How to Redirect a Domain to Another URL (Domain Forwarding Guide)
Domain forwarding—also called URL forwarding or domain redirection—allows you to automatically send visitors from one domain to another. Whether you're consolidating multiple domains to a single website, rebranding your business, redirecting old marketing campaign URLs, or simply pointing a new domain to your existing site, understanding proper domain forwarding techniques protects your traffic and SEO value.
However, domain forwarding involves technical nuances that dramatically impact results. Incorrect redirect types damage search rankings, poor configuration causes visitor confusion, incomplete forwarding loses traffic, and missing HTTPS considerations create security warnings. Many website owners implement redirects without understanding these critical distinctions, inadvertently sabotaging their online presence.
This comprehensive guide explains everything about domain forwarding in 2025: what it is, when to use it, how different redirect types work, step-by-step implementation instructions across major hosting platforms, SEO best practices, common mistakes to avoid, and troubleshooting tips. Whether you're a business owner managing a rebrand or a developer implementing technical redirects, you'll learn exactly how to redirect domains properly.
What Is Domain Forwarding?
Domain forwarding is the process of automatically redirecting website visitors from one domain name to another domain or URL. When someone types the forwarded domain into their browser or clicks a link to it, they're instantly taken to the destination URL you've specified.
How Domain Forwarding Works
When a domain is set to forward:
User Action: Someone enters oldcompany.com in their browser DNS Resolution: The domain's DNS settings identify it as a forward Server Response: The server sends an HTTP redirect code (301, 302, etc.) Browser Action: The browser automatically navigates to the destination URL Final Result: User arrives at newcompany.com (the destination)
This entire process happens in milliseconds, creating a seamless experience for visitors.
Domain Forwarding vs Domain Pointing
Understanding the distinction matters:
Domain Forwarding (Redirect): Visitor sees the destination URL in their browser; the original URL changes to the new one; redirect codes (301/302) inform browsers and search engines
Domain Pointing (A Record): Visitor continues seeing the original URL in their browser; content from another server displays; both domains show the same content
Most scenarios requiring "redirection" actually need forwarding, not pointing.
Types of Domain Redirects
The redirect type you choose has significant implications for SEO and user experience.
301 Redirect (Permanent)
What It Means: This domain has permanently moved to a new location When to Use: Website rebrand, domain consolidation, permanent URL changes, retiring old domains SEO Impact: Passes approximately 90-99% of link equity (ranking power) to the new domain Search Engine Treatment: Old domain eventually removed from index; new domain replaces it
Example Scenario: Your business changed names from "ABC Company" to "XYZ Solutions"—permanently redirect abccompany.com to xyzsolutions.com
302 Redirect (Temporary)
What It Means: This domain is temporarily unavailable; check back later When to Use: Limited-time promotions, A/B testing, temporary website maintenance, seasonal campaigns SEO Impact: Does NOT pass link equity; old domain remains in search results Search Engine Treatment: Original domain stays indexed; treated as temporary situation
Example Scenario: Holiday sale campaign URL that redirects to your main site for three weeks, then returns to normal
307 Redirect (Temporary, Method Preserved)
What It Means: Temporary redirect maintaining original HTTP request method When to Use: API redirects, form submissions, POST request preservation SEO Impact: Similar to 302; temporary without equity transfer Search Engine Treatment: Original URL stays indexed
Most Common Use: Technical scenarios with API calls or form data
Meta Refresh Redirect
What It Means: Browser-level redirect using HTML meta tags When to Use: Rarely recommended; primarily when server-level redirects aren't available SEO Impact: Poor; slower, less professional, often ignored by search engines User Experience: Visible delay; unprofessional
Avoid This: Use server-level redirects (301/302) whenever possible
When to Use Domain Forwarding
Domain forwarding solves numerous common scenarios:
Business Rebranding
When your company name changes, forwarding maintains customer access and SEO value:
Scenario: "Smith Consulting" becomes "Smith Advisory Group" Solution: 301 redirect smithconsulting.com to smithadvisorygroup.com Benefit: Existing customers find you; search engine rankings transfer; marketing materials remain valid during transition
Domain Consolidation
Consolidating multiple domains to a primary website improves brand focus:
Scenario: You own businessname.com, businessname.net, and businessname.org Solution: 301 redirect .net and .org variants to primary .com domain Benefit: Single site to maintain; consolidated SEO value; no duplicate content issues; visitors reach your site regardless of TLD
Marketing Campaign URLs
Short, memorable campaign domains redirect to specific landing pages:
Scenario: TV commercial promotes SuperSale2025.com for a limited offer Solution: Forward campaign domain to mainwebsite.com/super-sale-2025 Benefit: Easy-to-remember URL for ads; flexibility to change destination; tracking capabilities; temporary campaign URL
Typo Protection
Register common misspellings to capture misdirected traffic:
Scenario: Your brand is "Acme Company" at acmecompany.com Solution: Register and forward acmecmpany.com, acmecompny.com, etc. Benefit: Capture visitors who mistype your domain; professional brand protection; no lost traffic from typos
Geographic Targeting
Country-specific domains can redirect to localized content:
Scenario: International business with regional websites Solution: Forward .uk domain to /uk/ subfolder on main site Benefit: Clear geographic targeting; centralized website management; SEO benefits from geo-targeting
How to Set Up Domain Forwarding
Implementation varies by hosting provider, but follows similar principles.
General Setup Process
Regardless of platform, domain forwarding setup includes these steps:
Step 1: Access Domain Management Log into your domain registrar or web hosting control panel where the domain is registered
Step 2: Locate Forwarding Settings Find "Domain Forwarding," "URL Redirect," "URL Forwarding," or similar option in your domain management area
Step 3: Choose Your Domain Select which domain you want to forward (if you manage multiple domains)
Step 4: Enter Destination URL Specify the complete destination URL including https:// and the full path
Step 5: Select Redirect Type Choose 301 (permanent) or 302 (temporary) based on your situation
Step 6: Configure Advanced Options Decide on path forwarding, subdomain forwarding, and wildcard options if available
Step 7: Save and Test Apply changes and verify the redirect works correctly
Platform-Specific Instructions
DreamHost Setup
DreamHost makes domain forwarding straightforward through their control panel:
Navigate to Domains: Log into DreamHost panel → select "Domains" → choose "Manage Domains" Select Domain: Click the domain you want to forward Choose Redirect: Select "Redirect" as the hosting type Enter Destination: Input the complete destination URL Select Type: Choose "301 Permanent" or "302 Temporary" redirect Apply Settings: Save changes; propagation typically completes within 4-6 hours
DreamHost's web hosting includes domain forwarding at no additional cost, making it simple to manage redirects alongside your website hosting.
GoDaddy Setup
For GoDaddy domain forwarding:
Access Domain Settings: GoDaddy account → My Products → Domains → select your domain Manage DNS: Click "DNS" or "Manage DNS" Find Forwarding: Locate "Forwarding" section Add Forward: Click "Add" under Domain or Subdomain forwarding Configure Settings: Enter destination URL, choose redirect type, enable/disable forwarding for www Save Changes: Confirm settings; takes effect in minutes to hours
Namecheap Setup
Namecheap forwarding configuration:
Domain List: Namecheap account → Domain List → click "Manage" next to your domain Advanced DNS: Select "Advanced DNS" tab URL Redirect Record: Add new record with Type: "URL Redirect Record" Settings: Enter destination, choose redirect type (permanent/temporary) Configure Options: Set path forwarding if needed Save Changes: Apply configuration; propagation within a few hours
Cloudflare Setup
If you use Cloudflare for DNS:
Page Rules: Cloudflare dashboard → select domain → "Rules" → "Page Rules" Create Rule: Click "Create Page Rule" Enter URL Pattern: Input source URL pattern (e.g., oldsite.com/*) Configure Redirect: Choose "Forwarding URL" setting, select "301 Permanent" or "302 Temporary" Destination URL: Enter target URL (can include $1 for path preservation) Save and Deploy: Activate rule; takes effect immediately
Cloudflare offers three free Page Rules, sufficient for basic forwarding.
Path Forwarding Options
Decide how to handle pages beyond the homepage:
Basic Forwarding (Homepage Only)
oldsite.com/products→newsite.comoldsite.com/about→newsite.com- ALL pages redirect to destination homepage
Path Forwarding (Preserves URL Structure)
oldsite.com/products→newsite.com/productsoldsite.com/about→newsite.com/about- URL path appends to destination domain
Path Matching (Custom Rules)
oldsite.com/old-product→newsite.com/new-product- Requires individual redirect rules for each path
- Most control but more complex setup
For website migrations with existing SEO value, path forwarding preserves link equity better than homepage-only redirects.
Domain Forwarding and SEO
Proper redirect implementation protects search engine rankings.
SEO Best Practices
Always Use 301 for Permanent Changes: 302 redirects don't pass link equity; only use for genuinely temporary situations
Redirect to Relevant Content: Match old page topics to similar new pages rather than sending everything to homepage
Update Internal Links: Change internal website links to point directly to new URLs rather than relying on redirects
Submit New Sitemap: After redirect setup, submit updated XML sitemap to Google Search Console showing new URLs
Monitor Search Console: Watch for crawl errors and fix redirect chains or loops
Update Backlinks When Possible: Contact sites linking to old domain and request updates to new domain
Maintain Redirects Long-Term: Keep 301 redirects in place for at least 1 year, preferably indefinitely
Common SEO Mistakes
Avoid these redirect errors:
Redirect Chains: Multiple consecutive redirects (A→B→C) slow page loads and dilute SEO value; redirect directly from original to final destination
Redirect Loops: Domain A redirects to Domain B which redirects back to Domain A; creates infinite loop preventing access
Mixed Content Issues: HTTPS site redirecting to HTTP destination triggers security warnings; always redirect to HTTPS when available
404 Destination Pages: Redirecting to pages that don't exist defeats the purpose; verify destination URLs work before implementing redirects
Temporary Redirects for Permanent Changes: Using 302 instead of 301 for permanent moves prevents SEO value transfer
Domain Forwarding With Subdomains
Subdomain forwarding requires specific configuration:
Forwarding a Subdomain
To redirect blog.oldsite.com to newsite.com/blog:
Add Subdomain Forward: Create separate forward rule for the subdomain Configure DNS: Set A record or CNAME for subdomain if needed Choose Redirect Type: Usually 301 for permanent subdomain moves Test Thoroughly: Verify subdomain redirect doesn't affect main domain
Wildcard Subdomain Forwarding
Forward all subdomains at once:
Wildcard Setting: Configure *.oldsite.com to redirect to destination Use Cases: Redirecting entire multi-subdomain structure, catching undefined subdomains Platform Support: Not all hosting providers support wildcard forwarding; check documentation
HTTPS Considerations
SSL certificates and HTTPS impact domain forwarding:
Forwarding HTTP to HTTPS
Best practice: redirect all traffic to secure HTTPS version:
Setup: Configure both http:// and https:// versions to redirect to https://destination.com SSL Certificate: Ensure destination domain has valid SSL certificate Mixed Content: Verify destination site uses HTTPS for all resources Security: Never redirect HTTPS traffic to HTTP destination
SSL for Forwarding Domain
Whether the forwarding domain needs SSL depends on implementation:
DNS-Level Forwards: Don't require SSL on forwarding domain Server-Level Forwards: May require SSL to avoid browser warnings when someone visits HTTPS version of forwarding domain Best Practice: Add free SSL certificate to forwarding domain when possible
Troubleshooting Domain Forwarding
Common issues and solutions:
Redirect Not Working
DNS Propagation Delay: Allow 24-48 hours for global DNS propagation Browser Cache: Clear browser cache or test in incognito/private mode Incorrect Settings: Verify destination URL includes protocol (https://) DNS Not Updated: Confirm domain nameservers point to correct host
Too Many Redirects Error
Redirect Loop: Check for circular redirects (A→B→A) Plugin Conflicts: WordPress redirect plugins may conflict with server-level redirects Cloudflare Settings: SSL/TLS mode mismatch can create loops; use "Full" SSL mode
Redirect Goes to Wrong Destination
Typo in Destination: Double-check destination URL spelling Path Forwarding Issue: Verify path forwarding settings if paths should preserve Multiple Rules Conflict: Check for conflicting redirect rules; remove duplicates
Search Engines Still Show Old Domain
Time Required: Search engines may take weeks to fully update Fetch as Google: Use Google Search Console to request reindexing 301 vs 302 Issue: Confirm you're using 301 (permanent) not 302 (temporary) Backlinks: High-authority sites linking to old domain may delay transfer
Advanced Domain Forwarding
Conditional Redirects
Redirect based on visitor characteristics:
Geographic Redirects: Send visitors to country-specific sites based on location Device-Based Redirects: Redirect mobile users to mobile-optimized site Language Redirects: Direct visitors based on browser language settings
Implementation typically requires server-level configuration or specialized services.
Redirect With Parameters
Preserve URL parameters during forwarding:
Example: oldsite.com/page?source=email&campaign=spring redirects to newsite.com/page?source=email&campaign=spring Setup: Most platforms support parameter preservation with wildcard or regex patterns Use Case: Maintaining marketing tracking codes through redirects
Partial Path Redirects
Redirect specific sections while keeping others:
Scenario: Redirect blog section to new platform while main site stays Example: oldsite.com/blog/* → newblog.com/* while oldsite.com/* remains active Implementation: Requires server-level redirect rules or specialized redirect management
Monitoring Redirects
Track redirect performance and issues:
Tools for Testing Redirects
Redirect Checker Tools: Online services test redirect chains and types Browser Developer Tools: Network tab shows redirect codes and destination Google Search Console: Monitors crawl errors and redirect status Screaming Frog SEO Spider: Audits all redirects across entire site
Metrics to Monitor
Redirect Response Time: Slow redirects indicate server issues Redirect Chains: Identify and eliminate multiple-hop redirects 404 Errors: Track broken destination URLs Traffic Patterns: Monitor traffic levels after implementing redirects
Alternatives to Domain Forwarding
Sometimes other solutions work better:
Domain Aliases (Parked Domains)
Show same content on multiple domains without redirecting:
Use Case: Running same site on multiple TLDs simultaneously SEO Consideration: Risks duplicate content penalties; use canonical tags Setup: Point multiple domains to same hosting account
Domain Parking
Hold domains without active websites:
Use Case: Reserve domain for future use without building site yet Features: Simple placeholder page or advertising monetization Not a Redirect: Visitors see parked page, not redirected elsewhere
Learn more about domain parking explained and when to use it.
Reverse Proxy
Serve content from different server while maintaining original URL:
Use Case: Advanced content delivery, load balancing, CDN implementation Technical Requirement: Server configuration access needed Not Visible: Users don't see redirect; appears as original domain
Domain Forwarding Costs
Most domain forwarding is free or included:
Domain Registrar Forwarding: Typically free with domain registration web hosting Forwarding: Included with hosting plans at no extra cost DNS Service Forwarding: Services like Cloudflare offer free redirect rules Premium Services: Specialized redirect services with advanced features may charge $5-20/month
When choosing web hosting, verify domain forwarding is included—most reputable hosts like DreamHost include unlimited domain forwards with hosting packages.
Conclusion
Domain forwarding is an essential tool for website management, enabling business rebrands, domain consolidation, marketing campaigns, and traffic protection. The key to successful domain forwarding lies in choosing the appropriate redirect type (301 vs 302), implementing redirects correctly at the technical level, following SEO best practices to preserve rankings, testing thoroughly before and after deployment, and monitoring long-term to catch issues.
Whether you're redirecting a single alternate domain or managing complex multi-domain forwarding scenarios, understanding these fundamentals ensures smooth transitions that protect both user experience and search engine visibility. Take time to plan your redirect strategy, implement it correctly, and your domain forwarding will work seamlessly for years to come.
If you're starting a new project and need the perfect domain name to redirect to, explore Namr's AI-powered domain generator to find available domains that match your brand. And when you're ready to host that website, reliable web hosting ensures your redirects and website remain fast and accessible to visitors worldwide.