Domain Forwarding Explained: When and How to Use It

What Is Domain Forwarding?

Domain forwarding (also called domain redirection) automatically sends visitors from one domain to another. If someone types olddomain.com into their browser, they're instantly taken to newdomain.com.

It's like setting up mail forwarding when you move — messages sent to your old address arrive at your new one.

When to Use Domain Forwarding

After a Rebrand

You changed your business name from "Swift Solutions" to "Meridian Group." Forward swiftsolutions.com to meridiangroup.com so existing customers and bookmarks still work.

Protecting Your Brand

Register common misspellings and forward them to your main domain. If your brand is "Luminex," register "Luminnex.com" and "Luminecks.com" and forward them.

Multiple TLDs

If you own yourbrand.com, yourbrand.co, and yourbrand.net, forward the alternatives to your primary .com domain.

Marketing Campaigns

Use short, memorable domains for campaigns. "TryMeridian.com" can forward to meridiangroup.com/promo for a specific campaign.

Consolidating Properties

If you have multiple websites, you might consolidate into one and forward the old domains.

Types of Domain Forwarding

301 Redirect (Permanent)

A 301 redirect tells search engines that the domain has permanently moved. This transfers SEO value (link equity) from the old domain to the new one.

Use when: You've permanently moved to a new domain and want to pass SEO authority.

302 Redirect (Temporary)

A 302 redirect tells search engines the move is temporary. SEO value stays with the original domain.

Use when: You're temporarily sending traffic elsewhere (during maintenance, seasonal campaigns).

URL Masking (Frame Forwarding)

The forwarded domain stays in the browser's URL bar while displaying the destination site in a frame. The visitor sees olddomain.com but gets content from newdomain.com.

Use with caution: URL masking can confuse search engines and cause SEO problems. It's generally not recommended.

How to Set Up Domain Forwarding

Through Your Registrar

Most registrars (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains) offer forwarding in the domain management panel:

1. Log into your registrar account
2. Select the domain to forward
3. Enter the destination URL
4. Choose redirect type (301 or 302)
5. Save and wait for DNS propagation

Through DNS (More Control)

For more granular control, use DNS-level redirects:

1. Point your domain to a web server or service
2. Configure redirect rules on the server
3. This allows path-level forwarding (olddomain.com/page → newdomain.com/specific-page)

Through Cloudflare

If your DNS is on Cloudflare, use Page Rules:

1. Add a page rule for the domain
2. Set "Forwarding URL" with a 301 redirect
3. Enter the destination URL

Domain Forwarding and SEO

301 Redirects Pass Authority

When you 301 redirect, search engines transfer most of the SEO value from the old domain to the new one. This includes:

• Backlinks pointing to the old domain
• Domain authority
• Page rankings (gradually)

Keep Old Domains Registered

Even after forwarding, keep paying for the old domain. If you let it expire, someone else can register it and potentially harm your brand.

Don't Chain Redirects

Domain A → Domain B → Domain C creates a redirect chain. Each hop loses some SEO value and slows down the user experience. Redirect directly from A to C.

Common Domain Forwarding Mistakes

• Using 302 when you need 301 — Temporary redirects don't pass SEO authority
• Forgetting subdomains — Forward www.olddomain.com too, not just olddomain.com
• Not forwarding email — Domain forwarding only handles web traffic. Set up separate email forwarding.
• Letting old domains expire — Someone else can grab them and redirect to malicious content

Path Forwarding

Advanced forwarding can preserve URL paths:

• olddomain.com/about → newdomain.com/about
• olddomain.com/blog/post-title → newdomain.com/blog/post-title

This is important for SEO because search engines have indexed specific pages, not just the root domain. Most registrar-level forwarding only redirects to the root. For path forwarding, you'll need DNS-level or server-level configuration.

Your Domain Forwarding Checklist

• [ ] Forwarding type selected (301 for permanent, 302 for temporary)
• [ ] Redirect configured at registrar or DNS level
• [ ] Subdomains included in forwarding rules
• [ ] Path forwarding set up if needed
• [ ] Email forwarding configured separately
• [ ] Old domain registration maintained
• [ ] Tested from multiple browsers and locations

Managing multiple domains starts with finding the right primary domain. Use BrandScout to verify availability for your brand name, then set up forwarding for any additional domains you register.