Changing the domain name of your WordPress site involves several key steps. Here’s a simplified guide to help you through the process:
- Purchase and Register Your New Domain Name: Before making any changes to WordPress, ensure you have the new domain name purchased and registered through a domain registrar.
- Backup Your Website: Always backup your site to prevent data loss. You can use a plugin or your hosting provider’s tools for this.
1) Update Domain in WordPress Settings
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to ‘Settings’ > ‘General’.
- Update the ‘WordPress Address (URL)’ and ‘Site Address (URL)’ fields with your new domain name.
2) Update Your Web Host Records
- Log into your web hosting account.
- Locate the domain management or DNS settings section.
- Update the DNS records to point to your new domain.
3) Force Website to Use HTTPS
- If you have an SSL certificate, ensure it’s applied to your new domain and force your site to use HTTPS by installing a plugin like ‘Really Simple SSL’.
4) Update Internal Links and References
- Use a plugin like ‘Better Search Replace’ to update all internal links and references from your old domain to your new one within your site’s database.
5) Notify Google
- Use Google Search Console to inform Google of your domain change. This helps with preserving your site’s search ranking.
Remember, changes to your domain name can affect your site’s SEO temporarily.
It’s important to closely monitor your site’s performance and search rankings following the change and adjust your SEO strategy as needed.
