Most Britons would agree that the pro-Brexit vote and the signing of Article 50 came as a big shock. Google trends revealed that British citizens went so far as to care more about Brexit than football when the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament was far surpassed by Brexit as a Google search term. As the earth seems to be shifting underfoot and the army makes preparation for emergency distribution of vital supplies when the big breakup becomes fact, people are looking around wondering what to do.

For international marketers and multilingual website builders, the answer is clear: you just might have to migrate. Your website, that is. One of the details of Brexit is a ruling out of Brussels that UK citizens and businesses not otherwise domiciled in the EU will no longer be able register, renew, or hold .eu domains after Britain leaves the European Union.

Assuming there’s no second referendum, when Bexit takes effect the European Commission will have the power to revoke .eu domains registered in the UK. With 1 of every 12 .eu domains registered in the UK, these developments put about 317,000 domains on the chopping block. Site owners who want to avoid risk of shutdown and get redirects and marketing push set up ought to think about taking steps now.

Find the Upside

The big .eu domain grab that is generating so much buzz among digital marketers is just one example of the types of shake-up that will be coming with Brexit to the realm of online business and marketing in the UK. In a time characterized by massive uncertainty and confusion, one thing is clear: digital marketers will want to fine-tune their sites and make the right SEO moves to promote and maintain brand awareness and keep sales up during the upcoming transition.