Does moving domain effect Google position?

[maddi]

If say my domain name is sitting at number 3 in the Google rankings and I move my website to another server (note that the URL is the same) and during that move to the new server the original website (and indeed the new one) are down for 24 hours. How will this effect my ranking in Google?

Obviously if within the 24 hour down time, someone tries to click through from Google, the website at that moment in time won't actually exist. But, when the new website goes live (remember the URL is the same, though physically it is based on another server) - when someone clicks through on Google - will it automatically access the new website? - or will it insist on trying to find the old website?

Note: that the website is hosted on a virtual server, i.e. a computer shared with many other websites at an ISP.

Basically I am trying to work out if moving servers will kill all the hard work I will put in trying to get a high ranking - and if I decide to move servers if I will have to start all over again.

I'm assuming that the ranking of position number 3 will remain, but it's bad to assume and I need someone to clarify.

Thanks ever so much! (if you managed to read this far!)

Maddi //

[The Toecutter]

You should be fine if you post identical content at both the old and new hosts when you change the nameservers. Done it many times - never lost page 1 rankings.

However, folks here have recommended that you wait until this month's crawl is done so you don't lose Googlebot during the transition period.

The transistion from old to new servers usually takes 24 to 72 hours to complete.

[The Toecutter]

Additionally you may want to read this thread:

[webmasterworld.com ]

[maddi]

Cheers Toecutter :)