5 replies to this topic

[Bri]

I am familiar with many of the threads that deal with this issue, and i know that it has been recommended to just point the new domain to the existing one, because it has been established. i would prefer to 301 redirect my existing .ca to my new .com, but my main fear is that i may lose back link weight. and benefit of the age of my existing site. Are these fears realistic? should i be better off linking my new .com to the .ca?

[Randy]

Are these fears realistic? should i be better off linking my new .com to the .ca?

Yes and Yes. At least where rankings are concerned.

If you make the change going the other way, after you're sure the .com name wasn't already used and burned by someone else, you should plan on struggling for several months. And you'll want to get as many of the existing links pointing to the new domain as you can. But even with that plan on months of time to climb back to your current position.

And if your main business right now is coming from Canada, this too may be adversely affected.

[Bri]

after you're sure the .com name wasn't already used and burned by someone else

i am.

And you'll want to get as many of the existing links pointing to the new domain as you can. But even with that plan on months of time to climb back to your current position.

I thought that a 301 redirect would transfer the link weight, and that Google (at least for one SE) would see this as one site. if we were ranking for certain pages on certain terms would that not translate the same if we redirected to identical url (aside from the .com)? would not the link weight of the .ca remain the same if it is seen as the same site?

And if your main business right now is coming from Canada, this too may be adversely affected.

It is not our main business, our main business is the USA.

[SERPico]

I thought that a 301 redirect would transfer the link weight, and that Google (at least for one SE) would see this as one site. if we were ranking for certain pages on certain terms would that not translate the same if we redirected to identical url (aside from the .com)? would not the link weight of the .ca remain the same if it is seen as the same site?

It would, the thing is, it just could take a little while before everything kicks in so it's all back to normal, as it was before.

[Randy]

As Serpico said, it will. Eventually. But you're still better off having as many of those changed to point to the correct URL as you can get changed. In other words, don't depend upon the 301 passing value when and where you can get a link changed so that it takes the 301 out of the equation.

It is not our main business, our main business is the USA.

Just to clarify....

So the main business to your .ca site is coming from the US?

If so, that might be a sort of okay thing to switch to the .com version of the domain. Assuming you can withstand a few months of volatility.

[Bri]

I think we can withstand the volatility, the owner really wants the .com, we first wanted the .com about 3 years ago and settled for the .ca 2 years ago. Parked it for a while and now our .ca site has been up for a little over a year. it has been growing since, however our industry is in the low season currently. I think this would be the best time to act.

Randy and Serpico thanks very much for your feedback!

Brian

(Blanketed in a wonderful layer of snow here in Toronto CA )