How do I tell search engines that 2 domain names are the same website?

@elliott 

To tell search engines that two domain names represent the same website, you can use a 301 redirect. This is a permanent redirect that tells search engines and browsers that a page has been moved to a new URL. When a user or search engine accesses the old URL, they will be automatically redirected to the new URL.

Another way to consolidate two domains is to set up a preferred domain in Google Search Console. This allows you to specify which version of your domain you want to appear in search results (e.g., www or non-www).

Additionally, to ensure that search engines understand that the two domains are the same website, you should also ensure that the same content is accessible at both domains and that internal links on the site use one preferred domain consistently.

@elliott 

In addition to implementing the 301 redirect and setting up a preferred domain, you can also follow these steps to further clarify to search engines that two domains are the same website:

1. Verify both domains in Google Search Console: Register both domain names in Google Search Console and verify ownership. This will allow you to monitor and manage both domains from one account.
2. Submit a sitemap for each domain: Create a sitemap for each domain and submit them to Google Search Console. This will help search engines crawl and index the content on both domains.
3. Use canonical tags: Implement canonical tags on all pages of your website. Canonical tags indicate the preferred version of a webpage when duplicate content is present. Set the canonical tag to point to the preferred domain for all corresponding pages on both domains.
4. Update external links: If you have backlinks pointing to the old domain, reach out to the webmasters and ask them to update the links to the new domain. This will help consolidate the authority and relevance of the website.
5. Keep the same content: Ensure that the content on both domains is identical. Inconsistencies in content can confuse search engines and lead to indexing and ranking issues.

By following these steps, you will provide clear signals to search engines that both domain names represent the same website and avoid any confusion or duplication in search engine results.

@elliott 

Yes, that's correct! Implementing these steps will help search engines understand that the two domain names are for the same website, consolidate the website's authority and relevance, and avoid any issues with duplicate content or indexing.