Choosing the right domain name is a critical decision for any law firm or healthcare practice. But what happens when your practice evolves, and your current domain no longer reflects your brand?

Below, let’s talk through the major pros and cons of changing your domain name, as well as what to expect if you decide to take the plunge.

The Pros of Changing the Domain Name for Your Law Firm or Healthcare Practice Website

The domain name you chose for your practice 10 years ago may not reflect the practice you have today. The name of your practice may have changed. The focus of your practice may have changed. Whatever it is that prompted you to look for a new domain name, making a change can potentially benefit you because:

It better aligns with your current brand. For example, a new domain name can reflect your updated practice name and help to reinforce your new brand messaging and focus.
It can improve long-term search performance. A relevant domain name can improve your search engine rankings in the long run and—more importantly—make it easier and more intuitive for new clients and patients to find you online.
It’s more memorable and professional. A more concise and memorable domain name adds credibility to your practice and leaves a lasting impression on potential clients and patients. It’s another little signal that you’re a serious professional with a cohesive brand.

The Cons of Changing the Domain Name for Your Website

Of course, changing your domain name isn’t as simple as many people think. A brand-new URL can affect your marketing and branding in big ways, and not all of them are positive:

You can lose existing traffic. A domain name update can disrupt your website's rankings and result in a temporary drop in traffic until search engines catch up with the change. Most businesses see at least some loss when they initially change their domain names, even if traffic ultimately improves later on.
Broken links and lost backlinks can affect search rankings. Changing your domain name can break existing links pointing to your website from across the Web, including positive backlinks that contribute to your search engine rankings.
It comes with a cost and significant time investment. Acquiring a new domain name, updating all your marketing materials, and implementing all the necessary technical changes can rack up additional costs and require a considerable time investment from you and your team.
It can create confusion for existing clients. Existing clients may become confused or lost when trying to find you after your domain name changes, and the same goes for any word-of-mouth referrals they want to send your way.

How to Mitigate the Risks of Changing Your Domain Name

Don’t give up on the idea of changing your domain name just because there are some downsides. If your current domain name is truly out of date or off base, you can make the change and mitigate the drawbacks by:

Using 301 redirects. Using 301 redirects from your old domain to your new domain helps to seamlessly guide users to the right place and avoid errors that can affect your search engine rankings.
Informing clients and updating your marketing materials. To minimize any confusion, start communicating the domain change to your clients early, and get all your updated marketing materials ready to deploy immediately at launch.
Maintaining consistent branding. Your website should reflect any changes in your name or focus when you update your domain name. This helps you keep a cohesive look and feel for your brand and avoid creating additional confusion for your patients or clients.
Planning the transition. Successfully changing your domain name means juggling a lot of moving parts and being prepared for a temporary dip in your website performance. The best way to mitigate potential problems is to carefully plan for each stage of the transition and give your visitors a seamless rollout.

The important part is to understand that it’s a process, and you may see some fluctuation in your website’s performance after you launch your updated domain name.

Protect Your Brand With Expert Website Support and Guidance

Changing your domain name comes with both benefits and drawbacks, so it's worth taking the time to weigh the pros and cons carefully before making a decision. Need a hand planning the transition? Need some guidance and support as you rebrand your practice or make some major adjustments?

Reach out to us at 888.886.0939 or schedule a website design consultation with our team. We’ll make sure you have everything you need to confidently guide your practice into the future.

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