Website Migration: Minimize SEO Risk During Domain Changes in Azerbaijan
As businesses grow, moving your website to a new domain becomes necessary. However, website migration can severely damage your Google rankings if not properly planned. In Azerbaijan's competitive online market, minimizing SEO risk is critical.
1. Conduct a Pre-Migration Audit
At least 2 months before migration, perform a comprehensive SEO audit of your existing site. In Google Search Console, document which pages drive traffic and which keywords rank. Analyze all backlinks using tools like Ahrefs or Moz. This data ensures no value is lost after migration.
2. Set Up 301 Redirects Properly
The most critical step: create 301 (permanent) redirects from old pages to new ones. This tells Google the page has moved permanently and transfers ranking power to the new URL. Use regex-based redirection instead of redirecting URLs individually. On WordPress, use Yoast SEO or All in One SEO plugins.
3. Refresh Your XML Sitemap and Submit It
After moving to the new domain, create a new XML sitemap covering all new URLs and submit it to Google Search Console. Remove the old sitemap as well. Signal to Google that your site has been actively updated.
4. Plan DNS Changes in Advance
When changing domains, lower your DNS TTL (Time To Live) from 300 to 1800 seconds 24 hours before migration. This makes the transition from old to new server smooth and quick. After migration, increase TTL again.
5. Avoid Duplicate Content Issues
During the transition period, both old and new sites may be indexed separately, causing duplicate content problems. Ensure canonical tags are properly configured and 301 redirects are active in Google Search Console.
6. Verify Mobile Optimization
When moving to a new site, ensure it meets mobile-first indexing requirements. Check mobile speed, responsive design, and touch-friendly elements. Aim for a minimum score of 70+ on Google PageSpeed Insights.
7. Monitor and Track Performance
During the first month after migration, check Google Search Console, Google Analytics 4, and Bing Webmaster Tools daily. Look for sharp traffic drops, indexing issues, and crawl errors. Fix any problems immediately.
Conclusion
Website migration is risky, but if planned correctly, you can maintain or even improve your SEO rankings. For e-commerce and SaaS companies in Azerbaijan, this process directly impacts revenue. Take precautions before migration and avoid rushing the process.
