In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Pick one main address, such as https://www.yourbrand.sg. Then send every other domain and variant to it with a 301 (permanent) redirect that keeps the page path, and make sure each variant has a valid HTTPS certificate. Leave the MX records alone so email keeps working.
Pick your main address first
Search engines treat https://yourbrand.sg, https://www.yourbrand.sg and https://yourbrand.com.sg as different addresses. If all of them show the same site, Google picks one itself and splits signals across the rest. Google's redirects documentation recommends picking one preferred (canonical) URL and redirecting the others to it.
Which one you pick matters less than sticking with it. Use the domain on your signage and name cards, and decide on www or no www once. If you are still choosing between .sg and .com.sg, our .sg vs .com.sg guide covers the differences.
| Address someone types | Should end up at |
|---|---|
| http://yourbrand.sg | https://www.yourbrand.sg |
| https://yourbrand.sg/contact | https://www.yourbrand.sg/contact |
| http://www.yourbrand.com.sg | https://www.yourbrand.sg |
| https://yourbrand.com/services?ref=card | https://www.yourbrand.sg/services?ref=card |
| https://oldbrandname.sg/about | https://www.yourbrand.sg/about (or the closest page) |
301 vs 302 vs domain forwarding vs masking
Google says a permanent redirect (HTTP 301 or 308) tells its indexing pipeline that the target should be canonical; a temporary one (302) does not. For domains you are consolidating for good, always use permanent.
| Method | What visitors see | Use it? |
|---|---|---|
| 301 or 308 redirect | Browser moves to the main address | Yes, the standard choice |
| 302 or 307 redirect | Same, but marked temporary | Only for genuinely temporary moves |
| Registrar "domain forwarding" | Usually a redirect, set at the registrar | Fine if it is 301 and works over HTTPS |
| Masked or framed forwarding | Old domain stays in the address bar, site loads in a frame | No: bad for SEO, forms and security |
| Same site on several domains, no redirect | Duplicate sites | No |
If you are also renaming pages, not just domains, map each old URL to its new one. Our 404 errors and 301 redirects guide covers page-level redirect maps.
How to redirect a domain for free with Cloudflare
Cloudflare's free plan can redirect domains that have no hosting at all. The steps below follow Cloudflare's redirect one domain to another guide.
Add the secondary domain to Cloudflare
Add yourbrand.com.sg (for example) to your Cloudflare account and switch its nameservers at the registrar to the two Cloudflare gives you.
Check the imported DNS records
Make sure the MX, SPF, DKIM and other email records copied across correctly before the nameserver switch takes effect.
Create proxied placeholder records
Add an A record for @ and for www pointing to 192.0.2.1, with proxy status Proxied. Cloudflare documents this address as a placeholder that lets its rules run without an origin server (AAAA equivalent: 100::).
Create a redirect rule
Under Rules, create a redirect rule matching the hostname, with a dynamic target that joins your main domain to the request path, status code 301 and Preserve query string turned on.
Turn on Always Use HTTPS
Cloudflare issues edge certificates for proxied hostnames, so https:// on the secondary domain works too.
Test every variant
Try http and https, with and without www, plus a deep link and a query string. Each should land on the matching page of the main site in one hop.
For the main domain itself (www vs non-www, http to https), set the redirect at your web host or in the same Cloudflare zone. Avoid redirect chains such as http to https to www to the final page; one hop is best.
Keep email working on secondary domains
Web redirects and email use different DNS records. A redirect affects the A, AAAA or CNAME records for the website; email uses MX records plus SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records. Our DNS records explained guide shows which is which.
If a secondary domain sends no email at all, protect it from spoofing: publish an SPF record of "v=spf1 -all", a DMARC policy of p=reject and a null MX record. Scammers like unused domains that look like yours.
Check your redirects are working
Redirect test list
To check the status code, use a free HTTP header checker or run curl -I with the address in a terminal. The response should show 301 and a Location header pointing to the main address.
Do it yourself or get help?
If your domains already use Cloudflare, adding a redirect rule takes minutes. If they are spread across registrars with email on some of them, the risk is the DNS move: one missing MX record and invoices stop arriving.
Our Domain & DNS Setup (S$99) sets up the redirects for your extra domains, keeps email records intact, adds HTTPS on every variant and protects unused domains against spoofing, then tests each one.
Frequently asked questions
Either works for SEO, as long as you pick one and redirect the other to it with a permanent 301 redirect. Keep the choice consistent in your canonical tags, sitemap and printed material. Some businesses prefer www because it is easier to recognise as a web address on name cards and signage.
No. Many registrars offer domain forwarding, and Cloudflare can redirect a domain with no origin server using a proxied placeholder A record pointing to 192.0.2.1 plus a redirect rule. Check that the method you use returns a 301 and works over HTTPS, not just http.
Not by itself. Website redirects use different DNS records from email, which relies on MX records. Problems happen when you move the domain's DNS to a new provider for the redirect and forget to copy the MX, SPF and DKIM records. Copy them before switching nameservers and test email afterwards.
Yes, generally. Masking loads your main site inside a frame while the address bar shows the other domain. Search engines may see duplicate or empty content, links and forms can break, and some browsers block framed pages for security. Use a proper 301 redirect instead.
Keep them for as long as you own the domain, and keep renewing the domain for at least a few years after a rebrand. Old links in directories, emails and printed material keep sending visitors. If the domain lapses, someone else can register it and receive that traffic or misuse your old brand.