Migrating your website from one domain to another can be daunting. To simplify this process, Google’s Change of Address tool helps you inform Google about the change and migrate your Google Search results from your old site to your new one. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through when and how to use this tool effectively, along with best practices for a smooth transition.
About the Change of Address Tool
The Change of Address tool is designed for use when you move your website from one domain or subdomain to another, such as from `example.com` to `example.org` or `example2.com`. This tool helps Google understand your change and ensures that your search results are properly redirected to the new domain.
When Not to Use This Tool:
- HTTP to HTTPS: For an HTTP to HTTPS move, follow guidelines for site moves with URL changes, but do not use this tool; Google will recognize the changes automatically.
- Moving Pages Within a Site: For moving pages from one location to another within your site (e.g., `example.com/oldpath/` to `example.com/newpath/`), add redirects and update your sitemaps. However, you can use this tool to migrate a site from one domain to a path within another domain (e.g., `example.com` to `example3.com/new/location/`).
- WWW to Non-WWW: For moves between `www` and non-`www` within the same domain (e.g., `www.example.com` to `example.com`), use canonical tags and redirects instead.
- No URL Changes: When moving a site without visible URL changes (e.g., changing hosting providers or CDNs), follow the guidelines for moving a site with no URL changes.
Best Practices for a Site Move
To ensure a smooth transition, follow these best practices:
- Avoid Chaining Site Moves: If you redirect traffic from site A to site B, do not immediately submit another change from site B to site C.
- Single-location moves: Avoid moving multiple sites to a single location simultaneously. Move them one at a time and wait for traffic to stabilize before proceeding.
- Separate Subdomain Moves: Migrate subdomains (e.g., `m.A.com` to `m.C.com`) separately from domain-level properties.
- Maintain Site Architecture: Keeping the same site architecture in the new location helps Google pass signals more directly. Combining a site move with a redesign may lead to traffic loss as Google reassesses your pages.
Step 1: Pre-work
Before using the Change of Address tool, complete the following steps:
- Implement 301 Redirects: Redirect your old homepage to your new homepage and implement 301 redirects for canonical pages on your old site.
- Review Site Move Recommendations: Familiarize yourself with the recommendations for site moves and the step-by-step guide for moving a site with URL changes.
- Perform Pre-Move Actions: Follow all pre-move actions described in the guidelines for moving a site with URL changes.
Step 2: Using the Change of Address Tool
Once you’ve completed the pre-work, use the Change of Address tool by following these steps:
- Verify Ownership: Ensure you own both the old and new properties in the Search Console and manage them using the same Google account.
- Domain-Level Properties: The tool can only be used for domain-level properties (e.g., `example.com`, `m.example.com`).
- Follow Instructions: Open the Change of Address tool in the domain-level property and follow the instructions. The tool will run pre-move checks and prompt you to fix any critical issues.
- Monitor and Maintain Redirects: Monitor your traffic as indicated in the site move guidelines. To prevent misuse, maintain the redirects for at least 180 days and continue paying for the old domain for a year.
What Happens When You Run the Tool?
When you submit a change of address request:
- Google prioritizes crawling and indexing your new site over the old one.
- Various signals from the old site are forwarded to the new site.
- Google prefers the new site when determining canonical pages.
These actions continue for 180 days after the migration starts. If old site URLs do not have equivalents on the new site, they may still appear in search results.
Canceling a Change of Address Request
You can cancel a change of address request within 180 days by:
- Removing 301 redirect directives from your server.
- Adding 301 redirects from the new site back to the old site.
- Using the Change of Address tool to cancel the move for each old site.
“Other Sites Moving to This Site“
If you see a notification in the Search Console that other sites are moving to this site, it means another property owner has indicated a move to your site. As the migration progresses, traffic from the old site(s) will be redirected to your site.
By following this guide, you can effectively use the Change of Address tool to ensure a smooth transition of your website to a new domain. This will help maintain your search engine visibility and minimize traffic loss during the move.
