First it was my domain name and now this!
Oh man! Oh man!
This week has been a challenge in itself. As, you all know last week I had a long day resizing images. And, this week, I was faced with changing my domain name to a more brandable name.
When, I first purchased my domain name, I was already confused on what to go with and I got tired of sitting around so, I just went with a name.
Changed my domain name
This week, I decided to change my domain name and transfer my files of my website over to the new domain name. Boy! was that a task in itself.
If you never transferred your website files to a new domain within WA, there are some things that you will have to update when doing this. And that is what I will share with you today.
Ranking Lost
First, of all my rankings were lost. I mean they seem to be on my previous domain name. And, they may just update after 30 days but, I am not holding my breath for this to happen. So, I take it as a lost!
Lost Traffic
All the traffic that I did have went away. Although, in the last two days the traffic is starting to pick back up slowly.
WP URL'S
I am so happy that I did not have to change any of my URLS within WordPress because, WP will update your URLS for you. Unless they are outside links such as your affiliate links.
Broken Links
A lot of my website links were broken along the way. I had to go and fix those. Well, at least I called myself doing this but, only time will tell.
Social Media Accounts
My social media account has to be updated. I have not updated any of my social media accounts.
Re-Activate Plug-ins
All your plugins have to be reactivated. The best part is you shouldn't lose any post or comments, at least I didn't.
Google Analytics and Bing Webmaster Tools
If you have google analytics and Bing webmaster tools those accounts have to be updated with your new domain name.
And, yes your site has to get indexed again. Mine was indexed the next day so, I would assume it wouldn't take long.
Site Trust
Your site trust will start back at 0%
Ad Accounts or Affiliate Accounts
I didn't have but, one ad account so, that was not an issue. That particular ad account happen to update by itself but, some of my affiliate accounts. I had to report the new domain name.
Email Accounts
I would imagine if you have certain Auto-responder accounts they will have to be updated. I know at one point I was with ConvertKit and they had to be updated. Right, now I have not focused on building an email list so, this is nothing that I had to worry about.
I think that About Covers it
I think that was about it. I know it doesn't seem like much but, when you start working on all of this it is a lot. It took me so long, I wasn't able to post for like 5 days.
I Learned New Things Along The Way
The best part is I learned a lot during this entire experience. I now understand google analytics and google webmaster tools more than what I did before.
So...now that this is all over, I thought everything was smooth sailing. Boy, was I wrong!
Just this morning my computer crashed...All my software has been lost, Photoshop, snag it...and who knows what else is missing. I won't really know until I go and try and use the tool.
It is all gone. Hopefully, I will be able to retrieve some of these things again.
What Else?
Then after writing all of this, I lose my entire internet connection. What a day!
Good thing WA saves your blog post automatically. Let this fight begin....
Other than that I say this battle is not over.
Let's keep rocking....I now must go and work on somethings to get back on track with my training and blog posting...
Have an awesome day everyone!
Kisha
Recent Comments
76
Oh my goodness Kisha! That is a lot to go wrong! You have such a great attitude about all of it! Good for you!
It will get better. Now you can focus and move forward and will never go through switching domain names again!
Yes, good thing WA saves our work!
Jessica
Thank you, Jessica, yes it was a whole lot to go wrong. I am just glad I made it through.
You are absolutely right, I will never have to change domain names again. I guess it is good to get it out the way now, while I have just 30 post rather than 300...That would have been even a bigger headache.
Kisha
WoW what a week!!! Maybe my week wasn't so bad. I always think I have things rough then I hear something like this. I am sorry for your lost but it makes me realize what I do have. I know I will have hard times but today knock on wood I'M m good.
Hope things get better for you... you seem to have a great attitude though and that's important.
Tried and true
Elaine
Thank you, Elaine! I am glad your week is going good. That is really great to hear, yes, we must appreciate what we do have. It could always be worst, like in my case, lose everything...lol
Yes, I learned to not worry about too much, along time ago. It is bad for my health and it gets me know where. Hopefully things get better...lol...
Hi Kisha:
What an experience you had my friend! My modem was hacked and I was offline for around two months until I had to get a new modem. It was sooo frustrating! but now I only have issues wit my sloooow connection, offline for a few minutes several times a day, which have to do with my ISP out of my control.
I hope you overcome your issues my friend.
Eugenio.
Thank you, Eugenio! I definitely will never give up and thank you for the encouragement. Oh man, those hackers need to sit down somewhere. They have nothing else better to do.
I know it was very frustrating, I have had a few modems hacked. They get pass the virus protection sometimes too. I've also experience the slow connection during the day so, I know that is frustrating as well.
I will overcome the issues, I will not let them hold me back...Hopefully the internet connection picks up some speed for you that way you don't have to deal with that any longer...
Have an awesome day my friend!
Kisha
My congratulations to you, Kisha. That sounds like a lot of work.
Just one question maybe.How about an issue of duplicate content? Your posts had been indexed in Google before you switched to another domain name, and you said that the new site was not immediately indexed.
I am asking because I am thinking of bringing some of my content to another site maybe. Though it's a story different from yours , I guess, and I am not sure I will even start.
Anyway, congratulations to you.:)
If you are the author of the content does that not help with the duplicate content issue? I am not sure of course so asking if anyone has any ideas on this. I think it might help a few people doing a switch from one to the other. I know I did that some time ago and did not see any issues or getting flagged by Google.
It helps in the sense that we will not be sued by anybody since it's our content, but I am not sure of other things.It's a totally new territory for me, that's why it's better to be sure.
Thank you, Vera! Yes, it was a whole lot of work. The duplicate content, that is a great question. I am not sure about that just yet. I have not been penalized by Google.
I can tell you that my post came from my old domain name and I just transferred them to the new domain name. None, of the post that were on the old domain were ranked on my new domain. They were ranked on my old domain. If that makes any sense.
My new domain the post are just indexed but, not ranked. When I transferred to the new domain, my old domain was automatically redirected to the new domain. So, I can only assume after 30 days, it won't be considered duplicate content because the old domain will be completely empty.
I won't really know the final outcome of or if my content is considered duplicate content until either Google says something, or my 30 days has passed which ever comes first.
Now, that you mention the duplicate content I sure hope the 30 days just go by with no issues. Only time will tell.
Yep, it's a big question for me too. But, logically, if your old domain is(will be) empty, there will be just one variant of everything . I guess images with the same alt text can give a duplicate content too
. Anyway, not a very big deal. You will write more,unless there was something you were really proud of.
The main thing is your site is safe and sound.:)
Great mindset Kisha, love the post. I've had days like this too, when at first things seem to be going along fine and then something happens and everything is messed up.
Sometimes we do have to take a loss and just move on, getting all upset doesn't do anything except waste precious time.
Thank you, Andrew! Yes, I agree sometimes we do just have to take a loss and move on. I believe that everything happens for a reason so, sometimes it is for the best. No need to worry over the small things. We just have to keep moving.
WOW, Kisha! I thought I had it bad with a fibromyalgia attack that keeps me from being able to work on my website because of the "fibro fog" keeping me from being able to follow instructions. I've been working wtih SiteSupport for a technical issue, but wasn't able to follow their instructions because my brain is foggy and I can't think straight! But it's nothing to what you've been going through.
I was so excited when I finally conquered getting images onto my site, only to have them not transfer from Site Content to the web. There is something strange going on with Site Content because when I hit the published edit button, it won't let me log in. SiteContent never did address that issue with me. They were probably as frustrated as I was because I wasn't able to follow their directions. I hate it when I have a flare up like that. It makes me feel so stupid because I can't process new information until the fog is gone.
Bless your heart. I hope you get all your information and software back. Hopefully we'll both have better days ahead!
Carol
Hi Carol, I am sorry to hear about the problems you have been having with Site Content. I have problems with it as well but, mine usually is that, my Site Content gets stuck and then I have to refresh everything. And, that usually fixes the issue but, in your case I am not sure why the images would not show up on the web. I have never had that happen, yet.
I am happy to hear that you got the images onto your site. That is very good to hear. I just wish the Site Content would work for you and stop giving you so many problems. That is very strange that after you hit the publish button that you no longer can log in.
I know for me sometimes when I can not log in to my WordPress. I logout of WA platform and log back in then go to Site Manager, then I hit the login and it usually works. Maybe next time try and see if that works. I really hope it does.
I hope everything gets better on your end as well. We will make it through this...no worries. Yes, we will both have better days. They are just ahead...
Kisha
Did you try the method I use Carol? Insert the image in site content but then don't publish it anywhere. Just right click and chose "Save Image As" and save it to your computer. Then upload it onto your site like you would any other image from your computer.
That is not the way SiteContent is meant to be used so they probably won't mention it, but it works!
Site Content showed me that the images I thought I had saved as Jpegs were .doc, and said that was the problem. I have been checking my images, and they are Jpegs. I'm wondering if I maybe got tired and hit copy as instead of save as on the one image that they showed me the code was .doc. I'm going to go back through the images I've used and check to see if they're Jpegs before I do any more with the rest of my posts. After I'm sure they are all correct, then I'll work in WordPress and see what happens. You're right. We'll both get through our challenges eventually. I've made some good progress with immersion in my niche and research for the post I'm writing this week in spite of the fibro fog. Carol
Yes, that's the way I was doing it. Somehow the image they showed me the code for was a .doc instead of Jpeg, but I know I've been saving them that way. Wondering if my fibro fog made me hit the copy button instead of save as. Could have, I guess. I'm going to have to check each image to be sure they are all Jpegs.
So sorry that it was so involve, so much work. It never occurred to me that changing a domain name was so involved. I thought you just transferred from one to the other
I've transferred and it wasn't any problem, but then again I'm a newbie so I did not have much to transfer. How long did you have the previous domain name?
From the way things have been going, I agree your battle is not over, if you had to do all of that. Good luck with the computer mess.
May your week get better!
Yes, I thought that the transfer would be simple just like it was to transfer my siterubix to the domain name but, no it had more involved this time.
I had everything set up and about 28 post with 4 pages. And, the transfer went fine but, everything else had to be updated like my social media accounts, emails, ad accounts, links were broken, google analytics, bing webmaster tools, and anything else that is connected to your old domain...like site trust, site rankings, and indexing...all of this starts all over from ground zero.
I had the previous domain for almost two months. Yes, my battle is not over, I just hope the battle gets better and not worst...lol.
Thank you, Sylvia! Have a great week too.
Oh, Kisha I have so been there before with a computer crash and losing everything. It can consume so much time...speaking of which you went thru just getting things moved to your new site. Almost like starting over with a new site.
I think I will now double check and save all my posts etc. so thank you for sharing and I really really hope your day gets better!
You're welcome, Ms. Merry! Yes, when you transfer the domain name, you will basically be starting all over again. I would definitely recommend backing up your site often.
Although, my computer crashed I am so happy that my site didn't crash so, I tried thinking positive but, I surely hope my days get better.
Omg is like a string of events (unfortunate ones). Don’t lose your smile and eventually something good will come out of all this! Although I must say you must be feeling like you want to scream on top off your lungs! Keep fighting and don’t give up :)
A big hug (in case you need it),
Diosa Ll
Thank you, for the big hug! I needed that...yes, you are right I do want to scream my lungs out...I will keep fighting though, something has got to give...In good way though, I hope!
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Oh no, Kisha! You have really had a day, that's for sure. Take a moment to yourself and just chill out for a while. You will get through this...it may take a minute, but it will all be just fine.
Keep your chin up, my friend. I know it sounds cliche', but it is true - this, too, shall pass.
Big hugs to you!!
Yvette
Thank you, Yvette for the big hugs. Yeah! I had to take a breather I did not want my blood pressure to rise.
I will keep my chin up and just take it one step at a time...
Have an awesome day!
Kisha