So, you finally managed to get yourname.com after 8 years of someone sitting on it, but you’re stuck with your second choice of this-domain-isnt-even-my-real-name.net?
Well, the good news is that you’re not stuck. What you need to do is what’s called a 301 redirect, which is essentially a change of address to all links that point to your old site, AND it has the added benefit of letting Google and other search engines know that you moved. Plus, all those links that point to the old site… Well, Google will still count those for Domain and Page Authority.
301 redirects can be tricky, and are best set up by a developer, or a technical SEO practitioner. Most of the time, it’s just two or three lines of code, or a setting where your domain is registered, but it can get tricky if your website wasn’t a straightforward setup (for example if you had separate website and blog).
So, if you want to change your domain, or move your site, fear not! You won’t lose your SEO efforts you’ve worked on. But, you should consult with a developer to ensure that the move goes smoothly.