“Kwasi’s knowledge and understanding of technical requirements for .bank domain configuration has been instrumental in a successful transition. Without their expertise, we would not have been able to successfully complete these critical transitions.”
Chris Day, Broken Hill Bank
About Broken Hill Bank
Broken Hill Bank, previously known as Broken Hill Community Credit Union, is a customer-owned financial institution based in Broken Hill, New South Wales. They offer a range of personal and business banking products, including home loans, personal loans, savings accounts, and transaction accounts.
Broken Hill Bank is dedicated to community-focused banking and supports their local area through sponsorships, small business support, providing access to board rooms and financial literacy programs. As a member-focused organisation, they prioritise community engagement and financial well-being.
The Challenge
In 2024, BHCCU rebranded to Broken Hill Bank. This rebrand was more than just a name change – it involved migrating the website and all third-party services from bhccu.com.au to brokenhill.bank.
The move to a .bank domain introduced complexity into the rebrand, requiring heightened security measures and strict compliance with industry regulations. This transition to a .bank domain was important to the rebrand and the bank’s ongoing digital strategy as it communicates a safer and more secure banking experience for members while reinforcing Broken Hill Bank’s dedication to trust, reliability, and community-first banking.
The Solution
Configuring the .bank root zone was the first important step in the migration process, which required multiple validation and verification checks during the purchase process to meet strict compliance and security standards. This included provisioning and deploying custom .bank name servers.
To further enhance security, DNSSEC was implemented which included additional layers of verification and protection. It was also essential to manage the root DNS zone, to ensure that all records were correctly configured for subzones and for ancillary services to function effectively without disruption. Kwasi also collaborated with partner agencies to assist in configuring the necessary records to ensure a smooth transition and maintain service continuity during and after the migration.
Once configuration of the .bank root zone was complete, Kwasi followed a structured approach to migrate the .bank domain with minimal disruptions. A key step in this process was configuring 1-to-1 redirects sitewide, to ensure that every page from the old domain seamlessly redirected to its corresponding page on the new domain.
In addition to redirects, all brand mentions and internal links across the website were updated to reflect the new Broken Hill Bank identity. We also actively managed Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools to prompt search engines to quickly replace old URLs with the new .bank domain. This helped maintain search performance and ensured users could easily find the updated website. Kwasi also updated all necessary DNS records to point services to the new domain.
Kwasi also assisted Broken Hill Bank in the migration of third-party services to the .bank domain by closely collaborating with multiple partner agencies. A critical challenge was managing and resolving conflicts in DNS and timeline requirements. As part of the migration, DNS records were updated and configured, including the deployment of subzones where required. This ensured that all third-party services functioned correctly under the new domain. Finally, all internal links on the website were updated to reflect the deployed third-party services.
The Results
The migration to the new domain was a success, with zero downtime for the bank’s website and associated services as well as preserved search appearance after the cutover.
As shown in the graph above, the new brokenhill.bank website quickly established a strong presence in organic search. Google Search Console metrics indicate that traffic levels on brokenhill.bank stabilised shortly after the transition, reaching a similar volume to the previous domain. Kwasi’s smooth transition ensured minimal disruption enabling the new domain to perform effectively in search rankings.
