Quick Help Needed: Domain Transfer and SEO for New WordPress Site

Hello @notabeginnerbutnotanexperteither,

Congratulations on taking on this exciting project! It sounds like you’re ready to rebuild the company’s website on WordPress while keeping the existing domain and preserving SEO, so let’s walk through the process step by step.

1. Domain Transfer vs. DNS Update

• DNS Update: Instead of transferring the domain, you can leave it with the current registrar and update the DNS settings to point to your new hosting provider when the site is ready. This involves changing the nameservers or A records (provided by your new host). This method is often simpler and faster, especially when keeping the domain at its original registrar.
• Authorization Code (EPP Code): If you do decide to transfer the domain to a new registrar, you’ll need to request an EPP code from the current registrar to complete the transfer. However, as mentioned, this isn’t always necessary if you’re comfortable just updating the DNS.

2. Building the New Website

You can start building the new WordPress site without affecting the current one by using

• Staging Site or Temporary Domain: Many hosting providers offer staging environments, or you can use a subdomain (e.g., new.example.com) to build the new site. This allows the current site to stay live while you work on the new one.
• Local Development Environment: Tools like @wordpress/env, XAMPP or MAMP let you build the new site on your local machine, which you can later migrate to the live server. This approach means the new site can be fully built and tested before making any changes to the live site..

3. SEO Considerations

• Maintain URL Structures: To preserve SEO rankings, it’s important to keep the same URL structure (permalinks) wherever possible. This helps search engines recognize the new site without dropping rankings or leading to broken links.
• 301 Redirects: If any URLs need to change, it’s essential to set up 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. This tells search engines that the content has permanently moved, preserving any SEO value.
  • How to Set Up Redirects: There are plugins that make managing redirects simple and user-friendly.

I hope this helps get you started! Feel free to ask if you have more questions or need further clarification. Good luck with the migration!

S P Pramodh – Thank you very much for your response ?? I’ll let you know how it goes ??

@sppramodh helped you a lot. But let me help you more!

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to handle the process smoothly as I have done this for my site https://www.sunrisesolicitors.co.uk/

1. Domain Transfer:

Yes, you’ll need an authorization code (EPP code) from the current registrar to initiate the transfer to the new hosting provider. However, transferring the domain and hosting are separate tasks. You can transfer the domain, or you can just update the DNS settings to point to the new host without transferring the domain itself.2. Building the New Website:

Once you transfer the domain or update the DNS settings to point to the new host, you can start building the new site. However, here are some key steps:

• Use a Staging Environment: To avoid disrupting the existing site while you build the new one, consider creating the new site in a staging environment or on a temporary subdomain (like new.example.com). Most hosting providers, including Bluehost, offer staging tools for this purpose.
• Backup the Old Website: Before doing anything, ensure you have a full backup of the old site (files and database) so you can restore it if needed.

3. SEO Considerations:

• 301 Redirects:
  If you plan to change the site structure (URLs, pages, etc.), you need to set up 301 redirects. This tells search engines and users that the old URLs have permanently moved to the new ones. For example:
  • If the old page is example.com/about and the new page will be example.com/about-us you’d need a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.
  You can set these up using the .htaccess file or with an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Redirection.
• Maintain URL Structure:
  If possible, try to keep the URL structure the same (e.g., example.com/services remains the same) to minimize the need for redirects and maintain SEO rankings.
• Submit a New Sitemap:
  Once the new site is live, submit a new sitemap to Google Search Console so search engines can index your new pages quickly. If you’re using an SEO plugin like Yoast, it will automatically generate a sitemap for you.
• Keep Metadata Consistent:
  Ensure that you retain important SEO elements like meta titles, descriptions, and alt text from the old site to maintain ranking.

4. What to Do with the Old Website:

You don’t need to completely remove the old site right away. Once you’re sure the new one is working well and all content is migrated, you can:

• Deactivate the old site or
• Replace it with a maintenance page saying “We’ve moved” if there’s a transition period.

Final Steps:

• DNS Propagation:
  After pointing the domain to the new hosting, there may be some downtime (typically 24-48 hours) for DNS propagation. Plan this transition carefully to minimize impact.
• Testing:
  Once the new site is live, thoroughly test all pages, forms, and links to ensure everything is functioning as expected.

Let me know if you need more help with any part of the process!