7 replies to this topic

[bs6]

For a long while now I have had a web address (BS6 funnily enough), the trouble is as the name is derived from the postcode of my old address its no longer valid as I have moved.

Looking back this was a massive mistake and a basic error which I would never repeate.

I now have a new domain name which is much more appropriate, the question is what should I do with my old domain, I still as a result of the site get leads from my old area which do convert into business.

I guess that I could just leave the site up and let it run, or merge the 2 in some way (any help on how this should be done gratefully recieved)

What do you guys think merge or leave seperate?

Any thoughts gratefully recieved.

Justin

[Randy]

Your best bet would be to keep registering the old domain and get it pointed to the new domain via a 301 redirect Justin. There are lots of ways to do this, some of which require you keep a hosting plan for the old domain, some of which don't, but it doesn't really matter which method you use. The important thing is in the end the search engines see a 301 Moved Permanently server status when they try to crawl the old domain.

Lots more info on this type of thing in our [url=http://www.highrankings.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5644]301 redirect thread[/url] and the Redirects section of the forum.

[bs6]

Thanks for your comments and the links Randy, I take it that you feel that I should merge the 2 domains?

Anyone else with any thoughts, as I said already I do get business from the old domain?

Justin

[Randy]

I take it that you feel that I should merge the 2 domains?

Yep, I do.

By merging them you can get several advantages. Ranging from not having to maintain and pay for hosting of two sites when you can cut it to one, to transferring the authority as well as the traffic from the older domain on to the newer domain. Not to mention focusing your brand building all in the same direction.

[Jill]

Anyone else with any thoughts

Yes, 301 redirect the old domain to the new. That's really your only option.

[bs6]

Hi Guys

Following on from your help I have been reading the following post where Scottie Claiborne advises a 302 redirect in the first instance to maintain the ranking of the old site see:http://www.highrankings.com/issue142

Is this not the way to go with this?

To clarify as I appreciate from further reading that the above is decided on a case by case basis:

Old Site: Was first registered in 1999 and although out of date does bring in business leads.

New Site: Has not been design as yet but will be soon (I hope) so that I can start link building.

So should:

301 old too new
302 in the first instance and 301 later as scottie suggests
Leave the old site as is and 301 later when the new site has moved past the aging delay

Any help appreciated as always.

Justin

[Randy]

There is a growing mountain of evidence that Google has either done away with or significantly changed the way their Aging Delay worked when it first appeared on the scene Justin. Scottie's article and advice was written with this in mind because it was the reality at the time.

Today things seem to have swung pretty much back to the way it was prior to the aging delay being put into effect, where even brand new domains with few links get a bit of a New Site bump in the rankings for a short time. Eventually they start having to compete on a more even footing with the competing sites.

I've not done a domain move like you're contemplating personally in the last few months, but others who have are reporting an abbreviated effect. Which can be explained by the idea that it usually takes somewhere between 4 and 6 months for the full weight of redirected link popularity to kick in. You get some from the beginning, but the full effect usually takes a few months to settle in and become more permanent.

I have however started a couple of new sites (4 to be exact) since the beginning of the year. And all of those are reacting a lot more closely to the way it has been in the past, where they show up ranking above their real linking profile very early on, then after several weeks start to drop off if no link building has been done. Those are without any 301's from pre-existing sites, so it makes sense.

At this point my best guess would be to go ahead and build your new site out on its new domain. Try to get a few links pointed to it while you're building it out. Then make when you flip the switch to transfer everything over to the new domain a Business decision, as opposed to an SEO one. If you're ready in a week, put the 301's in place then. If it takes 6 or 8 weeks to get all of the bugs ironed out, wait until then to start the 301's.

You may still see some limited struggles, but they should be decidedly short term if you remember to mind your p's and q's just as you would if it's a brand new site, as well as getting a 301 in place to help transfer the trust, authority and link profile from the old domain over to the new one.

[bs6]

I can't find a host that will handle a 301 redirect on behalf, does anyone have any suggestions/recommendation's?

Regards

Justin