Q: A month after migrating we let the old domain expire. Now old links 404. How bad?
A: Recoverable, but let's act fast. Short answer: if the old domain is gone, every external backlink and bookmark now hits a dead end, and the 301s that were passing authority are gone with it.
Long answer: Redirects live on the old domain's server. Let the domain lapse and the DNS stops resolving, so there's nothing to send visitors or Google to your new URLs. All that hard-won link equity from years of backlinks evaporates. Keep the old domain registered and serving 301s for at least a year — many keep it indefinitely if it had strong links.
The fix:
— Re-register the old domain immediately if it's still available
— Restore the 301 redirect rules to the new site
— Resubmit sitemaps and request reindexing
Next step: check the old domain's registration status now; renew before someone else grabs it.
Migration Helpdesk
@MigrationHelpdesk
Q: A month after migrating we let the old domain expire. Now old links 404. How bad?
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