Scottsdale Web Design – Will Changing Domains Affect Search Engine Rankings?
Most probably, you may not believe that domain names and SEO are connected. I know what you are thinking. You will ask yourself how these 2 terms are actually connected. To be honest, they are closely related more than you expected. Whether you own a book blog or online retail shop, everyone strives to be popular online and get enough following for your brand.
To do this, web admins try their best to formulate ways in getting traffic to the site, increase online visibility, and enhance brand awareness. During this stage of your journey, you might find the need to strengthen your presence online. One way to do is to revamp your own virtual space and rename your domain.
What will happen when you change domain names?
Sadly, when you decide to change domain names, it could also change current rankings. You see, search engines like Google decide on the website rankings using different metrics. These metrics can be…
- domain level metrics,
- page level metrics
If you decide to have name change for whatever reason, you are actually setting the domain level metric back to its default state. Basically, you are resetting the values back to zero. However, it’s not too late if you decide to do so. You can still reduce the negative effects of changing the domain name.
In this blog post, I will discuss the 4 various reasons why websites undergo a name change and the effects of switching domain names to your business. Also, I will list some tips for you to properly move from your old domain to your new name.
The reason in changing domain names
Honestly, website owners avoid changing names as much as possible. However, in some situations, a name change is needed, and web admins need to transfer to a new domain name. Below, I will some of the common reasons why websites need to change domain names.
- The owner dislikes the current domain name.
The most common reason would be the owner just doesn’t like the name. It is not something that suits the owner’s taste or preference. Really, the reason could be as simple as that.
- The current domain name is not performing as expected.
Next, the domain name failed to generate the needed traffic and clicks from its target audience. Of course, the web admins need to cope and find ways to perform well online.
- The owner switched to another business.
Like any physical stores, online stores get rebranded. It could be that the owners switched to another business, or switched to another industry. For example, you can’t use the name pillows if you are NOT selling pillows anymore.
- The owner wants a better domain name.
For instance, Facebook started out as the TheFacebook.com. Then, it switched to Facebook.com. However, Mark Zuckerberg was not contented with having an 8-letter domain name. He purchased an even higher domain name.
On November 15, 2010, Facebook successfully acquired the top-level domain: FB.com. What’s the price for this most coveted name? According to a report, Facebook paid an astonishing $ 8.5 million for this 2-letter domain name.
Next: What Are the Difficulties in Changing Domain Names?