Moving to New Domain

[Frank Benjamin]

So I finally decided I needed a better domain name for my site.

When my site does receive visitors, they find it interesting enough to stay on and look around, but the problem is actually getting the visitors there. I get a nice influx on game days when I post on some forums. I also have some good articles out there in the major Article directories.

But I didn't choose my domain name correctly. I didn't know any better at the time and thought I could manage to muscle through it. However, I now have a domain name with highly searched keywords with relatively low competition. I think it will work out nicely.

But I have a question...How do I go about moving my site without starting all over. I am going to move all the articles and reviews. EVERYTHING.

I also have redirects from an earlier over-haul. What do I do with them. Do I need to keep the domain and just have it set up to redirect everything?

Thanks is advance for the help!

[Bhanvad]

We would say that it does not matter what is your domain name, because what was Google mean in 1994? nothing, because Google started in 1998.

90% it does not matter what is your domain, but how good are you going to do marketing. Also, how good content you have on your site so people and search engines keep coming to your site more often.

Your post is old so please let us know your current issue and we will be very happy to help you.

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

Hi Sports Investor

It can be hairy moving sites but there are safe and easy ways to do it. There are a few technical considerations and since I don't know your url I can't be more specific - like for instance if you have the ability to migrate everything via Wordpress tools; or if the site is basic html and you have the ability to convert it (basically fully automated) into php.

At any rate I'll cover the basics that you have asked about and hopefully they will do for now.

First thing you need to do is get everything over to the new domain. Once everything is tested properly put a redirect on your old domain to your new domain. Integrating an htaccess file will take care of any duplication and redirection issues.

Then go to webmaster central (Google) and use their 'move domain' tool - this way you won't lose rankings or traffic at all.

While you are in there you will want to canonicalize your new domain to one single domain.

This means; Websites can have more than one URL. Moving domains are especially prone to this because programmers typically set up pre-launch sites to test browser compatibility (e.g. http://www.bluewidgets.com and http://www.bluewidgets.co.uk). Additionally, if you have been around for a while and people are linking to you they could be linking to either URL. By designating a primary it gets 100% of the above benefits. Go to Google's Webmaster Central and in the tools section designate one as your primary. Do a 301 redirect on the non-primary page to pass on any backlink juice, PR and authority that the page has to the primary page. Internal navigation needs to be checked to be sure all links go to the correct version as well. Bad navigation is common, especially with websites constantly being populated or worked on by many individuals. Pick one and use it throughout.

Next steps will be to add an xml site map and a robots.txt file (that points to the xml file) and then manually submit the xml sitemap to google. This is a universal format (xml) so don't worry about submitting it through all the search engines unless you have spare time. They will all follow Google's lead.

After that I would spend some time getting a few new back links (directories or article sites like Ezines and doing some social bookmarking to the new domain.

The most important part here is to tell Google you are moving the site. If you don't their indexing will overlap and you'll probably get a duplication penalty.

Feel free to ask more questions, but by following this guide you can be assured you won't become another statistic.

GaryTheScubaGuy

[Frank Benjamin]

We would say that it does not matter what is your domain name, because what was Google mean in 1994? nothing, because Google started in 1998.

90% it does not matter what is your domain, but how good are you going to do marketing. Also, how good content you have on your site so people and search engines keep coming to your site more often.

Your post is old so please let us know your current issue and we will be very happy to help you.

Well, I think you would be the only one here to believe this.

Google take keywords in domain names and ranks them. Maybe if you have money to market your site it doesn't matter, but if you want to rank high and receive that traffic, keywords are important!

I have plenty of unique and quality articles, that isn't the problem. There is other traffic that I could get if I ranked higher for highly searched keywords.

So, I would have to say that your reply is out-dated, ignorant of the subject of SEO and doesn't make sense - nor did it answer my question, which was about moving a site. So thanks for the non-helpful answer.

Who is this WE stuff. At least Gary, someone that I respect and is highly educated in SEO, answered my question.

Gary I will hit you up with in a PM with some details, but the site is a WordPress site, so that makes it much easier to move. I have questions about the redirects and such. Thanks for the insite.

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

We would say ....

We???

Who is WE?

It sure as heck isn't me or anyone else with a tad bit of knowledge.

I'm not going to dive into this too deep because I could give you 100 examples and another 100 posts from top SEO's that back this method up, but let's just concentrate on ONE obvious fact that as ANYONE with a website knows, except you apparently, is blatantly obvious - okay brainiac?

When you do a search on ANY search engine look at each listing. Wherever your keyword shows up in the listing its bolded.

Site title, page title, description or URL - its always in bold face.

Hopefully you understand the significance of this based on proven user-actions but I don't expect that you do.

I could really go on and on about this but people that make statements like this, as if you even knew what you were talking about, really pizz me off and I can't be bothered.

Here's a clue sherlock - the next time you regurgitate something you read somewhere - read it better.

Case and point Dr.Search - google started in 97 (actually before that but it wasn't live until 97)

LOL - "What was google mean in 1994" - Google also has this really cool tool called Google translate. It cost a lot of money though - like, oh, $500. Send me half and I'll match your half and I'll send you my password (its OGMWADF) - seriously - you can trust US - WE are all on the same page eh?

doh!

[Frank Benjamin]

We???

Google also has this really cool tool called Google translate. It cost a lot of money though - like, oh, $500. Send me half and I'll match your half and I'll send you my password (its OGMWADF) - seriously - you can trust US - WE are all on the same page eh?

LMFAO!!!

This post of his was about as good as his first post in another thread. Though I guess that one was better because it was only one ignorant sentence.

I was waiting for a respected SEO guy to jump on that comment. Even with my limited knowledge, I must know more than Bhanvad - along with 98% of the rest of the members here.

[GCG]

GTSG : your reply is good advice ; the steps to be followed to move a domain is well explained in the google webmaster tools. Addition : you need to ask webmasters to change the links to your new domain as it is stated in the google guidelines so htaccess will help you to pass the main link juice.........but why does google state that if you use a redirect anyway ?

PS : if you ask for help do not hammer the one that wants to help you that does not look nice nor is challenging others to help you at all.

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

Its time to clean this forum up - I've spent all day laughing my ass off at some of these "SEO's' comments.

I swear if I see one more bullshit post from some idiot I might have to react off-forum...So if you post stoopid crap I wouldn't post links to your site in your sig or profile.

Hint - Hint - That means don't post your crap guys unless you KNOW wtf you re talking about. This BS you are claiming as your own opinion that you read this morning on some other idiots site will cost you a lot more than the time it took to plagiarise it.

Sorry Members - I am really getting pissed off reading some of this ****.

GaryTheScubaGuy

Like I said - time to clean house...spammers and posers beware.

(Please send me any other crap I haven't seen yet if you find it plz.)

[Frank Benjamin]

CGC - There is a video I saw from Google talking about redirects. And I believe it may answer your question. They state that you won't be penalized for redirects if they are used in a correct manner. However, if you have only redirects pointing to your site, Google will find that unnormal and penalize the site.

That being said, I believe you that it would be best to contact other sites to change the links if possible. At least some of the sites will then have the links pointing directly to your site and they all won't be redirects.

Essentially what this video said was if you are using redirect correctly, you don't have to worry.

I wish I could find that video. If I find it I will post a link to it.

[Frank Benjamin]

Found the video. It talks about achor text carrying through 301 redirects:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70LR8...layer_embedded#!

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

Not sure you have the right response to the right person. I never said to contact the sites and have them point differently - I said to use an htaccess file if you are on an Apache server (vs windows which is a bit more complicated)

I would NEVER contact anyone asking them to redirect for a multitude of reasons - the main one being I dont have the time.

If you do your research on my recommendations you will find its the best solution.

I provided you a flawless step-by-step guide,

Quit reading into it, questioning it, and referring me to Google videos that I saw a year ago.

Spend the time doing exactly as I said and it will be seemless.

I don't give advice unless I absolutely know it to be true and have tested it thoroughly.

So do as Nike says!

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

GTSG : your reply is good advice ; the steps to be followed to move a domain is well explained in the google webmaster tools. Addition : you need to ask webmasters to change the links to your new domain....

yea right...I have 100, or 1000 or 10,000 links- why would you spend those hours, days or months. Half of them are scrapers sites any way. This is just terrible advice. If you have 10 or 20 that you personally acquired to begin with...sure. But this just isn't practical or sound advice at all.

PS : if you ask for help do not hammer the one that wants to help you that does not look nice nor is challenging others to help you at all.

When you give BS advice from now on expect to get hammered. I'm sick of seeing this kind of blatantly stupid advice. Our members are here for factual advice, not friggen guesses or uneducated opinions.

Bhanvad got exactly what he deserved - a spankin!

What if you followed advice he gave you and your site got blacklisted and you lost your sole means of income to feed your family??

Many of the people here are in just that position, so don't cry about someone getting slammed that gave bad advice and couldn't even get their Google facts right - this is clearly a case of bad judgement by criticising Sports Investor.

Ps. If it wasn't such a stupid piece of advice he probably wouldn't have been spanked.

[Frank Benjamin]

Gary, my last comment and video post was in response to CGC's comment.

I appreciate the complete step-by-step guide and will be following it.

Though I do think too much sometimes, I am going to follow your advice to the letter.

Thanks again!

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

Gary, my last comment and video post was in response to CGC's comment.

I appreciate the complete step-by-step guide and will be following it.

Though I do think too much sometimes, I am going to follow your advice to the letter.

Thanks again!

No worries Mate

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

GTSG : your reply is good advice ; the steps to be followed to move a domain is well explained in the google webmaster tools.

Are you reading the same one I know by heart? Because they missed nearly all the steps I recommend short of moving it, deleting the first one and telling them.

This isnt an attempt by me to regurgitate the crap Gogle feeds us, its a step-by-step 100% proven (BY ME) safe method. Follow theirs and see where it gets you.

I spend a lot of time at this GSC, in research, money and my staff and personal time. Don't discount it with a few one-liners.

Everyones a friggin critic. If they only spent as much time improving themselves versus futile attempts at shooting holes in other peoples hard work they might get somewhere.

This isn't my first day CSG

[Frank Benjamin]

I asked GTSG about using my current site as a separate site with links to the new site. I figured why not since I own it. He asked to to post it since it was a good question and something that hasn't been covered.

The following is the advice he sent me:


When you integrate redirects whether htacces, 301's or whatever) you essentially transfer all the domain trust to the targeted URL.

Pointing links will put you back at square one on the new site.

Since you have the time, and Google is so unpredictable these days on link value, you might try this;

Create a subdomain on the existing site and get a new A address from your ISP and host the subdomain in your target market region on a totally different server. Go to Webmaster Central and use demographic targeting as well as the canonicalisation tool I've spoken about in the past.

This subdomain is seen as a totally different website, but if you link index-to-index 90% of the trust and authority will be passed within 72 hrs.

Create new content (this is VERY important) on the newly created subdomain with links pinting to the new URL with the existing website content.

Create a robots.txt file to prevent crawling (the htaccess with resolve and preserve your existing links) and manually go through Webmaster Central and delete the URL from the root - ONE-BY-ONE (forget what G says, do them manually if at all possible. This will speed up de-inexation and prevent any risk of drawing a duplication penalty.

Then sit back and watch what happens.

I dont know what trust. authority or <ACRONYM title="Page Ranking">PR</ACRONYM> you currently have on the existing site so I am a bit limited on what to tell you to look for, but basically in a nutshell this will allow you to do what you are wanting to do in your new set of requests versus your original request of simply transferring websites.

[mobilejackpots]

Has the site been transferred now?

Lots of things can go terribly wrong with this sort of stuff, especially if you're not used to managing a site...

[Frank Benjamin]

I installed WP and have the theme and plugins all transfered, as well as the database.

The only issue I am having is with the posts and pages.

I have exported and imported posts and pages before, but I am not sure why they all aren't being imported.

I have a lot of writing to do for other people this month, so I this is on my back burner. I am also waiting for the new logo from my graphic designer (aka my brother).

I plan to have it all moved after the Super Bowl.

[mobilejackpots]

You exported the database directly from phpMyadmin right?

That's where you should import it too. It contains alot more than post & pages. It has every setting, including settings for plugins.

Don't forget that any links included in posts & pages will most likely still point to the old urls. If you site is small you can change these manually.

If its a larger site you can run a search & replace function after you've imported the database.

zimmertech .com/tutorials/php/60/mysql-search-replace-phpmyadmin.php

[Frank Benjamin]

I was trying to do it with import plugin, but just did it manually via phpMyadmin. Don't know why I didn't just do that from the start.

Yeah, I know I have to do the links and everything. No worries....again, I have some time. This is a back burner project this month.