How to Change a Domain Name on Wix: A Comprehensive Guide

Changing the domain name of your Wix website is a significant step, whether you’re rebranding, enhancing your SEO strategy, or just opting for a more memorable URL. The process may seem daunting, but with proper guidance, you can seamlessly transition to a new domain while maintaining your site’s functionality and SEO performance. This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to change the domain name on Wix and address key considerations to ensure a smooth and successful domain switch.

Why Change Your Domain Name?

Before diving into the steps of changing your domain, it’s essential to understand why you might want to make this change. Some common reasons include:

Rebranding: If your business is undergoing a rebrand, updating your domain to reflect the new name is crucial.
SEO Optimization: You might choose a domain that’s more keyword-rich, or better aligned with your niche, helping improve your search engine rankings.
Simplification: A shorter, more memorable domain can make it easier for users to find and remember your website.
Geographical Targeting: Changing your domain to reflect a region or country (e.g., using a .com, .co.uk, or .ca) may improve local SEO and customer trust.

Pre-Change Checklist

Before making any changes to your domain name, there are a few key points to consider:

Backup Your Website: Although Wix automatically saves your site, it’s always a good idea to double-check that everything is backed up and functioning properly.
Inform Your Audience: If you have regular visitors, inform them about the upcoming change in advance to avoid confusion.
Set Up Email Accounts: If you have domain-specific email addresses, you will need to set them up again for the new domain.

Now, let’s get started with the process of changing your domain name on Wix.

Step-by-Step Guide to Changing a Domain Name on Wix

Step 1: Purchase a New Domain

If you haven’t already, the first step in changing your domain name is purchasing a new one. You can either buy a domain directly through Wix or through a third-party provider like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains.

To Buy a Domain Through Wix:
- Log in to your Wix account.
- On the Dashboard, click Settings.
- Under the Domains section, select Buy a New Domain.
- Search for your desired domain, select it, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the purchase.
To Use a Domain from a Third-Party Provider:
- If you’ve purchased a domain from an external provider, make sure you have access to the DNS settings, which will be important later on in this guide.

Step 2: Access Your Wix Domain Settings

Once your new domain is ready, log in to your Wix account and go to the site that you want to change the domain for.

From the Dashboard, navigate to Settings on the left-hand side.
Under Settings, click on Domains.

Step 3: Connect the New Domain

In the Domains section, you’ll be able to connect your new domain to your Wix website. You have two options here:

If You Bought the Domain from Wix:
- If you purchased the new domain directly through Wix, the system will automatically offer to connect it to your website.
- Simply select the new domain, and Wix will handle the rest, including DNS settings.
If You Bought the Domain from a Third-Party Provider:
- Click on Connect a Domain You Already Own.
- Follow the prompts to enter the new domain name you purchased from your third-party provider.
- Wix will provide you with DNS settings (usually a CNAME record and an A record) that you will need to input into your domain provider’s DNS management settings.
To complete this, log in to your domain provider, navigate to the DNS settings, and add the records provided by Wix. Changes may take up to 48 hours to propagate across the internet.

Step 4: Set the New Domain as Primary

Once your new domain is connected, you’ll need to set it as the primary domain. This ensures that all traffic to your website is directed to the new domain.

Go to the Domains section in Wix.
Select your newly connected domain.
Click Set as Primary.

Now, your website is officially running on the new domain, and users visiting your old domain will automatically be redirected.

Step 5: Set Up Redirects from the Old Domain

Wix makes it easy to set up automatic redirects from your old domain to your new one. This is crucial for ensuring that anyone visiting your old domain is seamlessly transferred to the new site.

Here’s how to do it:

In the Domains section, under the Connected Domains tab, you’ll see your old domain.
Wix should automatically set up a redirect from your old domain to your new one. However, if you have multiple domains, ensure that all are set to redirect to the new one.

Step 6: Update Your Google Search Console and Sitemap

Once your new domain is live, it’s important to update Google Search Console to reflect this change. Here’s how:

Open Google Search Console and add the new domain as a new property.
Submit the New Sitemap: In your Wix account, go to SEO Tools > Sitemaps and submit the new sitemap with the updated domain to Google Search Console.

Tip: Don’t forget to submit the robots.txt file in Search Console as well to inform search engines about the changes to your domain.

Step 7: Update External Links and Social Media

If you have external websites linking to your old domain or have shared your website URL on social media, you’ll need to update these links to point to your new domain. This will ensure a smooth user experience and preserve your SEO authority.

Update your social media profiles with the new URL.
Contact external websites or business directories that link to your site and ask them to update the link.
Update any email signatures, marketing materials, and advertising campaigns with the new domain name.

Step 8: Monitor Your Website and SEO Performance

After changing your domain, it’s critical to monitor your website’s traffic and SEO performance. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to check for:

Crawl errors: Ensure Google is properly indexing your new domain.
Traffic drops: Sudden drops may indicate issues with redirects or indexing.
Ranking shifts: Track keyword rankings to ensure that you maintain or improve your positions.

It’s common to see a small dip in traffic right after changing your domain, but if everything is done correctly, this should stabilize quickly.

SEO Considerations When Changing a Domain Name

Changing your domain name can have a significant impact on your website’s SEO. Here are some key considerations to ensure your SEO efforts remain intact:

1. 301 Redirects are Critical

A 301 redirect informs search engines that your old domain has permanently moved to the new one. This preserves most of your SEO value and ensures users and search engines are forwarded to the correct pages.

2. Update Backlinks

If your old domain had valuable backlinks from reputable websites, contact those websites and ask them to update the link to your new domain. This will help transfer SEO equity to the new domain.

3. Submit New Sitemap to Search Engines

As mentioned earlier, updating and submitting a new sitemap to Google Search Console (and other search engines) helps crawlers find your new domain faster, minimizing any SEO disruption.

4. Monitor Rankings

Track the performance of your new domain closely using tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. If your rankings drop, check for issues such as broken redirects or missing pages.

5. Social Signals

Don’t forget that social media profiles often contribute indirectly to SEO through social signals. Make sure your updated URL is reflected on your social media platforms to maintain a consistent brand presence.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not Setting Up 301 Redirects: Failing to redirect the old domain can result in broken links and lost traffic.
Not Notifying External Sites: If you don’t update external backlinks, you could lose valuable SEO authority.
Changing Domain Too Often: Changing domains frequently can confuse both search engines and users, which can negatively impact your SEO.
Forgetting to Update Marketing Materials: Ensure that all digital and physical marketing materials, like business cards, email signatures, and advertisements, reflect the new domain.

Final Thoughts

Changing the domain name of your Wix website can be a smooth process when you follow the right steps. It’s an important move, whether you’re rebranding or improving your SEO, but it requires careful planning and execution.

By following this step-by-step guide, setting up proper redirects, and updating your online presence, you can successfully change your domain name without losing traffic or SEO equity. Remember, the key is to take your time and double-check every step, ensuring that your new domain reflects your brand and serves your visitors well.

Happy domain switching!

Optimizing your Wix website can significantly improve your online visibility and performance. As an SEO expert, I can provide tips on design, SEO strategies, or advanced integrations. If you’re looking for a Wix SEO expert, contact me today!