Changing your blog's domain is a big undertaking. As you work to move your blog to your new domain, it is important to remember to make the transition as smooth as possible for your readers so you do not lose any in the change.
There are a few things you can do that will help migrate your blog to a new domain with less stress on you and your readers.
Keep the domains similar. Your readers know you based on your old domain. This is where they go to read your blog, and the domain name is the one they associate with you. If you change your domain to something radically different, your readers may not be able to find you. If possible, keep your new domain similar to your old one. This may not be possible if you are radically changing the focus of your blog, but if the overall feel of your blog is staying the same, your domain should not vary too much, either.
Prepare the new domain before it goes live. Before you start sending readers to your new blog domain, it is a good idea to get all your old blog posts moved over to the new domain. This will help your blog look complete rather than like a brand new blog. This feeling of familiarity will help your readers make the adjustment more easily.
Prepare your readers before the change. Give your readers time to change the URL before getting rid of the old domain. Not everyone is able to read blogs daily, and they need time to update their bookmarks and RSS feeds in order to follow you to the new domain.
Along with giving readers time to make the change, you should create overlap in the domains during the change. Do not get rid of your old blog domain the same day your new domain goes live. This is too quick a change for readers. Creating overlap in the change will give readers time to move with you to the new domain. This will reduce the number of readers you lose in the domain change.
No one wants to lose readers when they move to a new domain. By preparing them for the change and making the migration as smooth as possible, you can reduce the risk of losing them. Then you can focus on posting on your great new domain.
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