How to Change Your WordPress Domain Name: A Step-by-Step Guide for VPS Hosting

Changing a WordPress domain name is a significant decision that can stem from rebranding, marketing shifts, or the desire for a fresh online identity. While the process is straightforward, it requires careful execution to maintain functionality and SEO performance. This guide outlines the steps to change your WordPress domain, leveraging VPS.DO’s VPS hosting services to ensure a smooth transition.

Preparing to Change Your WordPress Domain

Before initiating a domain change, thorough preparation is essential to avoid disruptions. VPS.DO’s reliable hosting infrastructure supports these preparatory steps, ensuring stability during the transition.

1. Secure a New Domain

Purchase your new domain through a reputable registrar. Ensure the domain aligns with your brand and is available for registration. VPS.DO’s hosting plans, with dedicated IPs and scalable resources, allow seamless integration of new domains.

2. Update DNS Settings

Configure the new domain’s DNS settings to point to your VPS.DO server. This involves updating the nameservers in the domain’s administration panel to match those provided by VPS.DO. DNS propagation typically takes 1–24 hours, depending on the registrar and network conditions.

3. Perform a Database Backup

Backing up your WordPress database is critical to safeguard against errors during the domain change. While VPS.DO’s hosting plans offer robust server backups, creating an additional manual backup using a WordPress plugin ensures you have a restorable copy. This step is vital for sites hosted on VPS.DO’s plans, such as those with 120 GB SSD storage and 5 TB bandwidth.

Changing the Domain in WordPress

Once preparations are complete, you can update the domain name within WordPress. Follow these steps:

• Log in to your WordPress admin panel.
• Navigate to Settings > General.
• Update the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields with the new domain, including https:// if an SSL certificate is enabled on your VPS.DO server.
• Save changes, which will log you out of the admin panel.

If the DNS settings are correct, logging back in will use the new domain. VPS.DO’s high-performance hosting, with up to 14 vCPUs and 600 GB SSD storage, ensures minimal downtime during this process.

Troubleshooting Issues

If the WordPress site becomes inaccessible after the domain change, take these corrective actions:

• Restore Backup: Revert to your database backup and retry the process, ensuring all steps are followed accurately.
• Manual Database Update: Access your database via phpMyAdmin on your VPS.DO server:
  • Locate the wp_options table (note: the prefix may vary).
  • Find rows with option_name set to siteurl and home.
  • Edit the option_value column to reflect the new domain, prefixed with https:// or http:// as applicable.

VPS.DO’s hosting environment provides easy access to database management tools, simplifying manual corrections.

Managing SEO During a Domain Change

Changing a domain can impact search engine rankings, as search engines treat the new domain as a new entity. To preserve SEO performance:

• Implement 301 Redirects: Set up permanent redirects from the old domain to the new one to transfer SEO value. This can be configured on VPS.DO’s servers using tools like Apache or Nginx.
• Update Google Search Console: In Google Search Console, go to Settings > Change of Address and follow the prompts to notify Google of the domain change.
• Update Google Analytics: Adjust the website URL in Google Analytics under Admin > Property Settings, ensuring the correct protocol (http or https) and domain are set.

VPS.DO’s high-bandwidth plans, such as those offering 10 TB at 1 Gbps, ensure fast redirect processing, minimizing SEO disruptions.

Updating Internal Links

Internal links referencing the old domain must be updated to the new domain to maintain site functionality. Use a WordPress plugin like Better Search Replace, configured as follows:

• Install and activate the plugin.
• Go to Tools > Better Search Replace in the WordPress dashboard.
• Enter the old domain in the Search for field and the new domain in the Replace with field.
• Select all database tables and uncheck Run as dry run.
• Execute the search and replace operation.

Once completed, deactivate and uninstall the plugin, as the changes are permanent. VPS.DO’s hosting ensures the resources needed to run such plugins efficiently.

VPS.DO Hosting Plans for Domain Management

VPS.DO’s VPS hosting plans provide the infrastructure needed for seamless domain changes and WordPress management:

These plans offer dedicated resources and multiple IPs, facilitating efficient domain management and WordPress operations.

Conclusion

Changing a WordPress domain name is a manageable process with proper preparation and execution. By securing a new domain, updating DNS, backing up data, and addressing SEO considerations, you can ensure a smooth transition. VPS.DO’s high-performance VPS hosting plans provide the reliability and resources needed to support domain changes, maintaining website functionality and search engine visibility.