Forum Moderators: phranque
Can anyone tell me how to do it please?
Many thanks
You could use any of the following methods:
The redirect should be done server-side using one of the first two listed methods if you wish search engines to follow the redirect reliably, but as noted, some search engines will treat the client-side meta-refresh as a redirect, subject to certain constraints on the meta-refresh time. However, this is a poor third-choice solution.
So the first step is to determine which tools you have, and then you can proceed.
Jim
As to your old domain. Do you know if the host is using apache or windows server software? Does the free host happen to allow the use of htaccess files and mod_rewrite (apache)?
The ideal way is using the above to 301 Redirect any requests for the old site to the new site. It will also transfer any link popularity etc. from the old site to the new site, but to do this properly (on apache) requires the use of the htaccess file.
Unfortunately, most free hosts don't allow the use of htaccess files etc.
If the host doesn't allow you to do an actual 301 redirect, then you are left with the options such as:
1) meta refreshing to the new site
2) keeping the old site running, but linking to the new site
3) putting up a message with a link to the new site
[edit]JDMorgan beat me to it...at least I got to welcome you.[/edit]
[edited by: Philosopher at 1:29 pm (utc) on April 27, 2007]
I think Virgin.net uses Unix. Is it possible for me to create an .htaccess file at my end and upload it to the server or does it have to be set up by them server side?
Don't laugh but I created my own site back in 1999 using Arachnophilia CareWare and have stuck with this method of updating my site ever since! So to answer Jim's question - I am not sure what facility(/capability) I have!
I have recently updated my content and uploaded it to both servers - will this cause problems with the SEs?
Many thanks for your patience.... Sarah
I'd check with their support and ask if they allow the use of mod_rewrite or mod_alias in htaccess files.
Then post back. If they do, we can help you get that setup.
In that file, put the following line:
RedirectPermanent /redirect-test.html http://www.google.com/
Upload the file to your old server using FTP or anything else that allows you to upload a plain-text (ASCII) file.
Once it is on your server, rename it to ".htaccess".
When you do this, it may "disappear" from the directory listing in your upload tool. Don't panic; It's just an artifact of the upload tool, and most have settings to "show system files" that you can enable to prevent this. Either way, the file is still there, it's just not displayed in your 'view' of your server.
Now request the non-existent page "/redirect-test.html" from your old server. If you end up on Google, then you can use server-side redirects to point your old domain to your new domain. If you get an error, or if it just doesn't work, then you'll have to use one or more of the on-page methods listed by Philosopher above.
If you do get an error, then delete the .htaccess file from your old server. If this is not possible, upload an empty file to the old server, and then rename it .htaccess.
If the test above is successful, change the file on your PC to read:
RedirectPermanent / http://www.example.com/
You can actually skip the 'test' phase if you want to, and just try the second code example. But I prefer to use limited-scope tests to avoid disrupting visitors whenever possible.
Jim
PS it would seem that since uploading on the new server only my newly added pages are being listed using my own domain - all the existing pages (albeit with new content) are indexed using my original Virgin url.....
Frown? No... Well maybe a little. They prefer a server-side HTTP redirect response, but then, they also know about 'free hosting' and all its attendant problems.
To the extent possible, replace each page on the free domain with a page that says, "We've moved! - Visit our new Wonderful World of Widgets site here [webmasterworld.com].
Provide that link to the specific replacement page for this page, and adjust the link-text accordingly (it should be descriptive, but not too long -- don't go overboard; My example might be appropriate for the home page).
Then add a meta-refresh of zero to three seconds, also to the replacement page.
People using browsers who haven't disabled meta-refresh will be 'refreshed' to the new page. Search engines and those with meta-refresh disabled will see the text-link.
Get rid of everything else on each replaced page -- That eliminates the duplicate-content problem.
> ...only my newly added pages are being listed using my own domain - all the existing pages (albeit with new content) are indexed using my original Virgin url.
Oh, it will take weeks to months for the search engines to sort this out. Even with a proper server-side redirect, it can several takes week to a month. Everything happens very quickly on the Web, except for search engine indexing and ranking... :) Try to get any friendly and cooperative inbound-linkers to update their links to point to pages on your new domain. You won't need to update all your incoming links, just a good number of them; You need to give the new domain some credibility of its own, independent of the old one doing client-side redirects (meta-refreshes) to it.
Got any friends still using free hosting? -- Warn them now!
Jim
The advice has been great from you guys - I have lost count of how many people I have asked about this problem - you are the only ones to give a detailed test/solution.
I shall recommend you........ ;) Sarah
