Businesses change website domains for many reasons: rebranding, acquisition, product changes, etc. Although it is often necessary, in my experience a new domain reduces organic search traffic by over 30%.
Similar to a new URL structure, domain changes require 301 redirects, which result in a loss of fairness. I’ve seen rankings drop for months. If the decline persists, a detailed audit might be helpful.
Here are my go-to tools for domain change audits.
Google Search Console
The first step is to keep the abandoned domain verified in Search Console to access ranking history and click data.
Then, after verifying ownership of your new domain, notify Google of the change via the “ ” message in Search Console.Address change“tool to Settings > Address Change.
![Search Console screenshot "Address change" tool Search Console screenshot "Address change" tool](https://www.practicalecommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1-Search-Console_change-of-address-570x505.jpg)
Inform Google of the new domain via the “Change Address” tool in Search Console. Click on the image to enlarge.
Search Console can identify which pages or folders lost the most traffic as a result of the move. To do this, open the Performance > Pages reports for old and new domains (each in separate tabs). By default, both URL lists are sorted by the number of organic clicks, making it easier to compare the best performing pages.
Don’t delay searching, as Search Console only shows 16 months of data. I usually access the report two, three, and four months later to track changes.
It’s a good sign if no section, category or URL declines more than others: this decision probably didn’t cause any structural problems.
If some areas have slipped more than others, turn to the Wayback Machine.
Return machine
Domain changes frequently include a change in site structure, particularly in the case of acquisitions or product differences. Wayback Machine helps identify structural changes that have reduced traffic.
After noting URLs containing removals of material in Search Console, compare the archived versions of those pages in the Wayback Machine to the new ones, making sure:
- The main navigation includes URLs as prominently as the previous domain,
- URLs are linked together throughout the site: in related products, guides, sidebar widgets, footers, etc.
Semrush
A loss of link equity from the old site to the new one could explain the drop in traffic. Semrush can help identify the loss.
To get started, run both domains through the tool’s main scan bar. Then move on to Backlink Analysis > Indexed Pages and check the “Broken links” box. This report for both sites will list pages with broken backlinks and return 404 or 410 errors.
![Screenshot of Semrush "Broken links" report Screenshot of Semrush "Broken links" report](https://www.practicalecommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2-Semrush-broken-pages-e1711023449290-570x390.jpg)
Semrush’s Broken Links report lists pages that return 404 or 410 errors. Click on the image to enlarge.
Screaming frog
Domain changes often produce unexpected structural problems. It is therefore essential to run the new site through a crawler such as Screaming Frog, JetOctopus or similar.
Most bots allow limited, free access. Screaming Frog, for example, crawls 500 pages at no cost. Beyond that, the paid version costs $259 per year. It includes a explore comparison functionalityhandy for contrasting explorations of the old site and the new.
When exploring a site, look for redirect channels. These trap external and internal link fairness and extend crawl time. Both can lead to lower traffic.