When you want to change your domain name for a site managed in WA, you have to move your site.
1. At namecheap or other external domain name providers point your name server for the new domain name to the WA ones.
2. List your new domain name under Site Domains.
3. When you select Move under Site Manager, select the new site address.
4. WA makes a copy of all the content in the current site and puts it into a new site under the new domain name.
So now you have two sites with the same content.
WARNING: DO NOT delete the content at the old site yet! It will take a while to complete the process for your new site to be recognized by Google!
Join the Discussion
Ultimateless
Premium
Thanks for this useful info. I was just looking at Google's change name info and found yours more helpful.
Reply
xhjregina
Premium
you're welcome! it was a long-drawn process so i thought i should help some people out along the way by showing what happens.
i have since used SiteDomains, which eliminates a lot of the work involved, but for those of us who see ourselves leaving WA in future, this is an option.
i have since used SiteDomains, which eliminates a lot of the work involved, but for those of us who see ourselves leaving WA in future, this is an option.
NatNiches
Premium
How do you do 301 redirects for all the old URLs... does this happen automatically!? If not, how do you do it? Thank you, I'm considering changing the domain name of one of my sites, but I do have quite a lot of content on there. Also, if I do switch - what about all the Pins I have on pinterest linking to my original site, would those pins all be directed to the new site? Many thanks Nat
xhjregina
Premium
Hi Nat! You probably need to do this one by one for each of the old addresses.
Your pins still bring your visitors to your old site, but they will be redirected from there.
It will be problematic though. When you let go of your old domain in future, the 301 redirect will no longer bring visitors to your new site. Your pins will lead to a broken page.
I was lucky that I didn't have much social media activity yet when I moved
Your pins still bring your visitors to your old site, but they will be redirected from there.
It will be problematic though. When you let go of your old domain in future, the 301 redirect will no longer bring visitors to your new site. Your pins will lead to a broken page.
I was lucky that I didn't have much social media activity yet when I moved
NatNiches
Premium
Hmm may have to rethink switching I think! Out of interest, why did you switch?
xhjregina
Premium
i wasn't happy with my old domain name. My current one is better for branding. Happy with the change!
Yes the more developed your site is, the more you have at stake when you change domain name.
Yes the more developed your site is, the more you have at stake when you change domain name.
salbene
Premium
Hold on here....This shows up when I want to move my site:
Please be advised: All files and content (including database) on smartaboutit.com will be permanently deleted and overwritten by the new website. This cannot be undone, so please be sure that you want to overwrite all files and content on smartaboutit.com before proceeding. If there is any important Files on smartaboutit.com you may wish to back them up first.
I want to keep the same theme the same links and everything the same, the only thing I want to change is the name. What happens to the people that share my links, will the link not work anymore or will it redirect it to my new website name?
Please be advised: All files and content (including database) on smartaboutit.com will be permanently deleted and overwritten by the new website. This cannot be undone, so please be sure that you want to overwrite all files and content on smartaboutit.com before proceeding. If there is any important Files on smartaboutit.com you may wish to back them up first.
I want to keep the same theme the same links and everything the same, the only thing I want to change is the name. What happens to the people that share my links, will the link not work anymore or will it redirect it to my new website name?
xhjregina
Premium
Hi! If your new site is hosted at WA, adding the code will be one of your options. There are other options listed. For me adding the code at the editor was the most straightforward option.
If you decide to choose one of the rest, try to do a search on WA to see how to go about it, or feel free to ask here. I'll see if I can help.
Thanks for your feedback! Glad my first training is helping people. :D
Cheers!
If you decide to choose one of the rest, try to do a search on WA to see how to go about it, or feel free to ask here. I'll see if I can help.
Thanks for your feedback! Glad my first training is helping people. :D
Cheers!
mechidor
Premium
Thank you for the reply, I really appreciate. Did you see the video about transferring a domain name with the new system? In the video, it says that WA cares about all the SEO so we don't have to care about it. So what is the point to add the code? How to Transfer a SiteRubix Website to Your Own Domain
xhjregina
Premium
Ah! In that case, you don't have to do anything additional then. I'm not going to dispute this since Kyle has already said there that all the SEO will be taken care of for siterubix websites moving to their own domain. Please go ahead and follow the instructions there.
I'm not sure if what he says there applies to sites already with their own domain name though.
I'm not sure if what he says there applies to sites already with their own domain name though.
mechidor
Premium
