How to Change Domain Name of WordPress Site: Rocon Free Help

How to change domain name of WordPress site: Renaming your domain name is daunting—especially when you’re running a live WordPress website with regular traffic, SEO worth, and established users. Nevertheless, the majority of site proprietors have to tackle this at some point. Either it’s because of a large-scale rebranding effort, a strategic refashioning of your web presence, or simply a move to a shorter, easier-to-remember domain, the procedure must be undertaken with caution.

A domain name is more than a web address. It’s a virtual identity that affects your brand visibility, credibility, search rankings, and even user trust. Unless done properly, a domain name change can result inbroken links, lost traffic, and lost rankings. But done properly, it can be a seamless switch that enhances your site authority and user experience.

In this thorough tutorial, we’ll walk you through exactly how to change the domain name on your WordPress site, step for step. That includes preparation, technical changes within WordPress and web hosting, database transfers, redirects, and best practices for post-migration SEO. Whether you’re a complete newbie to site admin or a veteran pro, this article will give you everything you need to successfully carry out a domain name change.

There are plenty of legitimate grounds for why the owners of sites might decide to change domain names. The most typical reason for this is rebranding. A fresh new brand typically involves a name in your domain reflecting your new name, vision, or specialty.

Others change domains to improve clarity, trust, and SEO potential. For example, if your old domain was hard to spell or remember, switching to something shorter and cleaner can improve direct traffic and branding consistency. Similarly, if you’ve secured a premium domain with your primary keyword or geographic focus, making the switch could be a smart business decision.

Domain changes might also be necessary, if you’re moving from a free subdomain (yoursite.wordpress.com) to a custom one (yoursite.com), or if you’re moving multiple sites under a new brand. Others are similarly compelled by trademark, business, or acquisition. Regardless of the reason, changing the domain name must be well planned and executed smoothly in order to maintain continuity.

Changing a domain isn’t just a technical task—it’s a strategic move that requires preparation. Before jumping into WordPress settings, ensure you’ve checked off this pre-change list.

1. Backup Your Entire Site

A complete site backup is your guarantee. Use quality plugins like UpdraftPlus, BlogVault, or backup tools offered by your host to download your entire database and all website files. Make sure your backups are saved in a secure location—either on a cloud drive or local machine.

This snapshot can be rolled back in case something goes awry during the transition. It also allows you to roll back to the original version in case of downtime or data loss. Even experienced developers never skip this step, as domain changes affect multiple facets of a website ecosystem.

2. Inform Your Stakeholders

Inform your internal team, clients, and partners of the upcoming change. If your site is live and customer-facing, consider announcing the transition in advance through a banner, blog post, or email newsletter.

It applies to marketing teams, SEO managers, and copywriters—anyone who’s used to URLS or analytics must be informed. It keeps everyone on the same page and aligns updating marketing campaigns, ads, and social media links.

3. Choose the Right Time

A domain change must be carried out at a period of low website traffic. Avoid holidays, product launches, or other mission-critical periods. Use Google Analytics or other means to identify downtime and schedule accordingly.

In addition, make sure that there is no outstanding update for content, conflict of plugins, or server updates. You would want the transition to occur in a stable environment, thus all arrangements for the domain transition without disturbance by other changes.

4. Update Hosting and DNS Settings

If you haven’t already, buy your new domain name from a trustworthy registrar. Second, register the domain with your hosting account using domain management features. Update DNS configurations (usually A or CNAME records) so your new domain points to the correct hosting server.

DNS updates can take a few hours to trickle down, so provide some buffer time. Test with DNS test utilities like DNSChecker.org after being implemented for worldwide update status.

Now let’s dive into the technical steps. These instructions assume you’re keeping the same hosting provider and WordPress installation—just updating the domain name.

Step 1: Update WordPress Address and Site Address

After logging into your WordPress dashboard, go to:

Settings → General

Change the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) from your old domain to the new one. Make sure to use the full path, including https:// if you have SSL enabled.

Once saved, WordPress will attempt to reload using the new domain. This may log you out immediately. You’ll need to log in again using the new domain to continue working on your site.

This basic step updates core URLs that define how WordPress loads resources and links pages. However, it doesn’t update content already embedded throughout the site.

Step 2: Update wp-config.php (If Required)

Some hosting setups override database settings with values hardcoded in wp-config.php. If you previously added those, you’ll need to update them now.

Access your site using FTP, SFTP, or cPanel’s File Manager, then locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory.

If these lines are present, update them:

php

define(‘WP_HOME’,’https://yournewdomain.com’);

define(‘WP_SITEURL’,’https://yournewdomain.com’);

Or, if they’re not there, you can add them just before the line that says /* That’s all, stop editing! */.

Adding this helps prevent any issues with WordPress loading improperly after the switch and ensures consistent behavior during migration or restoration.

Step 3: Update URLs in the WordPress Database

Even after updating the site URL, WordPress stores internal links, image URLs, and file paths that still reference your old domain. These need to be updated to reflect the new domain.

Use a Plugin for Search and Replace

Install plugins like Better Search Replace, Velvet Blues Update URLs, or WP Migrate DB to scan and update URLs across your entire database.

With Better Search Replace:

• Enter your old domain and new domain.
• Select all database tables.
• Run a dry run first to preview changes.
• Once confident, run the actual replacement.

These plugins ensure that embedded links, image paths, menu items, and shortcodes reflect the new domain structure without manual editing.

Manual SQL Queries (Advanced)

Developers can use phpMyAdmin or similar tools to run SQL commands that update records directly. Be sure to back up your database before executing queries.

This method is more precise but riskier if errors occur. Always test thoroughly on staging before applying to a live site.

Step 4: Set Up 301 Redirects

Redirects ensure visitors and search engines are guided from your old domain to the new one. This is essential for SEO, brand continuity, and usability.

Using .htaccess for Apache Servers

Modify the .htaccess file in the old domain’s root folder:

apache

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^olddomain\.com$ [OR]

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.olddomain\.com$

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://newdomain.com/$1 [R=301,L]

This permanent redirect passes link equity and ensures that bookmarks, backlinks, and search engines correctly route users.

Using Hosting Panel Tools

If you’re using cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin, look for a “Redirects” option in your dashboard. You can add a domain-wide 301 redirect with a few clicks—no code needed.

Redirects should remain in place for at least 6–12 months to allow search engines to reindex your site and visitors to adjust.

Step 5: Update Google Search Console and Analytics

Search engines need to be informed of the change to preserve rankings and crawl your new domain effectively.

Google Search Console

• Add the new domain as a new property.
• Verify ownership using DNS, HTML, or GA methods.
• Use the Change of Address Tool under settings in your old domain’s property to notify Google.

Google Analytics

Log in to Google Analytics Admin settings. Under “Property Settings,” update the Default URL to your new domain. This ensures accurate tracking and attribution going forward.

Also, consider setting up Google Tag Manager or GA4 for more advanced data continuity across the transition.

Step 6: Update All Internal and External Links

This step is often overlooked but is crucial. Manually go through:

• Navigation menus
• Footer links
• Sidebar widgets
• Custom post types
• Forms or contact plugins

Additionally, update any links in your email marketing, social media bios, business directories, and third-party platforms. Tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog can help identify links pointing to the old domain that still need to be updated.

Changing a domain naturally impacts your site’s SEO. Here’s how to retain rankings and visibility:

• Keep your content unchanged. Maintain consistency in structure and content across domains to minimize disruption.
• Use Google’s tools. The Change of Address tool, sitemap submissions, and monitoring crawl stats are essential.
• Retain redirects long term. Even after rankings are restored, keeping 301 redirects in place prevents link rot and user confusion.
• Submit a new XML sitemap with your updated URLs to search engines.
• Watch traffic and index status. Use Google Search Console and Analytics to monitor traffic changes, indexing issues, or crawl errors during the first few weeks.

Your new domain needs its own SSL certificate, even if you had one installed previously. If you’re using HTTPS:

• Issue a new SSL certificate from your host or Let’s Encrypt.
• Install and activate the certificate in your hosting panel.
• Use the Really Simple SSL plugin to enforce HTTPS site-wide.

Secure certificates build trust with visitors and are a confirmed Google ranking factor. Be sure to test HTTPS status with tools like SSL Labs.

Here are a few pitfalls that can derail a domain change:

• Not redirecting old URLs properly.
• Missing updates in the database.
• Forgetting to update social and marketing links.
• Switching domains and permalink structure at the same time.
• Rushing the process without backups or testing.

Plan meticulously, execute carefully, and test thoroughly after implementation

After the switch:

• Test every major page and form
• Monitor search engine indexing
• Check for broken links using tools like Broken Link Checker
• Verify Google Analytics and Search Console are tracking
• Confirm that redirects are working properly

Continue promoting your new domain and remind your audience to update their bookmarks.

Change domain name of WordPress site isn’t just a technical task—it’s a brand transition. With the right tools, timing, and precautions, you can make this change smoothly while maintaining SEO, uptime, and user experience.

Whether you’re upgrading your brand or consolidating websites, following these steps ensures a clean, confident transition.

Need expert help migrating your WordPress site to a new domain?

Rocon offers fully managed WordPress hosting with free migrations, auto-scaling performance, and enterprise-grade support. Whether you’re rebranding or building from scratch, we’ll help you launch and scale without the stress.