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Switching Domains? Helps to Use Site Move Tool in Search Console

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site move toolWhenever a site is switching domain names for whatever reason, there is always the worry about the loss of rankings, PageRank values from links and whether it will see the success the previous domain had once the redirects have been processed and the new site has been fully crawled.  Gary Illyes from Google was asked about switching from a .com to a brand relates TLD, and he mentioned that using the site move tool really helps.

Of course, this applies to any domain move, Google doesn’t treat some TLDs any differently than others, something they have said numerous times.

It is a good reminder because while many people remember things like setting up 301 redirects and submitting new sitemaps, using the site move tool is often missed.  The tool is formerly called the “Change of Address Tool” and Google has the full instructions for how to use it here.

And it is also worth reminding people this tool is only for complete domain name changes.   You would NOT use it for subdomains, path changes or when changing over from HTTP to HTTPS.  So it should only be used for cases of moving DomainA.com to DomainB.com.

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Jennifer Slegg

Founder & Editor at The SEM Post
Jennifer Slegg is a longtime speaker and expert in search engine marketing, working in the industry for almost 20 years. When she isn't sitting at her desk writing and working, she can be found grabbing a latte at her local Starbucks or planning her next trip to Disneyland. She regularly speaks at Pubcon, SMX, State of Search, Brighton SEO and more, and has been presenting at conferences for over a decade.

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