Navigating the Change of Address Tool
Navigating the Change of Address Tool
Relocating your website from one digital address to another can be a daunting task. It’s not just about physical relocation; you need to ensure that your online presence seamlessly transitions to your new domain or subdomain. That’s where the Change of Address Tool comes to the rescue, making this process as smooth as possible. In this blog post, we’ll embark on a journey through the intricacies of this tool and how to make the most of it.
Understanding the Change of Address Tool
What the Tool Does
Imagine you’re moving your website from example.com to a brand new address like example.org or example2.com. The Change of Address Tool is your virtual guide that helps Google recognize this change and assists in migrating your Google Search results from your old site to the new one. Ideally, you should use this tool before making the move, but it can also be a lifesaver if you’ve already relocated.
When Not to Use This Tool
Before we dive into how to use the Change of Address Tool, it’s essential to understand when not to use it. You should avoid this tool in the following scenarios:
1. HTTP to HTTPS Moves
If you’re transitioning from HTTP to HTTPS, follow the guidelines for site moves with URL changes. Google will automatically adapt to these changes, so the tool isn’t necessary.
2. Moving Pages Within Your Site
If you’re rearranging pages within your site (e.g., from example.com/oldpath/ to example.com/newpath/), use redirects and update your sitemaps accordingly. However, you can use the tool to migrate your site from one domain to a path within another domain (e.g., from example.com to example3.com/new/location/).
3. Switching Between www and non-www
If you’re moving between www and non-www versions of the same domain (e.g., www.example.com to example.com), use canonical tags and redirects without the Change of Address Tool.
4. Moving Without URL Changes
If your site’s URL remains the same, but you’re changing hosting providers or CDNs, read about moving a site with no URL changes. The Change of Address Tool isn’t required for this scenario.
Best Practices in a Site Move
Before you initiate a site move, consider these best practices:
Avoid Chaining Moves
Don’t submit multiple change of address requests in succession. For instance, redirecting traffic from site A to site B and immediately requesting another change from site B to site C is not advisable.
Move Sites One by One
If you’re moving multiple sites to a single location, do it one at a time. Moving sites A, B, and C simultaneously to a new location (D) can lead to confusion and traffic loss. Wait until traffic stabilizes for one site before moving the next.
Separate Domain and Subdomain Moves
If you’re migrating a Domain property to one location (e.g., A.com to B.com) and a subdomain to another property (e.g., m.A.com to m.C.com), create separate properties for each subdomain and migrate them independently.
Maintain Site Architecture
Keeping the same site architecture in the new location can help transfer signals directly. If you combine a site move with a redesign that alters content and URL structure, expect some temporary traffic loss as Google adapts.
Step 1: Pre-work
Every site move requires some groundwork:
1. Implement Redirects
Implement a 301 redirect from your old homepage to your new one. We recommend doing the same for canonical pages on your old site.
2. Familiarize Yourself
Familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of site moves and follow the step-by-step guide for moving to a new domain. Perform any other pre-move actions described in the site move guidelines.
3. Domain-Level Properties
For domain-level properties (e.g., example.com, https://example.com, m.example.com), proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Use the Change of Address Tool
After completing the pre-work, if you meet the following requirements, you can use the Change of Address Tool:
Requirements:
- You must be the owner of both the old and new properties in Search Console, managed through the same Google account.
- The tool is designed for properties at the domain level, meaning it works for example.com, m.example.com, or http://example.com. It doesn’t apply to properties at the path level (e.g., http://example.com/petstore/).
- The tool affects all protocols of your source property. If you specify http://example.com, it will also affect https://example.com.
How to Use the Change of Address Tool:
- Complete Step 1: Pre-work.
- Ensure you meet all the requirements mentioned above.
- Open the tool in a property at the domain level (without path segments).
- Follow the instructions provided in the tool. It conducts a few pre-move checks before notifying Google of the move. Critical pre-move issues must be resolved before proceeding, while non-critical issues come with recommendations but won’t halt the process.
- Successful pre-checks trigger notifications in Search Console for all sites involved, indicating the move is in progress. Expect these notifications for 180 days.
- Monitor your traffic as advised in the site move guidelines.
- Maintain redirects for at least 180 days, and consider extending this period if there’s ongoing traffic from Google Search. While you can remove old pages, keeping the old domain for at least a year is recommended to prevent misuse.
What to Expect After Using the Tool
Once you’ve initiated a change of address request through Search Console, Google will prioritize crawling and indexing your new site over the old one for 180 days. Signals from the old site will be forwarded to the new one, and Google will favor the new site for canonical pages. However, Google doesn’t remove the old site from its index, and old URLs can still appear in search results if they have no equivalent on the new site.
Canceling a Change of Address Request
You can cancel a change of address request within 180 days. To do this:
- Remove any previously set up 301-redirect directives on your server.
- Add 301 redirects from the new site to the old site.
- In the old site’s Change of Address Tool, click “Cancel Move.”
“Other Sites Moving to This Site” Notification
If you see a notification that other sites are moving to your site in Search Console, it means that another property owner has used the Change of Address Tool to notify Google of a website’s move to your domain. As the migration progresses, you’ll notice traffic from the other site(s) integrated into your traffic data as Google redirects users from the old site to your new one.
In conclusion, the Change of Address Tool is your ally in ensuring a seamless transition when relocating your website. It simplifies the process, maintaining your web presence and visibility. By following best practices and understanding when and how to use this tool, you can make your site move a breeze. Remember, a well-executed move is not just about the destination but the journey itself.
