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This question has been closed, and points have been awarded.
Can I Change My Primary Url Without Penalty?
Posted By: lindsayaus* on 10/29/2005 1:52 AM (CST) 300 Points
We would like to change the name of our website (primary URL) to our secondary URL (a similar name) which is already ‘pointing’ to our current site. Can this be done without losing our current SE listing position and page rank? We are running a small PPC campaign with Yahoo only, but would like to start publicity and other campaigns but obviously want to promote our new name. Do we have to start all over again or is there a way to make a smooth change over? Would appreciate some advice from the wealth of knowledge out there. Many thanks.

Posted by: KSA Member Response
10/29/2005 10:22 PM (CST)
Lindsay,

It's a complicated problem, and if you don't hear from a real SEO guru here, try a forum like HighRankings.com.

From what I know, I think the easiest way to make the change would be to change the DNS Servers on your secondary domain to your website. Then, do a 301 redirect of the Primary URL to the Secondary URL. That way, the Search Engines will just assume that you changed the location of the Primary URL.

You could leave the backlinks you have coming to the existing primary URL alone, but establish new links using your new primary URL. Then, if at some point, you need to eliminate the existing primary alltogether, you'd have to change all the links to the new URL. And, until the search engines catch up with the change in URL, your new primary won't have the same weight as the old one.

I think you'd end up with maybe some fluctuation while all the changing is going on, but things should even out. Since both URLs are pointing at the same website, it won't matter which one comes up in the SERPs, as long as one of them gets visitors to your site.

However, I would suggest you get some advice from a real SEO icon like Jill at HighRankings.com just in case there are other issues to be considered.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Kathleen
 
Posted by: alinkfred* Member Response
10/30/2005 4:05 AM (CST)
I would agree with the suggestion that you should get good advice from some site like highrankings.com.

My thoughts are
1. Don't do it unless you really have to as you will suffer in terms of lower traffic for a long time.
2. DO NOT HAVE 2 VERSIONS OF THE SAME SITE RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME UNLESS THE ONE YOU ARE TRYING TO DROP HAS A NO INDEX TAG SO THAT GOOGLE DOES NOT TRY TO INDEX BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. THIS COULD GET BOTH SITES BANNED FROM GOOGLE
 
Posted by: lindsayaus* Author Response
10/31/2005 6:19 PM (CST)
Thanks so much for your replies.
KSA: I've had a quick look at HighRankings.com and there seems to be some info there - I will investigate. Thanks for the tip.

alinkfred: What do you mean when you say 'don't have 2 versions of the same site running at the same time'. Does having the other link pointing to the site constitute this? Also, if I start giving out the secondary URL address to people we want to link to and run a PPC campaign on Google using the 2nd address will the increased traffic on the URL constitute 2 sites and have us banned? Sorry for the garble - I hope you understand what I'm getting at. Your replies would be great then I'll close the question. Many thanks.
 
Posted by: KSA Accepted Answer
10/31/2005 7:04 PM (CST)
Perhaps Fred will answer, also. However, in the meantime...

You can have more than one URL directed to the same website without a problem IF you have directed the sites properly.

Your primary domain name should have the DNS servers set to your website's location, and be brought directly to your website.

Any other domain names MUST be directed to the site using what is called a 301 redirect. The 301 tells the search engines that your domain name has permanently moved to your website's location.

At that point, the search engines will consider your website as one entity with a couple nicknames.

You can't Forward a domain name, for example. A forward creates a 302 redirect, which is a temporary move. Then, the search engines see both your domain names as independent entities that just happen to have exactly the same content.

And, search engines don't like duplicate content.

You should check with your techies or the company that hosts your site, and your domain registrars to figure out how everything is set up.

It just occured to me that you're the aussie wine folks, so you probably don't have techies. Try going to this site:

http://www.searchengineworld.com/cgi-bin/servercheck.cgi

I checked the URL in your profile. It checked OK as your primary domain name, like this:

Server Response: http://aussiewinestoyourdoor.com/
Status: HTTP/1.0 200 OK


The 200 OK means it's the primary. Check your other URL and see what you get. It should say

Status: HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently

Whew.

Kathleen
 
Posted by: lindsayaus* Author Response
10/31/2005 8:05 PM (CST)
Thanks so much for all your help. I think I know what to do now.
 


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