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We created a website and after it being live for 2 weeks or so had to change the URL due to it clashing with another brand (we didn't know about)

So we are using the same copy (brand names changed) on a different URL. We have put a redirect on the old URL to the new one.

My concern is that Google had indexed the copy under the old URL and now we have it on a new one - will it have a negative impact?

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  • Google algorithms are constantly turning... it'll correct itself once the duplicate has been taken down, this obviously will take some time... maybe a few weeks - depends on how important Google thinks your site is.
    – Simon Hayter
    Aug 12, 2015 at 12:14
  • If it has only been a couple of weeks, then you could not have picked a better time- do not worry about it. You are okay. It is far better to make these changes when you start rather than after your site have gained rank and an audience. It will all work out! Do not worry. Being a new site is definitely an advantage in this case.
    – closetnoc
    Aug 12, 2015 at 14:25

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You don't give enough information, so I guess that you have changed domain names and you are using Apache as a webserver.

Given that the website was live only for 2 weeks the change or domain name will have no significant (or at all) impact to search results. A general good advice when changing domain names would be to take the following steps:

  • If you still own the old domain name, do not alter the DNS A entries just pointing to the new one. Create an htaccess 301 redirect (permanent).
  • It is wise to choose how to use your new domain, as a "www" or a "naked" one (www.domain.com or domain.com) and create an htaccess 301 redirect from the rejected to the preferred one.
  • Create an account at Google Webmasters and add, verify your new domain name, submit a sitemap and set it as the preferred one (www/naked).
  • Create an account at Google Webmasters for your old domain name. Verify it and then go to "Change of Address" and choose the previously verified new domain name.

bing and Yandex maintain similar webmaster tools

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