webnewton
msg:78390 | 12:27 pm on Jun 3, 2004 (gmt 0) |
Redirect new site to old site This is a good option.Try it.
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MikeBeverley
msg:78391 | 3:59 pm on Jun 3, 2004 (gmt 0) |
Which site (old or new) currently gets all the direct visitors (i.e. the ones who type the domain into their browser)?
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usefulwebs
msg:78392 | 4:25 pm on Jun 3, 2004 (gmt 0) |
The older site has the most complicated name (to both type and say) - the newer site is a shorter/punchier name. The older site is listed in DMOZ - a URL change request for the new site is already in the system. The original site has a fair few regular/continuing customers - many of whom have not visited the new site. The original site has around 400 pages in Google and a PR4, the new site has currently 2 pages listed and a PR0. The original site has several hundred incoming links - the new site has only a few - but they are at a much higher PR. The original site was rated at No1 or No2 for nearly all targetted keywords until a few months ago (Florida?) when it dropped quite a bit. The new site is only picked up on very obscure terms with little competition. Each time I think of an advantage to keeping one site - I think of a good reason to keep the other! The real problem is that I don't want to be penalised by Google and lose both! Oh and the original site is listed in MSN and Yahoo too, the new site has been spidered by MSN and Inktomi, but I haven't checked listings yet.
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lost in space
msg:78393 | 12:22 am on Jun 4, 2004 (gmt 0) |
Are you able to offer different (fresh) content? If so then you can keep both sites up. Make sure that both sites look completely different and you may catch a whole new bunch of viewers. Also you can carefully link from new site to old site for more information about your product.
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MikeBeverley
msg:78394 | 5:09 pm on Jun 4, 2004 (gmt 0) |
Sounds like the only reason you're hanging on to the new site is that it has a higher PR. PageRank no longer means as much as it used to. PR 1's and 2's rank just as well if the content is right. If PR is the only reason then change back, I don't do any PR work on my site any more as I found it made no difference on it's own.
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usefulwebs
msg:78395 | 6:39 pm on Jun 4, 2004 (gmt 0) |
The old site has a PR4 - the newer site is currently PR0, but has incoming links from PR6/7 pages. Are you seriously suggesting that Google is no longer considering Page Rank when ordering the SERPS? Surely this is the whole reason the Google search engine was built - it seems very strange to me that Google would effectively drop the technology that bought it to prominence. The main problem I have is that there are now 2 distinct sets of incoming links going to the 2 sites, and I can't easily get them changed. Also my DMOZ listing is being changed, and again I don't particularly want to go back to them and try and change it again. The situation is further complicated with an affiliate program. I have emailed all my affiliates and asked them to change links (though not all have yet done that), so I would need to take that into account. I'm probably going to have to go with the new site - but I am really worried about the positioning in the SERPS.
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hmpphf
msg:78396 | 6:58 pm on Jun 4, 2004 (gmt 0) |
That's a fine old mess you've gotten yourself into. If it was me I'd focus everything back on the old site, including getting my DMOZ listings changed back. I find that old, well established URLs are extremely useful. I have found I can change the content on an old website to be completely new subject matter and it gets better ranking than similar content on a new URL.
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