How to change the domain name in Wordpress

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Changing a domain name can be a very stressful process, especially when you like your current name and logo but realize you need to change them. Don’t worry, though. I’ll walk you through the process of changing a domain name step by step.

I recently went through this situation myself. At some point, I realized I needed to rebrand and come up with a better name that would be more niche-specific. I also wanted a new logo that looked more professional and reflected the direction I wanted to take with my travel blog.

This decision wasn’t easy. I really liked my original logo and site name. It felt personal and represented me, but at the same time, I realized it was too generic and not the right fit for my blog anymore.

Why I Changed My Blog Name

I loved my logo and site name, but I eventually realized it wouldn’t work for me long term in the travel industry. It sounded too common and didn’t really stand out. I also had a feeling that it wasn’t connecting with my audience the way I wanted it to.

That’s when I started thinking about creating a new name.

And honestly, that turned out to be one of the hardest parts of the entire blogging process.

I wanted something catchy and original, but almost every name I thought of was already taken or didn’t sound quite right. I started researching travel-related words, looking through vocabulary lists, checking other blog names, and trying to get inspiration from my travels. Sometimes I even tried coming up with ideas randomly.

But nothing really worked.

At one point, I felt stuck and pretty frustrated. I even stopped writing posts for a while because I wanted to figure out the right name first.

Eventually, I came up with a new name and registered the domain. Bluehost happened to have a promotion and offered a free domain for the first year since I already had hosting with them. I wasn’t completely sure about the name, but since it was free, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try it.

However, I still wasn’t confident about it. I asked a friend for honest feedback, and he pointed out that the name could easily be misinterpreted. After thinking about it, I realized he was right.

So I gave up on that name and started searching again.

I looked everywhere for inspiration. I even tried a few blog name generators online, but they didn’t help much.

Finally, I came up with the name I truly liked.

I really hope this name will stay with me for the long run because changing it is a stressful and time-consuming process.

What You Should Know Before Changing Your Domain Name

1. Once you register a domain name, you cannot change it.
Even a small typo means you’ll need to register a completely new domain and pay for it again. Your host can later point the old domain to the new one, but the original name itself cannot be edited.

2. Your website data will remain the same, but you should back everything up.
Before making any domain changes, it’s always a good idea to back up all your website files.

If you want to avoid mistakes, you can ask your domain registrar or hosting provider to help you with the process.

How to Change a Domain Name in WordPress

1. Choose a new name

First, you need to come up with a new blog name. If you’re struggling as I did, try getting inspiration from other blogs, travel-related words, or articles. Sometimes mixing different words together can help you create something unique.

2. Check if the name is available

Once you have a name, check if the domain is available. If a name like travelgirl.com is taken, you might try variations like thetravelgirl.com or add another word. Just make sure the final name is something you really like.

3. Register the domain

After confirming the name is available, go ahead and register it.

4. Choose a domain registrar

If you haven’t selected one yet, you’ll need to research reliable domain registrars.

Initially, I tried Bluehost because they offered a free domain for the first year. But I quickly realized that domain privacy wasn’t included, and I started receiving a lot of spam emails from people who found my contact information.

After speaking with Bluehost support, they suggested changing my personal details to reduce spam. It helped, but it didn’t completely solve the issue.

One important thing to remember:

Once you register a domain name, you cannot cancel or rename it.

Always double-check important details before purchasing, such as:

SSL certificate
Domain privacy
Renewal price

Some support agents might give incorrect information, so it’s always good to verify things yourself.

After doing more research, I decided to register my new domain with GoDaddy, the same provider I used for my original domain. The yearly price was under $20, SSL was included, and I also purchased domain privacy.

The total should have been about $18.89, but I found a discount code and paid around $15. Not bad at all. Their customer service is also available 24/7, which is helpful when you need assistance.

5. Create a New Logo

Once your domain is registered, the next step is creating a new logo.

You can design one yourself or hire someone. I usually use Fiverr, but my experience wasn’t perfect. At first, I wasted a lot of time and money on designers who couldn’t deliver the style I wanted.

So be careful when choosing a designer.

6. Point Your New Domain to Your Website

To move your website to the new domain, you’ll need to do a few things.

Contact your hosting provider and ask for the DNS information.
Contact your domain registrar and update the DNS to point to your hosting provider.
After that, inform your hosting provider so they can set up the domain transfer and redirects.

This process usually takes between 4 and 12 hours.

Make sure your hosting provider sets the new domain as the primary domain, not a secondary or parked domain. Otherwise, your old domain may still appear in the links.

Pro Tip: When working with your hosting provider and domain registrar, open two chat windows at the same time. That way, you can communicate with both companies simultaneously and avoid getting disconnected before everything is finished.

Final Thoughts

That’s it. Once everything is set up, your new domain will be live. Changing a domain name can feel overwhelming, but if you follow the steps carefully, the process becomes much easier.

Congratulations on your new name and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for your website! ✨