Although it is preferable to avoid this, changing your web site’s URL or domain name is sometimes necessary. This may be due to a particular reason, such as trademark infringement, or just because the current URL doesn’t seem to be effective and you have purchased a better one. Another possibility is that you are upgrading from a page on a free hosting provider with a long URL to a domain name. Regardless of the reason, here are some tips on successfully changing the URL of your web site.

1. As soon as possible, notify users that the URL is changing, using your web site itself and any email lists it has. Try to make the new URL ready to use before the web site disappears from its old location, and put a link on the home page of the web site at the old address. Fewer of your repeat visitors will be lost if you can successfully get them in the habit of using the new address. Don’t change the web site’s design radically during the URL changing process; the combination of the domain name and design change might cause some people to stop using the web site or no longer recognize it.

2. Submit the new website address to search engines and directories as soon as possible so it will quickly appear in search results. This is even important for successfully retaining repeat visitors, as some internet users only access web sites through search engines, never using their browser’s address bar. Don’t have the same content on the old URL’s home page (just have an explanation and a link to the new domain name/URL) during and after this step.

3. Remember to change the URL everywhere that it might be listed or entered. Changing or deleting it from social bookmarking systems, forum user profiles, pay-per-click advertising services, affiliate programs, or article directories may be necessary. If you have reciprocal links with other web sites, request that they change the links on their sites, and notify them of the new address where their links will be moved to.

Following these tips should help your web site in more successfully changing its URL, with the smallest losses of traffic and revenue. Changing your website address is not a task which should be done in a hurry or without giving sufficient consideration to reducing its potentially negative effects.

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