Change domain extension without losing SEO — migration checklist

Before the move: reduce the number of unknowns

Changing brand.example.com to brand.example.net changes every public URL, even if every path stays identical. Search engines must recrawl the old address, follow the redirect, index the new address and transfer accumulated signals. Google recommends changing one major thing at a time: do not combine the domain move with a CMS replacement, redesign, new URL structure and content rewrite unless the constraints make separation impossible.

The controlling reference for Google Search is the current Site Moves and Migrations guide. The checklist below turns it into a TLD-specific working plan.

2. Prepare the new domain before redirecting traffic

• Verify the new domain's ownership and history; resolve any manual actions or old removal requests.
• Configure HTTPS and test every hostname variant that will receive traffic.
• Copy equivalent content and assets without changing the information architecture.
• Set every new page's canonical to its own new URL.
• Update internal links, structured data, hreflang, Open Graph URLs and feeds.
• Create a sitemap containing the new canonical URLs.
• Preserve analytics and Search Console verification on both properties.
• Remove temporary noindex or crawl blocks before launch.

Also migrate non-web dependencies: email, SPF/DKIM/DMARC, OAuth callbacks, webhooks, API allowlists, app links, certificates, CDN hostnames and status pages. A search-perfect move can still fail operationally if the old domain anchors identity or integrations.

3. Launch permanent redirects

Use server-side permanent redirects—normally HTTP 301 or 308—from each old URL directly to its mapped destination. Do not route the request through an old HTTP-to-HTTPS hop, a www normalization hop and then the new domain if one direct response can reach the final URL. Redirect chains add latency and create more points of failure.

Google states that 301 and other permanent redirects do not cause a loss of PageRank. That does not mean every migration is lossless: missing pages, wrong mappings, blocked resources, changed content and broken canonicals can still discard value. Test status codes, destination URLs and final content at scale.

4. Send consistent discovery signals

1. Verify old and new properties in Search Console, including relevant www, non-www and subdomain variants.
2. Submit Change of Address for the old domain and applicable variants. It is for domain moves, not a simple HTTP-to-HTTPS move.
3. Submit the new sitemap. Keep the old URL inventory available during monitoring so redirect processing can be observed.
4. Update internal links immediately so users and crawlers do not need a redirect for navigation.
5. Update major external links, profiles, ads, email templates, app-store listings and partner integrations.

All signals should agree: old URL redirects to new URL; the new URL is indexable; its canonical names itself; the sitemap lists it; and internal links point to it. Mixed signals slow diagnosis.

Keep the old domain and redirects

Google recommends keeping redirects as long as possible and generally at least one year so signals and old links can be processed. From a user perspective, keeping them indefinitely can protect bookmarks, printed materials and forgotten inbound links. That means continuing to renew and secure the old domain; letting it expire can turn a migration asset into a brand and security risk.

Update important links to the new URL rather than relying forever on redirect latency. Keep a renewal owner, monitoring and certificates for every old hostname that still receives requests.