Google’s John Mueller recently sought feedback from SEOs regarding the concerns site owners have about losing traffic when changing domains.
Mueller posed three related questions in a single tweet:
– If you’ve done a domain change, how did it go?
– Are the fears well-founded?
– Does it help to plan and follow-through systematically?
His tweet attracted numerous responses from SEOs, with most agreeing that such fears are justified. However, some responses indicated that a domain change can be managed smoothly with meticulous planning.
I’ve gathered various responses from both sides below.
### Should Site Owners Fear Domain Changes?
The general consensus among SEOs is that domain changes are risky and usually result in a loss of traffic. However, a few believe that fears can be mitigated by following Google’s guidelines step by step.
One opinion suggests changing a domain is complex but manageable, particularly if Google’s instructions are followed. Nonetheless, examples abound of mismanaged migrations.
Some SEOs have not encountered issues when domain changes are done correctly, although they noted that this is rare.
The prevailing view is that domain changes often lead to traffic loss due to overlooked complexities in site audits and restrictions imposed by web hosting platforms. Despite an initial drop in traffic, many SEOs agree that traffic levels typically recover after several months.
If you must change your domain, proceed with caution. Expect a temporary decline in traffic and consider timing the change during a naturally slower traffic period.
Further insights revealed that fears are well-founded even when redirects and resource files are managed perfectly; a temporary traffic drop is almost inevitable but generally resolves in about 30 days when executed properly.
For more guidance, refer to resources on retaining traffic after a domain change.
