What is Domain Forwarding and How to Get Started

Key highlights of the article:

  • Easy Access: Domain forwarding ensures easy website access by correcting user typos and simplifying URLs.
  • Efficient Routing: Functions like GPS rerouting, automatically directing users to the correct website.
  • Versatile Use: Essential for rebranding, updating site structures, eliminating duplicate content, and enhancing global accessibility.
  • Redirect Options: Covers both permanent (301) and temporary (302) redirects for various site management needs.
  • Simple Setup: Explains the setup of domain forwarding via registrars, hosting panels, or CNAME records to improve user experience.

Introduction

Domain forwarding is a simple way to make websites easy to find. It’s a shortcut to accessing a website, especially those that have long and complicated addresses. It allows people to just type shorter and easy-to-remember website names and is a great way to make your website more accessible and memorable.  

So, let’s explore what it is here and why it matters. 

What is Domain Forwarding? 

Domain forwarding is the process of redirecting website visitors from one domain name to another. Think of it like this: 

Imagine your website’s domain name as the address you enter into a GPS. Most people type it correctly and find your website easily. But sometimes, someone might make a mistake, like typing the wrong street number or misspelling the street name. 

Domain forwarding is like the GPS’s rerouting feature. If the GPS notices a mistake, it automatically sends you to the right place. In the same way, domain forwarding takes visitors to your website, even if they type the address incorrectly. This ensures everyone can find your site without getting lost. 

Here are some domains that are setup for domain forwarding in real life: 

  • Gooogle.com → Redirects to Google.com 
  • Amozon.com → Redirects to Amazon.com 
  • Youtub.com → Redirects to YouTube.com 
  • Fb.com → Redirects to Facebook.com 
  • Twiter.com → Redirects to Twitter.com 
  • Gogle.com → Redirects to Google.com 
  • Fcebook.com → Redirects to Facebook.com 

Now, the question is, “What does domain forwarding have to do with your website? 

Why domain forwarding matters 

Domain forwarding ensures your content is always visible, no matter what. Without it, simple typos or abbreviations can prevent users from reaching your site. Losing traffic due to brand visibility issues results in fewer conversions, missed branding opportunities, and diminished consumer trust—especially if repeated errors make it difficult for them to access your site. 

Domain forwarding, also known as URL forwarding, isn’t just a backup plan for typos. It’s a proactive tool that ensures every visitor reaches where you intend them to be. It’s perfect for scenarios like: 

Rebranding 

If you plan to rebrand your business with a new domain name or URL, announcements alone aren’t enough for your website visitors to find you. 

Domain forwarding lets you seamlessly redirect visitors from your old site to the new one, ensuring that anyone who missed the update still lands on the right page. 

Changing site structure 

Changing your domain name or site structure can lead to broken links and lost traffic. For example, moving from oldname.com to newname.com means that without proper setup, users visiting the old URL might hit a dead end. Set up 301 or 302 redirects for each page to ensure smooth redirection. This guarantees that visitors to any part of oldname.com are automatically directed to the right page on newname.com, preventing traffic loss and maintaining a seamless user experience. 

Eliminating duplicate content  

Duplicate content can happen when similar information appears on different parts of your site—maybe from old pages or different URLs. While you won’t be penalized, duplicates can confuse users and search engines. 

Domain forwarding solves this by directing visitors to a single, updated web page, strengthening your SEO and ensuring a smoother user experience. 

Promoting events and sales 

Promotions and events are temporary. Creating a dedicated page for them is great, but once they’re over, it’s crucial to manage where users end up. 

Not everyone is aware of event deadlines, which could leave them on a dead page. Redirect them to a relevant page or your main website instead. 

Expanding globally 

Redirect international visitors to country-specific versions of your site, giving them a local experience that matches their language, currency, and preferences. It’s an easy way to make your global audience feel right at home. 

Types of domain forwarding 

Domain forwarding is essential for maintaining seamless navigation and boosting your brand’s visibility, but how do we make sure it’s done right? 

Let’s look at the different types of domain forwarding and how they work. 

Permanent (301) and temporary (302) domain forwarding  

When it comes to domain forwarding, not all redirects are the same. Depending on your needs, you can choose between permanent (301) or temporary (302) domain forwarding. Each serves a different purpose and knowing when to use each correctly is key to keeping your site running smoothly. 

The 301 redirect 

A 301 redirect, also known as permanent domain forwarding, tells users and servers that the content has moved to a new domain for good. 

Think of it like moving to a new house and telling the post office to forward all your mail to your new address. The owner of the mail (the content) is still you—only the destination has changed. So, whenever someone sends mail to your old address or wants to reach you, they know exactly where to find you. 

Similarly, a 301 redirect makes sure browsers and search engines always point to your new domain. 

When to use 301 redirects? 

A 301 redirect, or permanent domain forwarding, is a crucial SEO tool that preserves your search ranking when URLs change. It helps search engines associate your brand with the new domain name while maintaining your site’s credibility and content ranking. 

A 301 redirect is ideal for: 

  • Changing your domain name 

As your brand evolves, your domain name might have to change too. It’s easier to change the domain of your existing site instead of creating a new one.   

  • Merging websites or pages 

Imagine you wrote three articles about subdomains for eCommerce, only to realize they overlap. Instead of just updating one, merge them into one solid piece. 

  • Fixing your broken links 

Other websites can easily mention your content using backlinks. When users click these links, they’re taken straight to your site. But if you change a page’s URL or remove it, those users could end up on a dead page unless they’re redirected to the right one. 

  • Updating your URL for better SEO scores 

You’ve updated your URL to improve SEO—maybe by adding keywords or switching to HTTPS for security. To keep your rankings and ensure users find you, make sure traffic from the old link is directed smoothly to the new one. 

  • Covering your bases 

Keep your visitors on track. When events, programs, or temporary pages are gone, direct users to a relevant page—or just send them back to your main website. 

People might also mistype, misspell, or create their own funny version of your domain name. Own those variations and make sure whatever they type leads them to your destination URL. This includes using “www” or leaving it out—make sure it all points to the right place. 

The 302 redirect 

A 302 redirect, or temporary domain forwarding, is used when you need to send users to a different website or page temporarily. 

Picture this: you’re driving and hit some roadwork. There’s a detour that takes you off the main road, but you know you’ll be back on it soon.  

Likewise, a 302 redirect sends users to a temporary page while keeping the original as the main destination which will be accessible again later. 

When to use 302 redirect? 

A 302 redirect, or temporary domain forwarding, lets you route visitors to a temporary page without affecting your primary site’s SEO. It tells browsers not to incorporate the detour into your SEO score, keeping your main website as the focus for performance. 

A 302 redirect is ideal for: 

  • Website maintenance 

Don’t leave users hanging when you need to update a page. Instead, send them to relevant content or back to your main page so they can explore other areas of your site. 

  • Temporary content replacement 

You want your promotions, events, and announcements to be front and center. Instead of making users take extra steps to find them, why not place them right where everyone lands—on your homepage! 

  • Conducting Trials 

There’s no single winning formula to setting up your layout, design, or content for SEO success. Feel free to experiment, but don’t risk hurting your rankings. Keep them safe by using temporary domain forwarding to test changes without affecting your primary website. 

Domain masking 

Domain masking points multiple domains to a single website while keeping the desired domain in the address bar. 

Let’s say you own domain names: website1.com and website10.com, but only website1.com has content, and that’s the URL you want users to see. Even if users type website10.com, with domain masking, the address bar will always show website1.com. 

It might sound simple, but domain masking can help with: 

  • Brand consistency. Keep your branding consistent by masking complex URLs. 
  • Enhanced navigation. Provide a simpler URL to users, even if they’re accessing another page. 
  • Affiliate links. Clean up long affiliate URLs to make them more user-friendly. 

Note that domain masking isn’t ideal for SEO, as it may confuse search engines if not done carefully.  

How to forward one domain to another?  

Now that you understand what domain forwarding is and how it helps, let’s put it into action. There are multiple ways to forward a domain. You set up domain forwarding through your registrar, a web hosting control panel, or by using a CNAME Record. While the general process is similar, the exact steps can vary depending on your domain provider. 

Review your website and see where simple domain forwarding can improve user experience, and when you’re ready, here’s how you can do it: 

Forwarding your domain through a registrar 

Step 1: Log in to your domain provider’s dashboard. 

Step 2: Go to the section that manages your domain names. 

Step 3: Choose the domain name you want to forward and enter the address you wish to send your visitors to. 

Step 4: Save and configure your settings and wait for changes to occur. This usually takes a few hours. 

Forwarding your domain through your web hosting panel 

Step 1: Log in to your hosting provider’s control panel or dashboard. 

Step 2: Navigate to the Domain Management or DNS Settings section and look for Domain Forwarding or URL Redirect. 

Step 3: Enter the domain name you want to forward and the URL/domain to which you want to redirect it.   

Step 4: Choose between a permanent (301) or temporary (302) redirect and save your settings. Wait for the changes to take effect, which usually takes a few hours. 

Forwarding your domain through CNAME Record 

Step 1: Log in to your DNS provider’s control panel or domain management interface  

Step 2: Go to your “DNS Management” or “DNS Settings” tab and look for the option to add a new record 

Step 3: Select CNAME as your record type 

Step 4: Enter the hostname or subdomain you want to redirect on the right and enter the destination domain in the record value field 

Save 5: Save your changes and wait for them to take effect. This could take up to 48 hours. 

And that’s it! You’ve successfully forwarded your domain. 

If you haven’t tried it yet, what matters is you now understand how forwarding a domain can keep your brand consistent and guide users to the right place when events end or when they make simple typos. Domain forwarding ensures your website remains accessible and user-friendly, no matter the changes. 

Improve user experience with domain forwarding 

Now you know why domain forwarding is essential. Even if you might not need it right away, understanding how it works and how to set it up properly can help you maximize your website’s potential and ensure it’s always reaching the right audience. 

Whenever you’re ready, grab a domain with Domain.com and experience the power of web forwarding firsthand. And if you need assistance, our specialists are available to help you set up your domain, forwarding, and answer any web-related questions—from choosing the perfect domain to ensuring seamless redirection. 


Allaine Joi Diapana
Allaine Joi Diapana

Allaine is a content writer at Domain.com who loves all things tech and spends his time exploring new trends. Outside of writing, you’ll catch him listening to psychology and self-improvement podcasts, chilling with his cats, or switching between anime and western tv shows, sitcoms and movies.

Allaine Joi Diapana
Allaine Joi Diapana

Allaine is a content writer at Domain.com who loves all things tech and spends his time exploring new trends. Outside of writing, you’ll catch him listening to psychology and self-improvement podcasts, chilling with his cats, or switching between anime and western tv shows, sitcoms and movies.