Many people move a website to another domain name, for example, when rebranding and changing it to one that better fits their online business or switching from a temporary domain to a permanent one. While it may sound complicated, the process is easy and can be completed in just a few steps with the cPanel dashboard in your Domains.co.za account’s control panel.

How to Move a Website to Another Domain in cPanel

1. Login to your Domains.co.za account.

2. Click on Manage Services on the left-hand side and select Web Hosting from the drop-down menu.

3. Click Manage next to your website’s domain name.

4. Next, click the Login button next to Control Panel to access your cPanel dashboard.

5. Scroll to the Domains section and click Domains.

6. Add your new domain name and assign a document root (or leave the default).

7. Click Add Domain to link it to your hosting account.

8. Return to the cPanel dashboard and click on File Manager in the Files section.

9. Navigate to your old domain’s folder:

EXAMPLE:
 /public_html/olddomain.com

10. Select all files and click Move, then move them to your new domain’s root folder:

EXAMPLE:
/public_html/newdomain.com

11. Update any config files (such as wp-config.php if you’re using WordPress) to reflect the new domain name or directory.

12. If needed, use phpMyAdmin to update database references to the new domain.

13. Add a 301 redirect to your .htaccess file under the old domain to forward traffic to the new one.

14. Visit your new domain and verify that the site is working correctly.

What to Keep in Mind

• Always back up your website files and databases before you start.
• Use 301 redirects to retain your SEO ranking and direct users to the new domain.
• Ensure that DNS settings for the new domain are correctly pointed to your hosting provider.
• Recreate any email accounts under the new domain if used previously.
• If you are moving from a subdomain (e.g., blog.olddomain.com) to a root domain (e.g., newdomain.com), ensure you update all internal links accordingly.
• Install an SSL certificate on your new domain via cPanel to ensure encrypted, secure access.

Additionally, set up a custom 404 or maintenance page on the new domain during the migration process to improve user experience and reassure your customers.

Additional Information

Why Move a Website to a New Domain?

Here are some of the most common reasons websites are moved to a new domain:

Rebranding: If you decide to change your business’s name, decide you need a major branding revamp, or merge with another business, moving to a new domain is essential to reflect these updates and avoid confusion.

Test Domain to a Live Site: When building a new website or redesigning an existing one completely, it’s common practice to build and test it on a temporary domain (e.g., dev.yourcompany.co.za). Once it’s ready, it needs to be moved to its permanent domain.

Improved SEO: The old domain may be too long, difficult to spell, or lack relevant keywords. A new keyword-rich, or brandable domain, can potentially improve search engine rankings and make it easier for customers to find you.

Memorability: A shorter, snappier, and more relevant domain name is easier for users to remember, type, and share, resulting in better direct traffic and improved brand recall.

HTTP to HTTPS: While you can implement HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) on an existing domain, sometimes a complete domain change is combined with the security upgrade, especially if there are other reasons for the move.