want to remame my domain

[Chriscon]

Hi - I want to rename my domain but not lose the headway I've made in Google finally finding my website. (Page 3 - woot)

I also have the problem that business cards and a few other printings have gone out with the original domain name, so I don't want to lose those visitors or the credit for those hits weth the SEO etc..

I regret having chosen the name too quickly - and I see now how it sends the wrong message.

What are my options?

Thank you.

[travlinman]

Re: want to remame my domain

None!

You can not change it and use it at the same time!

PS. what is your site?

[Chriscon]

Re: want to remame my domain

None - wow.
Can I purchase the new name I want and redirect or something? and if I do that - can I just clone pages, rename them and publish for the new site. Will SE know what I'm doing or will they count it as duplicate content?
How does redirect work?
What do my visitors see? In other words does a redirect send my visitors directly to the new site or do they see my old site or some message first?
Thanks for the help.
PS - I puprosely am not naming the site because I don't want to leave a link here for SE's or for random viewers to click on.

[travlinman]

Re: want to remame my domain

You do not have 2 clone or rename them; they r yours & u can publish them as many times as u want on as many different domains as u want. Just publish them 2 the new domain.

New site - old site, your visitors see what u publish on the site...or u can publish nothing and just redirect that the visitors go 2 another site of yours.
If you name the site here it is 1 more link later when you redirect 2 the site u will use.

[zuriatman]

Re: want to remame my domain

You can buy a new Domain name and transfer the current site to the new domain and allow the Domain that you dont like to expire.

However before it expire you will need to submit a support ticket to VH
to request a transfer & resetting of your account to the Newdomain name
as your Main domain.

[Karen Mac]

Re: want to remame my domain

Just buy a domain name and redirect it to the original domain .. doesnt cost anything but the registration of the domain.. no new pages to make etc.. get credit for both that way.

Karen

[Chriscon]

Re: want to remame my domain

Thank you all for helping and your patience.
Travel, I understand that I own the material but I thought SEO requires unique content and my new site will look the copy cat -
Major - Your idea sounds good to me because ultimatlely I only want one website to maintain. So transferring a site to the new domain - what happens on c-panel? Can my new domain become the priamry, the main site?
Karen - I was leaning toward the redirect with a 301, but I thought I had to redirect my old name (links etc.) to my new domain.

Bottom line is I want the new domain to be my primary and be the only name visitors see and use etc. and for the old domain (with teh poor name)to fade out of existence.

[asirimarco]

Re: want to remame my domain

Karen if I buy a new domain and redirect it to an old domain am I right in thinking that I have to keep paying for both domains every year?

[Vasili]

Re: want to remame my domain

Karen died 2 years ago already, Ann ....

Yes. That is exactly what you would need to do. Forwarding a domain does not affect the SEO values of the destination Domain, nor does it count against you in any way.

If you want to "retire" a domain, the alternative is to create the new domain as an Add-On Domain to your hosting account, and re-publish all your pages under this new Domain ... then you would simply delete the original Domain from your hosting account (to not only avoid being required to maintain it every year, but also to avoid being penalized for having a "duplicate site" which is a no-no).

[asirimarco]

Re: want to remame my domain

you can tell I haven't been on here much in the last few years - sorry about the faux pas
thank you for the information. husband has decided he doesn't like the name of his web site and wants to change it - EGAD -

[asirimarco]

Re: want to remame my domain

Vasili not sure where to ask this but figured here was okay as it is about same original question anyway
I've purchased the new domain name redone all the pages, links etc and published it. All is fine. www.fantasymanorartstudio.com
my old domain www.woodspiritsandleatherartstudio.com will not be renewed on 5/5/12 until then I have redirected to new domain. I've also deleted main pages from FTP manager So far so good. The Question is Will I be in trouble with search engines for having two identical sites or have I taken care of problem by redirecting and deleting? I just don't want to cause myself problems for the future. hope I made myself clear thankx
will I have to remove the redirect after the old domain expires in May?

[Vasili]

Re: want to remame my domain

Were I you, I would create the new Add-On fantasymanorartstudio.com and publish to it, immediately followed by deleting the old Domain website entirely via cPanel (you can delete the Add-On with a single click). Then go back to the old Domain and simply FORWARD it to the new Domain via the Domain Manager at the domain's Registrar ... that way visitors using the old domain will still "arrive" at the proper updated domain site, and the old domain since it is Forwarded will no longer carry any SEO weight or values (all the valuations are made upon the destination domain only).

When the old domain expires, it simply expires, falling off the functional radar.