Migrating your website is never an easy task. This requires careful planning and execution. While migration can be difficult, if done right, it can open up new opportunities and solve problems with the old hosting platform.
In today’s article, we will focus on the migration of web hosts without loss of SEO. In this guide, we’ll show you how to migrate to a new web host without losing any SEO value.
1. Review your decision to migrate
First of all, you need to know clearly why you are doing the migration. A site migration is never easy and can also result in temporary traffic loss. Over time, your new website (host) will work and your site will be back where it is. This is the best possible result you can get.
However, many complexities can arise and hinder the growth and presence of the website. If you are not able to do things properly, you can land and lose a valuable ranking. In short, review your decision and see if the problem can be solved without migration. A migration is worth it if you make a major brand change, if your accommodation doesn’t provide the service required for maintenance, or if you switch to HTTPS. There are other scenarios that you should migrate to, and it all depends on what you think of the situation you are in.
2. Choose the right hosting platform
Now that you’ve made up your mind, the next step is to find a good hosting provider. You can start by reading reviews from host providers. A hosting platform with good technical features will be able to manage your SEO needs. However, before you choose one, you need to make sure it meets your needs perfectly. For example, you can check the following.
- The technical specifications of the server, such as the operating system, the version of the system, etc.
- The server bandwidth
- Good technical support and documentation
- Low downtime.
3. Select server location carefully
The next step is to choose the right server for your website. Geographical advantage can be a decisive factor in your REFERencing. For example, if you’re targeting the U.S. before the migration and you’ve used a nearby server, you also need to find something similar. In short, the server’s location counts and affects your SEO ranking. It will also have an impact on your target audience. In short, you need to know which server your website will host. Anyone who starts out as a blogger knows the importance of it and you should not forget it when you migrate from your host. Almost all hosts allow you to choose the server of your choice. If they don’t, you can choose a different accommodation.
3. Create a backup
Before you start migrating, you need to fully back up your website. You can make backups using plug-ins such as BackupBuddy, BackWPup or use a quality backup service such as VaultPress. This step will ensure that you can return to the original website in case of a problem.
4. Move wordPress
When the backup is complete, you are now ready to transfer your website to the new web host. You can do it yourself or using a professional service. You can also ask the web hosting provider that you have chosen to do it for you. Many web hosting providers do this for free, saving you not only money but also time.
If you decide to do it yourself, you can also use the Duplicater plug-in. It’s easy to use and you just need to follow a detailed guide available online.
5. Test the new website
Once the migration is complete, it is now time to test the website. Check every page or file on your new host. Make sure everything is working properly before moving on to the next step. If you want to ensure the performance of your website on the new host, it is recommended to test it before making the migration.
6. DNS TTL records need set up
DNS or domain name server is a way to map the domain name of your website to the IP address of your website’s server. Since humans can’t remember numbers, that’s why we adapt the server address to the DNS. When you change your web host, the server’s IP address changes. To make the new IP server live, you need to update the DNS so that it redirects to the new server ID. However, this process can take up to 24 hours, which may be too much for your users and search engines.
The solution is TTL (Time-To-Live). This is the time when DNS records need to be updated. The good news is that you can speed up the process by changing the TTL value from 24 hours (86400 seconds) to just 5 minutes (300 seconds). In addition, this must be done one day before migration. However, the web hosting provider needs to support this feature to work properly.
7. Now change your DNS records
The final step is to update the DNS records and inform the world about the new server. In addition, many of the apps or services you use take the time to update their DNS records. In this case, you need to make sure your old server stays online for a few days. THE SEO facts indicate that you need to set up your DNS records correctly for maximum benefit.
Conclusion
If you follow all the steps correctly, your SEO will not be hindered if you migrate. In addition, you have to wait two days to see the right picture. Keep the old server and the new server live to make sure the transition is done properly.
Based on the excellent SearchEngineWatch.
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