Changing your server’s IP address is sometimes unavoidable for website owners. However, an IP change can directly or indirectly impact SEO performance. That’s why managing this process correctly is crucial.
Site Downtime: If DNS records are not updated properly during the IP change, your site may become unreachable. Search engines may see this as downtime and lower your ranking.
Slower Loading Speed: If the new IP is hosted on a weaker network, your site speed may drop. Page loading speed is a significant ranking factor for Google.
IP Reputation Issues: If the new IP address was previously used for spammy websites, Google might have blacklisted it. This can negatively affect your SEO score.
Plan for Zero Downtime: Make sure everything is fully functional on the new server before updating DNS records. Lower TTL values to ensure a faster DNS switch.
Test Server Performance: Check the speed and uptime of the new server connected to the new IP.
Check IP History: Before switching, use online tools to check if the new IP address is blacklisted.
Run both the old and new IPs in parallel for a short time.
Double-check your sitemap.xml and robots.txt files on the new IP.
No need to submit an "Address Change" request in Google Search Console, as long as your domain name stays the same.
Changing your server’s IP address can affect SEO, but with proper planning, the impact can be minimized. By carefully following each step, you can complete the transition without risking your site’s SEO performance.