You can change your website's domain name at any time, but you do it by asking us. There is no screen in your admin for it, because we register and set up every domain name for you.
How a change works
- Contact us and say which name you would like. We tell you whether it is available and what your options are.
- We register the new domain name and attach your website to it.
- We set up a redirect from your old domain name to the new one, so visitors who use the old address arrive at your website.
Adding a second domain name that leads to the same website works the same way. Domain names beyond the one included may cost extra; our pricing page is where to check.
Before you change
- Keep the old domain name for a while. The redirect only works while the old name is still registered. If it expires, every link to it stops working, including links on social media, in emails and on printed cards. Keeping it for at least six to twelve months is a good rule.
- Search engines treat a new address as new. Your website may appear lower in search results for a while after the change.
- If you have email addresses at your domain name, they change too. Addresses at your old domain name stop working when it does. Tell the people who write to you, and contact us about your existing addresses before the change.
A change is worth it when you are changing your name or brand, or want a shorter, easier name to spell and remember. If you are not sure, ask us first.
More about how domain names work is in Your Domain Name.