What is the Difference Between Domain Forwarding and Masking?

If you’re wondering about the difference between domain forwarding and masking, you’re not alone. Both options allow you to redirect visitors to another website, but they serve different purposes and have unique effects on SEO and user experience. This guide explains what domain forwarding and masking are, how they work, and the pros and cons of each so you can make the best choice for your website.

What is Domain Forwarding

Domain forwarding (also known as connecting, pointing, or redirecting) allows you to automatically direct visitors to a different location on the internet. If your domain is registered with Bluehost and you use our nameservers, you can point your Bluehost domain to a Wix, WordPress, or other URL. 

Types of Domain Forwarding

There are two main types of domain forwarding:

1. Forwarding Only: Redirects visitors to the target URL, which is displayed in the browser’s address bar.For instance, set [greatexample].com to only forward to [greatexample].net. When a visitor types greatexample.com into their browser’s address bar, they will be redirected to the greatexample.net website. Greatexample.net will be displayed in the browser’s address bar. 
2. Forwarding with Masking: Redirects visitors to the target URL but keeps the original domain visible in the address bar.As an example, assign [greatexample].com to forward to greatexample.net with masking. When a visitor types [greatexample].com into their browser’s address bar, they will be redirected to the [greatexample].net website. [Greatexample].com will remain in the browser address bar, effectively masking the destination URL. 

How Forwarding with Masking Works

When forwarding with masking is enabled, visitors see the original domain in the browser’s address bar even though they are viewing content from a different website. This type of forwarding allows you to add meta-tags for search engines, which can improve visibility. However, masking may not always provide the best user experience or SEO results.

Benefits of Domain Masking

• Conceals Long URLs: Masking is helpful for hiding lengthy or complex URLs, such as affiliate links or subdomains.
• Maintains Brand Consistency: By keeping the original domain in the browser’s address bar, masking helps ensure a cohesive brand experience for users.

Disadvantages of Domain Masking

1. Impact on User Trust and Experience: Your visitors come to your site because they believe in you and the information you provide. Domain masking may cause you to lose your users’ trust because it creates a negative user experience. 

2. Negative SEO Impact: For example, knowledgeable visitors may become suspicious of malicious websites or links and refrain from visiting your site. Domain masking also makes it difficult for users to save your content. When they copy or bookmark your page, they only save the homepage.

Summary

While both domain forwarding and masking redirect visitors to another URL, masking often presents challenges with SEO and user trust. Domain forwarding without masking is usually the better option for transparency and optimal SEO results. To improve the user and search engine experience for lengthier URLs, consider employing domain forwarding or a URL shortener instead of masking.