Resolving Canonicalization Issues When Switching Domains: A Guide for Website Owners
Introduction
Experiencing difficulties with your website not appearing correctly on Google can be frustrating, especially after investing significant time and effort into SEO. One common challenge arises when domain changes or redirects are improperly configured, leading search engines to misidentify the canonical version of your site. In this article, we’ll explore the scenario of domain transfer and redirect management, and provide best practices to ensure Google recognizes your preferred website version.
Understanding the Context
Suppose you’ve spent about a year developing and optimizing a website on a particular domain, building its authority and search presence. When a third party approaches you with an offer to purchase the domain, and you agree, the transition involves more than just changing URLs—it impacts how search engines perceive your site’s canonical version.
In your case, the seller (you) transfer your old domain to a buyer, who then sets up redirects from the old domain to their new one. If not configured correctly, this redirection can cause Google to continue prioritizing the old domain as the canonical version, preventing your new domain from being indexed properly.
Key Challenges
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Redirects from Old Domain to New Domain: A permanent (301) redirect informs search engines that the original page has moved permanently. However, improper implementation or multiple redirects can cause confusion.
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Canonical Tags: Even if your pages have
<link rel="canonical">tags pointing to the new domain, Google’s perception can be affected when the old domain redirects to a different site. -
Indexing Restrictions: Google may hesitate to index content from the new domain if it detects redirects or conflicting signals.
Best Practices for Ensuring Proper Canonicalization
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Use Permanent 301 Redirects Correctly
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Ensure all pages on the old domain are redirected via 301 redirects directly to their corresponding pages on the new domain, not through chain redirects.
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Confirm redirects are properly set in your server configuration (Apache, Nginx, or CMS settings).
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Implement Self-Referencing Canonical Tags
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On your new domain’s pages, include
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newdomain.com/page-url">in the<head>section. -
Make sure canonical tags point to the preferred URL, and verify they are correctly implemented across all pages.
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Submit Updated Sitemaps and Use Google Search Console
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Update your sitemap with the new domain URLs and submit it via Google