How to redirect when changing domain?

I want to change my website's domain without losing old links

[doantientai94]

Good morning everyone,

I am a newbie in Webmaster. As the title of this thread, I would like to ask you guys how to do redirect links when changing domain.

I have used a ".tk" domain for my blog since 2 years ago because it's free but now I have just found out that ".tk" is not a good domain, so I decided to move to ".net". However, I have shared a lot of links from my website to my friends, and moreover some of my links are in top 10 of Google. So I don't want to lose them at all :(

What should I do? I have heard about 301 redirect method, is it a good way for me?

Thank you in advance! :D

p/s: sorry for my bad English, I'm still learning and trying to improve it :)

[not2easy]

Good evening from another time zone, don't worry about being understood, your English is quite good. Welcome to the forums doantientai94. Usually we see this question asked in the Apache forum here: [webmasterworld.com...] and that might be the best place to learn more about "How".

If your old domain is hosted on Apache servers, you would need to keep both domains to be able to 301 to the new domain. If it is a free domain you may not be able to edit the .htaccess file. If you can edit the old domain's .htaccess file, visit the Apache Forum and there are many discussions about how to do a 301 redirect. The Forum Library and Charter have examples you can use.

[lucy24]

You're really asking at least two different questions: what to do and how to do it.

If you're moving existing content to a new domain, then you'll be redirecting in any case-- unless your old domain is such irredeemable garbage that you want to start fresh and pretend you've never set eyes on the old site. That doesn't seem to be your intention.

It is awfully unlikely that any major search engine would judge a domain by its tld alone. (After all, there are humans living in Tokelau, just as there are humans living in Ukraine.) Other sites might treat you differently, though. Visitors claiming they followed a link from .biz or .su may not be greeted with open arms.

[RedBar]

It is awfully unlikely that any major search engine would judge a domain by its tld alone.

They will, .tk is not perceived as a top level global domain gTLD:

[en.wikipedia.org...]

.eu is not included in the above list but supposedly is recognised as a gTLD, unless things have changed.

[phranque]

welcome to WebmasterWorld, doantientai94!

I have just found out that ".tk" is not a good domain

how is it not a good domain?

some of my links are in top 10 of Google

google.tk? google.com?

It is awfully unlikely that any major search engine would judge a domain by its tld alone.

unlike most ccTLDs, google treats .tk as a gTLD.

Geotargetable domains - Webmaster Tools Help:
http://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1347922 [support.google.com]

[lucy24]

unlike most ccTLDs, google treats .tk as a gTLD

I imagine there's a whole clutch of islands that have sold off their guano and are now supplementing their economies by selling www space.

[RedBar]

Geotargetable domains - Webmaster Tools Help:
[support.google.com...] [support.google.com]

I knew I'd seen that somewhere, couldn't remember where, bookmarked it now!

[Manhart]

301 redirect is what you are looking for changing

[edited by: Webwork at 6:11 pm (utc) on Jan 12, 2015]
[edit reason] Please do not use this forum to link to external domains [/edit]

[doantientai94]

Thank you very much! Finally I chose to redirect my links :D