Changing Your Domain Name: The SEO-Safe Way to Rebrand

You can change your domain name without losing your Google rankings, as long as every old page permanently redirects to its matching new page. Plan the move, map your URLs, set up 301 redirects, tell Google through Search Console and keep the old domain for years. Expect a few weeks of wobble in rankings while Google catches up, but not a collapse.

Will changing my domain name hurt my SEO?

It can, but the damage usually comes from how the move is done, not the move itself. Over the years, your old domain has built up links from other sites, bookmarks and a place in Google’s index. Redirects pass most of that across to the new domain. Skip them and you’re starting again from zero.

Google is open about the short-term effect. Its site move guide says to “expect temporary fluctuation in site ranking during the move” (Google Search Central). For a medium-sized site, it can take a few weeks or more for Google to start showing the new URLs.

In our experience, the rebrands that go badly share a pattern. The new site launches, the old domain points to the new home page and every other old URL lands on a “page not found”. That’s the mistake this guide is built to avoid.

Should I change my domain at all?

Good reasons include a new business name, a legal issue with the old name, merging two businesses, or moving from an awkward or overseas domain to a proper .com.au. Weak reasons include chasing a keyword or a slightly shorter name. If the old name still works, the cost and risk may not be worth it.

If you’re choosing a new name, our guide on how to choose a domain name covers what still matters. Sort out the legal side in the right order too. Our article on how to register a business name and domain explains why the business name and trade mark come first.

Check you’re eligible for the new .com.au

A .com.au name must match or abbreviate your business name, a trade mark or a related entity’s name, or match a service or product you offer (auDA). auDA has also proposed removing the product and service pathway for new registrations, so register the new business name first. Then the domain matches it.

How do I change my domain name without losing rankings?

Here’s the plan we follow. It works the same whether you’re keeping the same website or launching a new design with the new name.

1. Register the new domain early. Secure the .com.au and, ideally, the matching .au direct name before you announce anything.
2. Crawl and list every old URL. Export the pages, posts, products, images and PDFs on the old site. Add the pages that get the most traffic and links, from Google Search Console or your analytics.
3. Map old URLs to new ones. Pair each old URL with its closest match on the new domain in a spreadsheet. Google calls this mapping step important, and it’s where most of the work is.
4. Set up the new site and test it. Make sure the new domain has SSL, a sitemap and working forms, and that internal links use the new domain.
5. Switch on 301 redirects. Redirect each old URL straight to its mapped new URL, on the server, in one hop.
6. Tell Google. Verify both domains in Search Console, submit the new sitemap and use the Change of Address tool on the old property.
7. Update everything you control. Google Business Profile, social profiles, directory listings, email signatures, invoices and ad campaigns.
8. Monitor for months. Watch Search Console for errors and pages that drop out, and fix missing redirects as you find them.

What makes a good redirect?

Google recommends permanent server-side redirects, such as 301 or 308, and asks you to avoid chains where one redirect leads to another. Point each old URL straight at its final new address. Here’s how a simple map looks:

If the paths stay the same, one rule can redirect the whole old domain while keeping each path. If you’re also restructuring the site, you’ll need a full map. Don’t send everything to the home page. Those pages lose the value they had built up, and visitors land somewhere that doesn’t match what they clicked.

How long should I keep the redirects?

Google says to keep them “generally at least 1 year”, and longer if you can. Links on other sites and old bookmarks keep sending people to the old addresses for years. In practice, keep them as long as you own the old domain, which should be indefinitely.

How do I use Google’s Change of Address tool?

The Change of Address tool tells Google you’ve moved from one domain to another. To use it, you must own both domains as properties in Search Console, under the same Google account. The old home page must already redirect to the new one with a 301.

Run it from the old property. Google says the move’s effects last 180 days, so leave your redirects in place for at least that long. Remember to verify the www and non-www versions of the old domain, because the tool doesn’t move subdomains automatically. Don’t use the tool for an http to https change or a change of host on the same domain. Those don’t need it.

Why must I keep the old domain?

Your redirects only work while you hold the old domain. If it lapses, auDA’s rules allow a 30-day grace period, during which the website and email stop working. After that the name is released, and anyone can register it (auDA renewal rules). A competitor or a spammer could then pick up your old links and traffic.

There’s a newer catch for .com.au names. Since 20 May 2026, a .au renewal is blocked if the ABN or ACN behind it is no longer active (SmartCompany). If your rebrand involves a new company and the old one is wound up, move the old domain to the new entity first. Ask your registrar about a registrant transfer.

Keep email in mind too. Set up forwarding from old addresses for at least a year so customers who reply to old emails still reach you.

What else changes when I rebrand?

A domain change touches more than the website. Make a checklist of every place the old name appears:

• Google Business Profile and other local listings, so your name, address and phone match everywhere
• email addresses, signatures, invoice templates and accounting software
• Google Ads, Meta ads and analytics settings, which need the new domain added
• printed material, vehicles and signage
• payment gateways and third-party tools that check which domain is allowed

Ask other sites that link to you to update their links. The redirects will cover them, but a direct link is cleaner.

Do I need new hosting when I change domains?

Not necessarily. Most hosts can add the new domain to your existing account and serve the same site under it. If you’re rebuilding anyway, it can be a good time to review your hosting. Our Australian web hosting includes free SSL and free migration on every plan. If you’re picking up a new domain alongside new hosting, read our guide to whether a free domain with hosting is really free.

We register and manage domain names for Australian businesses, and we can handle the move for you: URL mapping, redirects, Search Console and the follow-up checks. A .com.au with us is $80 + GST for two years.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to recover rankings after a domain change?

Google says it can take a few weeks or more for a medium-sized site to start showing the new URLs, and larger sites take longer. With complete redirects, most sites settle back to similar positions. Without them, recovery can take far longer or not happen at all.

Should I use a 301 or 302 redirect for a domain change?

Use a 301 (or 308), which tells Google the move is permanent. A 302 signals a temporary move, so Google may keep the old URLs in results. Set redirects on the server where possible, rather than with JavaScript in the page.

Can I redirect my old domain to my new home page?

Only the old home page should go to the new home page. Every other page should go to its closest match. Sending all old pages to the home page loses the value of those pages and frustrates visitors who wanted something specific.

How long should I keep my old domain?

Ideally forever. Google recommends keeping redirects for at least a year, but links and bookmarks keep using old addresses for much longer. Renewing a .com.au costs far less than losing the traffic to whoever registers it next.

Is it better to change domains when I redesign the site?

It saves time, but it makes problems harder to trace because two big things change at once. If you can, change the domain first with the site as it is, let it settle for a few weeks, then launch the redesign.

Sources

1. Site moves with URL changes, Google Search Central
2. Change of Address tool, Search Console Help, Google
3. com.au and net.au rule changes, auDA
4. Renewing your domain licence, auDA
5. 90-day domain name rule, SmartCompany, 30 July 2026