How to Notify Google of a Site Migration
Telling Google about your move helps it process the change efficiently. Here is how to use Search Console, when to use the Change of Address tool for a domain move, and how to submit a new sitemap.
You notify Google mainly through Search Console: set up the new site there, use the Change of Address tool for a domain move, and submit an updated sitemap of the new URLs. Keep both the old and new sites verified in Search Console so you can watch the whole transition and monitor coverage and errors. The Change of Address tool tells Google your site has moved to a new domain, used once redirects are in place. A fresh sitemap helps Google discover the new structure. This helps Google process the change efficiently, though it still takes its own time to fully re-process.
How to notify Google, and using Search Console
You notify Google of a site migration mainly through Search Console, by setting up the new site there, using the Change of Address tool for a domain move, and submitting an updated sitemap of the new URLs, so Google is told about the change and can process it more efficiently. These signals help Google understand and act on the move; because they speed up recognition of the new site, using Search Console properly is the main way to notify Google of a migration. You use Search Console during a migration by making sure both the old and new sites are verified in Search Console, submitting the new sitemap, using the Change of Address tool if the domain has changed, and then monitoring coverage, performance and any errors as Google processes the move. Having both properties verified lets you watch the whole transition; because it is where Google communicates about your site, Search Console is the central tool for managing a migration with Google.
Search Console
Verify old and new sites.
Change of Address
For domain moves.
Submit sitemap
List the new URLs.
The Change of Address tool, submitting a sitemap, and whether it speeds things up
The Change of Address tool in Search Console tells Google your site has moved to a new domain, and you use it for domain migrations once redirects are in place, so Google transfers signals to the new domain more smoothly. It is specifically for domain moves, not URL changes within the same domain; because it directly informs Google of a domain change, the Change of Address tool is an important step in a domain migration. You submit a new sitemap after a migration by creating an updated XML sitemap listing the new URLs and submitting it in Search Console for the new site, which helps Google discover and crawl the new structure quickly. Submitting the current sitemap points Google straight at the pages that now exist, supporting efficient crawling and re-indexing; because it aids discovery of the new URLs, submitting a fresh sitemap is a simple, valuable part of notifying Google. Notifying Google helps it recognise and process the change more efficiently, which can support a smoother, quicker transition, though Google still takes its own time to fully re-process the site. It assists rather than forces the timeline. Because it helps Google understand the move without guaranteeing a specific speed, notifying Google is a helpful step, not an instant fix, and pairs with careful monitoring afterwards.
Tell Google properly.
Help it process the move.
Google works best when it is told clearly about your move. We verify the new site in Search Console, use the Change of Address tool for domain moves, submit a fresh sitemap of your new URLs, and monitor coverage and errors, so Google recognises and processes the change as smoothly as possible.
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