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How to Change Website Domain in WordPress: Easy Guide

Posted on by William Zheng

Thinking about rebranding or giving your website a fresh start? Changing your website’s domain in WordPress might sound daunting, but it’s a common step for growing businesses and evolving brands. Whether you’re aiming for a more memorable name or moving to a new hosting provider, knowing how to switch domains smoothly is crucial.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the entire process, sharing clear steps and practical tips to help you make the transition confidently and avoid common pitfalls.

How to Change Your Website Domain in WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide

Changing your website’s domain name in WordPress may seem like a daunting task, but with the right guidance, it’s very manageable—even for beginners. Whether you’re rebranding, found the perfect new domain, or want to align your website with your business goals, updating your WordPress domain is entirely possible. Let’s break down the process so you can switch over smoothly without losing visitors, rankings, or your peace of mind.

Why Change Your WordPress Domain Name?

There are several great reasons you might want to change your website’s domain:

  • You’ve rebranded your business or organization.
  • The current domain name no longer reflects your content or mission.
  • You want a shorter, catchier, or more memorable website address.
  • You bought a premium domain and wish to use it.
  • You’re making an SEO move to improve ranking or trust.

Whatever your reason, making the switch correctly ensures your audience, search engines, and website performance all remain happy.


How to Change Your Domain Name on WordPress - HubSpot Blog - change website domain wordpress

What Happens When You Change Your Domain?

Simply put, your website’s address (e.g., from www.oldsite.com to www.newsite.com) will change. All its links, posts, pages, and media should now be accessed via the new domain. However, updating a site’s domain isn’t just about buying a new address and slapping it on your site. There are several important steps to consider to ensure a seamless transition.

Step-by-Step Guide: Changing Your WordPress Domain Name

Here is a clear roadmap for updating your domain safely and effectively:

1. Back Up Your Website

Before any significant change, always create a full backup of your website and database. This safety net ensures you can restore everything in case something goes wrong.

  • Plugins like UpdraftPlus or your host’s built-in backup tool make this easy.
  • Download both the files and the database.

2. Register the New Domain

  • Purchase your new domain from any registrar you like (such as GoDaddy, Bluehost, or HostGator).
  • Point it to your hosting provider as required.

3. Add Your New Domain to Your Hosting Account

Most hosting providers let you add additional domains:

  • Add your new domain in your host’s dashboard (often under ‘Addon Domains’ or ‘Domain Management’).
  • Ensure the new domain points to the same directory as your original website.

4. Update Your WordPress Address

This is a crucial part of the process. You need to update two fields in your WordPress dashboard:

  • Go to Settings > General.
  • Find the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL).
  • Change both from your old domain to your new domain (e.g., change http://oldsite.com to http://newsite.com).
  • Save changes. You might be logged out—simply log in again with your credentials.

5. Update Domain in the Database (If Necessary)

If you’re unable to access the WordPress dashboard after the change, you can manually update your domain via the database.

  • Access phpMyAdmin from your hosting dashboard.
  • Go to the wp_options table.
  • Edit the siteurl and home fields to reflect your new domain.

6. Update All Internal Links & Media URLs

Your posts, pages, and images may still use the old domain in URLs.

  • Use plugins like “Better Search Replace” or “Velvet Blues Update URLs” to update all internal links, media URLs, and mentions of the old domain.
  • This step ensures a smooth user experience and helps SEO.

7. Set Up 301 Redirects

Redirects are crucial to send visitors (and search engines) from your old domain to your new one.

  • In your hosting control panel or via FTP, edit the .htaccess file in the root of your old domain.
  • Add these lines to set up a 301 redirect:
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^oldsite\.com [NC,OR] RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.oldsite\.com [NC] RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://newsite.com/$1 [L,R=301,NC]
  • This tells browsers and search engines that your site has moved, helping preserve your SEO rankings.

8. Update Google Search Console and Other Integrations

  • Add and verify your new domain in Google Search Console.
  • Submit a change of address request.
  • Update Google Analytics, social sharing settings, and any other third-party services with your new URL.
  • Notify any business listings or partners of the change.

9. Inform Your Visitors and Audience

  • Announce the change via your blog, newsletters, or social media.
  • Explain why visitors are being redirected and what it means for them.

Benefits of Changing Your Domain Properly

Switching your website’s domain can significantly benefit your brand—if you do it correctly:

  • Improved Branding: A domain that matches your brand builds trust and recognition.
  • Better SEO: Relevant keywords and concise names help search rankings.
  • User Experience: Shorter, memorable domains are easier to share and remember.
  • Futureproofing: A new, more relevant domain can grow with your business.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Changing your domain involves several challenges. Being aware of them helps you prepare:

  • Loss of SEO Ranking: Proper redirects and updates in Search Console minimize negative impact.
  • Broken Links: Bulk updating URLs and setting up redirects fixes most issues.
  • Visitor Confusion: Clear communication reassures your audience.
  • Email Issues: Update email addresses (if based on the domain) and notify contacts.
  • Downtime: Thorough preparation and fast DNS propagation reduce downtime risks.

Best Practices and Expert Tips

  • Plan Ahead: Map out the changes and time them during low-traffic periods.
  • Test Everything: Before making the switch public, test the new domain on a staging environment if possible.
  • Keep Both Domains Active Temporarily: This lets old visitors find your new address and ensures search engines index the new domain before dropping the old one.
  • Monitor Site Health: Track analytics, search rankings, and crawl errors post-change for any issues.
  • Update Your Sitemap: Regenerate your sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console to speed up indexing.
  • Check SSL Certificates: Make sure your new domain has a valid SSL certificate for HTTPS security.

Cost Considerations

Changing your WordPress domain involves some costs, usually:

  • Domain Registration: New domains average from $10 to $20 per year, more if you buy premium names.
  • Hosting Adjustments: Most hosts don’t charge extra for changing your primary domain, but check for hidden fees or requirements.
  • SSL Certificate: Many hosts provide free SSL certificates. Premium SSL may be priced separately.
  • Professional Help: If you hire a developer or support service for complex migrations, there could be additional labor costs.

Keep shipping or transfer costs in mind only if you buy a domain from a third party, in which case domain transfer fees may apply.

Summary

Changing your website’s domain name in WordPress is a big step for your online presence, but it doesn’t have to be a headache. With proper preparation—backing up your site, updating URLs and settings, setting up redirects, and informing your audience—you’ll ensure a seamless transition. Follow these practical steps and tips for a worry-free domain update and set your website up for future growth and success.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Will changing my domain name affect my search engine rankings?
It can, but you can limit negative effects by properly redirecting your old domain to the new one, updating your URLs, and informing Google of the change. Rankings may dip temporarily but usually recover if the migration is handled well.

2. Do I need to buy my new domain name before changing it in WordPress?
Yes, always secure your new domain before making any changes. This ensures it’s ready to be set up and there’s no risk of someone else registering it during the transition.

3. Does my website go offline during the domain switch?
Not if handled correctly. There might be brief moments where some users see the old site or a warning during DNS propagation, but site downtime is usually minimal with good planning.

4. What happens to my email addresses if I change my domain?
If your email addresses use your old domain, you’ll need to set up new ones for the new domain. Don’t forget to update email settings in contact forms and notify your contacts about the change.

5. Is it possible to revert to my old domain later?
Yes, but the process is similar to changing to a new domain. You’ll need to update settings, URLs, and handle redirects again. Always keep backups so you can restore your site to any point in the process.

Changing your domain name opens new doors for your brand and website. By following these steps carefully, you ensure your visitors, SEO, and reputation move smoothly to your new online home.

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