How to safely move from an old domain to a new one for SEO

When it comes to moving to a new domain, the question often arises: how to carry out this process correctly so as not to lose the positions and traffic already achieved. One of the most popular methods is to use 301 redirects, but what if the customer wants to leave the old site running in parallel with the new one, essentially creating two competing sites? Let's consider what you can do in such a situation.

What can you do

When launching a new site, the most optimal way is to move with the installation of a page-by-page redirect (from each page of the old site to a similar page of the new one). However, if the customer insists on creating two sites, the following points must be taken care of:

• Initially, a new site should not start from complete scratch. Consider using a drop domain. It is best to choose an old domain with a good reputation so that the site does not start promotion from scratch.
• You will also need to actively build the authority of the new resource, since search engines may initially treat the site with caution, perceiving it as fake or fraudulent.

With this approach, investments in promotion will be significantly higher than if you simply used 301 redirects. Therefore, if the customer still insists on this option, it is important to emphasize that such costs will be many times more expensive and less effective. Usually, after explaining the situation, customers reconsider their decision.

How to avoid falling under the affiliate filter

One of the difficulties that you may encounter when launching a second site is the possibility that both sites may fall under the affiliate filter. If the same details (contact information, phone numbers, etc.) are used on the new site, search engines may consider both sites to be part of the same organization, which could affect their positions in search results.

To avoid falling under the affiliate filter, you need to do the following on your new site:

• Use unique phone numbers. They can be redirected to the main number, but formally they must be different.
• Set a different physical address.
• Use a different organization name and logo.

These measures will require additional costs and effort. If the customer is willing to invest in creating these differences, the process can continue. However, if he is not ready for such investments, it is worth warning him about the possible consequences:

• If "otherness" is not created for a new site, then it will probably begin to advance, but after a while its positions may begin to fall, and in the future it may remain in low positions in the search results.
• If the customer is not ready to invest in creating differences, then promoting the new site will be difficult.

That is why it is not always recommended to create a second website with the same set of data and addresses. Explain all these nuances to the customer, perhaps he will reconsider his decision.

If you have any questions about SEO or moving to a new domain, write to the SEO studio at info@seo.computer.

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