Transitioning Site to Parked Domain

I purchased a domain, and I'm planning to transition my site over to the new domain. I've been reading up on what the best way to transition the site is to avoid your ranking from falling too much in search results.

I plan to move the site over to the new domain, and setup 301 redirects from the old domain. I'm planning to contact a few of the sites that have linked to my site, and ask them to change the links to my new domain for me.

My concern is that the previous domain was parked, so it wasn't listed in Google's index. I put up a placeholder page with a 2 paragraphs about what the new site will be, but it's been two days, and the site is still not showing up in search results for "site:newdomain.com" (it's showing 0 indexed pages in Google Webmaster Tools). Does anyone have experience with how long to expect this to take? I was hoping to get the page indexed before moving the site over.

Basically my plan is to:
1. Get the placeholder page indexed by Google.
2. Transition the blog over to the new domain, and setup 301 redirects. See how it responds in search results, etc.
3. A few days later, transition the rest of the site over to the new domain.

Any thoughts on this process / any experience doing this? I'm cautious to transition to a new domain, but users had trouble remembering the previous domain, and I need to do this before the site gets more established.

 

1. So, you wish to move 'old domain' to 'new domain' but before doing it you were testing whether old domain were indexed or not. Then you take the parked domain (new domain) and add content consist of two paragraphs. The problem is the new domain wasn't being indexed yet by Google so you were worried whether it is good or not to move the old domain.

Is that the truth, or

2. The old domain is already being moved to new domain (with 301 permanent redirect) but Google may not index it yet.

Which one best describe your situation. Each situation has different answer.

 

Partially 1 - I wish to move 'old domain' to 'new domain', but before doing so, I am making sure 'new domain' is indexed (I'm trying to make sure the domain is no longer classified as a parked domain before moving to the 'new domain'.

 

I understand about your situation. I always parking my unused domains (I still have few of them parked till now) and use it whenever I feel it is ready to be used.
Here is few things which may help you:

1. Parked domain usually has 'cache header/validator' or whatever it call. It was a system to tell search engine if the content hasn't been changed. It means, your parked domain will show up in search engine if the they realize it was not parked domain again. When? After the 'cache validator' expire.
   As an example, Apache/server may set a page to 'not modified' for specified time. Search engine aware about it and most of the time they obey the rules.
   How to solve:
   - Make comment on website with DoFollow attribute.
   - Make Blogpsot and Wordpress blog and give link to new domain. If it related with the nice, it is a nice addition.
2. SE think the parked domain still hold no much value.
   solution:
   - Make a new posting in new domain. Will it help in future? Off course it will. Even after the old domain was merged into new domain. Basically you only need to continue posting just like it is your old domain.
3. Your New Domain was being indexed but it wouldn't being shown in Webmaster Tools. Just take a closer look in your log panel and you'll realize Any Search Engine already crawl it.
4. Move old domain to New domain while keeping both of them Online. Try to move the file in new domain and then restore Database. Once the process finish. test it for the last time and use 301 permanent redirect. If it uses .htaccess, it was really easy to setup 301 permanent redirect. PHP redirect also good option.
   If your blog uses wordpress, it would be easier. Just restore database and doing SQL command to change the old domain to new domain. Don't forget to modify any values in setting (options) and content (Post and terms).

I wish few explanation above may help you.
Advice: Just move the old domain to new domain. It will work fine.
Don't worry about backlink. Once 301 permanent redirect put in place, Google will realize the change. Helping Google by verify both domain and change domain through Webmaster tools is encouraged.
It is not an easy job but it wasn't that hard. I do really worried when trying to move 7 blogs to my new domains. Hope everything work fine.
Arick.

 

I would like to reiterate Arick's point about webmaster tools. In my view it is very important that you tell google this change through webmaster tools.

Check this out from Matt Cutts: