Many people who run websites on GoDaddy eventually face this situation — they change their brand name, update their website, or move everything to a new domain. But the old domain is still live. If someone visits that old link, they either see an error or land on an outdated page.
This creates confusion. You lose visitors. And in some cases, even trust.
The simple fix? Redirect your GoDaddy domain to the new one. This way, anyone who types the old website address will automatically land on the correct page. No manual steps for them. No lost traffic for you.
Whether you’re switching domains, merging websites, or cleaning up your online presence, setting up a domain redirect on GoDaddy is a smart move. And no, you don’t need to be a tech expert to do it.
In this guide, we’ll break it down into 5 easy steps. No jargon. Just a clear path to help you forward your domain without confusion.
When Should You Redirect Your Domain?
Here are some common situations where a domain redirect makes sense:
1. You Changed Your Business Name
If you’ve renamed your business, your website address probably changed too. But people might still search for you using the old name or type your old domain by habit.
Instead of losing those visitors, you can set up a GoDaddy domain redirect from the old domain to the new one. This way, anyone who types your old website will land on the right page, without confusion.
It also helps you keep the traffic, backlinks, and SEO value that your old domain already had. So, nothing goes to waste.
2. Your Website Has a New URL Structure
Sometimes, you clean up your website and change how your page links look. Maybe you moved from yourwebsite.com/blog/post123 to yourwebsite.com/articles/best-tips.
If someone has the old link saved or clicks it from search results, they’ll get an error unless you redirect it.
This is where GoDaddy domain forwarding (or URL redirect on GoDaddy) helps. You can forward the old URLs to the new ones so visitors land on the right page, without getting lost. It also keeps your SEO in place and avoids broken links.
3. Combining Multiple Websites
If you are merging two or more sites under one, you must guide your visitors to the right place. Maybe you used to have separate sites for separate services, and you’ve merged all of them into one main domain.
In this case, you can use GoDaddy domain forwarding to redirect the old domains to your new, main website. This way, anyone visiting the older sites still ends up on your updated one, without confusion.
It also helps keep the traffic and SEO value from all your previous websites in one place. Simple, clean, and no visitors lost.
4. Moving from HTTP to HTTPS
If you’ve switched your site from HTTP to HTTPS, good job—you’re making your site secure. But if someone loads the old HTTP version, then they won’t be automatically redirected to the secure version unless you redirect.
Using GoDaddy domain forwarding, you can send all visitors from the HTTP version straight to the HTTPS version. This helps in two ways: it protects your visitors, and it avoids SEO issues from having two versions of your site live at the same time.
It’s a small step, but it keeps your site clean, safe, and search-engine friendly.
5. Temporary Promotional Campaigns
Sometimes, you run short campaigns—a festive sale, a one-time event, or a limited offer. You might buy a separate domain just for that. But building a full website for a short campaign doesn’t make sense.
Instead, you can forward that domain to a specific page on your main site. It saves time and keeps things simple.
GoDaddy domain forwarding lets you do this in minutes. So if someone types that campaign domain, they’ll directly reach your offer page. No confusion. No extra setup. Just a smart and easy way to handle temporary promotions.
How to Redirect Your GoDaddy Domain (Step-by-Step)
Here’s how you can set up GoDaddy domain forwarding in a few simple steps. No tech skills needed—just follow along.
1. Log in to Your GoDaddy Account
First, go to GoDaddy.com and sign in with your username and password.
If you’ve forgotten your login details, use the “Forgot username or password?” option to reset them.
You need to be logged in to access your domain settings and start the domain forwarding process. Keep your login info handy—you’ll need it again if you ever want to make changes later.
2. Open Your Domain Settings
Once you’re logged in, go to the top menu and click on “My Products.”
You’ll see a list of all the domains you own. Find the domain you want to forward and click on it.
This will take you to the Domain Settings page, where you can manage everything related to that domain, like forwarding, DNS, and more.
This is where the actual setup for GoDaddy domain forwarding begins.
3. Choose the Domain Forwarding Option
On the Domain Settings page, scroll down until you see a section called “Additional Settings.”
Here, look for “Domain Forwarding” and click on the “Manage” button next to it.
This is where you’ll set up the redirect. GoDaddy gives you an option to forward your domain to any other URL you want—whether it’s your new website, a specific landing page, or even a campaign page.
You’re now just a couple of steps away from completing the GoDaddy domain redirect setup.
4. Enter the New Destination URL
After you click “Manage” under Domain Forwarding, a new window will pop up. Here’s where you’ll enter the URL you want to forward your domain to.
Type the full web address—starting with https:// or http://. Make sure it’s correct. This is the link people will be sent to when they visit your old domain.
If you don’t see the forwarding option, your domain might not be using GoDaddy’s default nameservers. This means your domain’s settings are being managed somewhere else—maybe a different hosting provider.
In that case, you’ll either need to update the nameservers to GoDaddy’s default ones or ask your developer to help with the forwarding from wherever your DNS is currently managed.
Once everything looks good, you’re ready to move to the final step.
5. Save and Confirm Your Changes
Once you’ve entered the correct URL and selected your forwarding options, just click “Save” at the bottom of the screen.
That’s it—your GoDaddy domain forwarding is now active.
It may take a few minutes (sometimes up to an hour) for the redirect to start working. To check, just type your old domain into the browser and see if it takes you to the new one.
If it works, your setup is done. If not, double-check the URL or reach out to GoDaddy support for help.
Types of Domain Redirection: Permanent vs Temporary
When you transfer a domain with GoDaddy, you’ll have two choices: Permanent (301) and Temporary (302). Both send visitors in the correct direction, but they are used for different reasons.
1. Permanent Redirection (301)
Use this where the domain transition is permanent. If you have rebranded or changed your site to another domain, you never look back. A 301 redirect tells search engines that your old domain permanently redirects to an alternative one.
The biggest benefit? Your SEO value (Google rankings, backlinks, etc.) will gradually transfer to the new domain name. But the caveat is—this may take weeks to months. Worry not, then, if your traffic decreases a bit at first.
2. Temporary Redirection (302)
This is for short-term changes, like sending users to a promo page or a temporary landing page while your main site is being updated.
Google treats this as a short move, so it doesn’t transfer SEO strength. That’s fine if you’re planning to go back to the original domain soon.
Avoid switching between 301 and 302 again and again.
Many people test redirects and keep changing the type to see “what works.” This confuses Google and delays indexing or SEO value transfer. Once you set a 301, let it stay for a while—don’t flip it back and forth. Google takes time to process redirects, and every switch resets the clock.
Stick with the right type from the start and give it time to work.
Domain Forwarding Methods: Forward Only vs Forward with Masking
When you forward a domain through GoDaddy, you’ll get two options. Both send visitors to another site, but how they show up in the browser is different.
1. Forward Only
This is the clean option. Your old domain takes people to your new site, and they can see the new website address in their browser. It’s clear to users. It’s also better for SEO, as search engines know exactly where the domain is pointing.
👉 Example: Someone types oldsite.com, it changes to newsite.com in the browser.
2. Forward with Masking
This keeps the old domain name showing in the browser, even after the page changes. So it looks like people are still on your old site, but they’re actually seeing the new one behind it.
This might sound useful, but it often creates issues:
- Search engines can’t read the real page correctly.
- Your page title and description might not show up.
- Tracking tools may not record visits properly.
If you’re using Google Analytics, ads, or SEO tools, avoid masking.
Masking hides the actual URL. That breaks tracking. You won’t know how many people are visiting, where they came from, or which pages they saw. Forward only is simple, clean, and works better in most cases.
Conclusion
Redirecting your domain is a small task, but it solves a real problem. It helps people reach the right place without getting lost.
If someone types your old website address, they shouldn’t hit an error page. They should land on your new site, your updated content, or your live campaign. That’s what domain forwarding does—it keeps everything running smoothly.
With GoDaddy, it takes just a few steps to set it up. No coding. No complex tools. Just clear clicks and simple choices.
But here’s what matters most: don’t treat it like a one-time job. If you ever change your site, shift your pages, or update your domain, come back and check your forwarding settings again. Keeping this updated is just as important as setting it up the first time.
A working redirect saves you lost traffic, missed leads, and broken trust. So it’s worth doing right.
You’ve got this.
FAQs on Redirect Godday Domain
Can I Redirect My GoDaddy Domain To A Specific Page, Not Just The Homepage?
Yes, you can. You can forward your domain to any full URL—including a product page, blog post, or landing page. Just make sure you paste the full address starting with https://
Will My Emails Still Work After Domain Forwarding?
Domain forwarding doesn’t affect email. If your email is linked to the same domain, it will continue to work as long as your DNS records for email (like MX records) are set up properly.
Can I Forward One Domain To Different Pages?
No. A single domain can only be forwarded to one destination URL. If you need different pages for different links, you’ll need to use subdomains or redirects set up on your hosting/server.
How Many Domains Can I Forward In GoDaddy?
There’s no hard limit. You can forward as many domains as you own. Each domain needs to be forwarded separately through its own settings.
What Happens If I Let My Old Domain Expire After Setting Up A Redirect?
The redirect will stop working. Once a domain expires, it no longer points anywhere. If you want forwarding to continue, you must keep your old domain active.
Can I Remove Or Change A Domain Forward Later?
Yes. You can go back to your GoDaddy account anytime and edit or delete the forwarding. It’s quick and doesn’t affect your main site.
