPress admin dashboard by navigating to http://newdomain.com/wp-admin. to do further changes to continue “Change WordPress Domain” Process.

Install Better Search Replace Plugin and Replace Old Domain

To ensure all references to the old domain are replaced, use the Better Search Replace plugin:

1. Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Search for “Better Search Replace” and install it.
3. Go to Tools > Better Search Replace.
4. Enter your old domain (e.g., olddomain.com) in the “Search for” field.
5. Enter your new domain (e.g., newdomain.com) in the “Replace with” field.
6. Select all tables to search and replace.
7. Check “case insensitive” and “Replace GUID”
8. Uncheck “Run as Dry” to apply the changes.
9. Run the search and replace operation.

Actions to Take After Successfully Changing Your WordPress Domain

Redirecting Your Old Domain to the New One

Redirecting your old domain to the new domain is a critical step to ensure that visitors and search engines can find your website. A 301 redirect is the best method for this purpose, as it permanently redirects traffic from the old domain to the new domain and passes on the SEO value. Here are the steps to set up a 301 redirect:

1. Access Your .htaccess File: Connect to your website via FTP or a file manager and locate the .htaccess file in the root directory of your old domain.
2. Add Redirect Code: Add the following lines to your .htaccess file, replacing com with your new domain name:

“`apache

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^olddomain\.com$ [OR]

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.olddomain\.com$

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://newdomain.com/$1 [R=301,L]

“`

3. Save and Test: Save the changes to your .htaccess file and test the redirect. Visit your old domain and verify that you are automatically redirected to the new domain.

Setting up a 301 redirect ensures that users and search engines are seamlessly directed to your new domain, preserving your website’s traffic and SEO rankings. It is also important to update any external links and backlinks pointing to your old domain. Reach out to website owners and ask them to update their links to your new domain. This helps in maintaining your link equity and improving your search engine rankings.

Reset your SEO plugins Settings

Open your SEO plugin settings and reset the values to ensure they align with your new website’s SEO structure and guidelines.

Change Your URL to New Domain in Google Search Console

Monitoring Your Website’s Performance Post-Change

After changing your domain name, it is important to monitor your website’s performance to ensure that everything is functioning correctly. Here are the steps to monitor your website’s performance:

1. Google Analytics: Update your Google Analytics settings to reflect the new domain name. This includes updating the property settings and tracking code. Monitor your website’s traffic and user behavior to identify any issues or changes in performance.
2. Search Engine Rankings: Use tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs to monitor your search engine rankings. Keep an eye on your keyword rankings and organic traffic to ensure that your SEO performance is not negatively affected.
3. Website Speed and Uptime: Use tools like Pingdom and GTmetrix to monitor your website’s speed and uptime. Ensure that your website is loading quickly and is accessible to users.
4. User Feedback: Reach out to your users and ask for feedback on their experience with the new domain. This helps in identifying any issues that may have been missed and ensures that your users are satisfied with the transition.

Monitoring your website’s performance post-change is crucial for ensuring that everything is functioning correctly and that your users are having a positive experience. It helps in identifying and addressing any issues that may arise during the transition.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting Tips on Changing WordPress Domain Name

Changing WordPress domain name can sometimes result in unexpected issues. Here are some common issues and troubleshooting tips:

5. Broken Links: Use a plugin like Broken Link Checker to scan your website for any broken links. This plugin helps you identify and fix any links that may have been missed during the domain change process.
6. Mixed Content Issues: If you are using HTTPS, ensure that all URLs are updated to HTTPS to avoid mixed content issues. Use a plugin like Really Simple SSL to automatically update URLs to HTTPS and make “changing WordPress domain name” process easier for you.
7. SEO Performance: Monitor your search engine rankings and organic traffic to ensure that your SEO performance is not negatively affected. Use tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs to monitor your keyword rankings and organic traffic.
8. Redirect Loops: Ensure that your 301 redirects are correctly set up to avoid redirect loops. Check your .htaccess file for any incorrect or conflicting rules.
9. Email Issues: If you are using email addresses associated with your old domain, ensure that they are updated to reflect the new domain. Update your email settings and notify your contacts about the change.

By addressing these common issues and following the troubleshooting tips, you can ensure a smooth transition to your new domain and minimize any disruptions to your website’s performance.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Domain Name Changes

Changing WordPress domain name is a significant decision that requires careful planning and execution. By following the step-by-step instructions and best practices outlined in this guide, you can ensure a smooth transition that minimizes disruptions to your website’s traffic and user experience. From preparing for the domain change to updating your settings, redirecting your old domain, and informing search engines, each step is crucial for maintaining your website’s functionality and SEO performance.

Remember that communication and monitoring are key to a successful domain change. Keep your team and stakeholders informed, and continuously monitor your website’s performance to identify and address any issues that arise. Changing your domain name is an opportunity to enhance your brand identity and improve your online presence. With the right approach and careful execution, you can take control of your digital identity and embark on a seamless journey to your new domain.