Changing your WordPress site to a new domain name is not super-intuitive.
In fact, it can be downright difficult if you don’t know what files to access, and there’s always the concern you could break your database and website if you’re not careful.
That’s why many site owners don’t bother doing this, even in WordPress.
However, since a WordPress URL is not always the most attractive thing for visitors to see, it may become necessary at some point.
Luckily, the process is quite easy to follow once you understand where you need to make changes (and what comes after those changes).
This article will guide you through the process of switching your WordPress domain for a new domain name and creating a new and exciting WordPress site without breaking your database.
Plus, we’ll show you how to keep your old domain active so you can still get traffic from it.
Effortlessly export your Google Docs to WordPress with just 1-click.
Get Started TodayA domain name is the custom website address that users can access.
WordPress also offers a domain name for your website, one that’s followed by ‘.wordpress.com.’
It’s a unique identifier that still allows you to create a memorable address but one that also lets visitors know what platform you’re using.
However, WordPress also allows custom domain names on their platform that aren’t followed by the platform’s name. In this situation, both website addresses remain valid as the old one simply redirects to your custom domain of choice.
Rebranding is the main reason why you may want to opt for a custom domain name. Your address or domain can reflect on your business’s success and help with your new marketing strategy. Simply put, running a site on a subdomain such as ‘.wordPress.com’ doesn’t look as good as “[yourbrand].com” straight up.
The WordPress change domain service isn’t difficult to use. And it’s also recommended at times when a new and better domain becomes available. Yet another popular reason to make a change, if the new name represents your brand better.
For seamless updates and to ensure database integrity during such changes, consider using the Liquibase database change management tool. Liquibase helps manage and streamline the process effectively.
Changing your domain name isn’t too difficult but it can still pose some problems − not just from a planning standpoint but also with the implementation process.
Fortunately, WordPress seems to address these common requests well and makes the process accessible even to less experienced users.
Here’s how it works…
By doing this you’re making sure that all the effort you’ve put into SEO content won’t be wasted, and that you can still take advantage of your Google rankings.
It’s possible to transfer a domain name when you move to the WordPress platform. To set your transferred domain name as the primary, you can navigate to My Sites > Manage > Domains. From there, pick the URL you want and make it the primary choice. Also, check the Use WordPress.com Name Servers option under the Name Servers & DNS tab.
To change the site’s URL, you have to login as an admin and go to ‘Settings’ then ‘General.’ In this menu, you’ll find the WordPress Address option and the Site Address option. You can edit both of them and then save the changes. Just note that it may take a while for the update to go through.
As part of the WordPress policy, you get a temporary domain name so that you can edit and configure your website without having to change the DNS settings. This allows you to perform maintenance and updates on your website without affecting the live version.
This is the link you can use to directly connect to your admin dashboard on your website. It’s the version of the website that you can control and edit, and visitors can’t access without your credentials. It also makes it easier for you to log in and work, since all you have to do is type in your WordPress website address and add the /admin line at the end.
This really depends on how often you make changes. If you constantly upload files, edit themes, and update plugins, you may want to back up your website twice or maybe three times per month. The less you work on your website, the less you need to perform backups.
As you can see, changing your domain name is a somewhat simple five-step process that starts with you buying the new domain, changing the addresses in key files, and redirecting from your old domain name to your new one, in order to make sure you still get your visitors.
If you’re doing this for the first time, you may also want to back up your WordPress site to ensure that if something goes wrong with the file editing, you can always go back to a working version of your database.
When you are ready to export your content, use Wordable to automate your export from Google Docs. It will not only clean and properly format your HTML, but also compress images, open links in a new tab, automatically set featured images, or create a table of contents, and lots more within a single click.