URL vs Free ISP space

[headcoat]

We started our web site on free web space and have recently started using our own domain name. The problem is that the free site is showing on Google much higher then the new domain. At the moment the old free site re-directs to the new site, as we don't want to totally remove it for the obvious reason that it is shown higher than the new domain.

Should we remove the free site or continue the way we are?

Thanks

[headcoat]

Sorry, I have just realised I posted this in the wrong place, can someone move it?

Thanks

[jon80]

Is the content identical?

[headcoat]

The content was exactly the same, but like I said we on the old site we have now changed it to a simple re-direct page.

[PeterHo]

IMO you should continue as you've started, but place a link on your free site to your "real" domain.
I'll face the same problem because I'm considering to get a domain for a page that has been up a while...

[futureX]

The problem is that people who have already linked to your site on the free space rather than the new domain. Also you probably had a higher PR with the site on the free space due to it inheriting PR from the main site :)

[jon80]

I would write to all the sites which link to you and ask them to redirect the links to the new site.

The PR of the old site should fall and that of the new site rise over time.

It could also be an opportunity to request specific anchor text from the sites which link to you.

[french tourist]

We started our web site on free web space and have recently started using our own domain name.

I have done exactly the same. Before February 2003 new_domain.com was (probably 302 Temporary - I had no control over it) redirected to old_domain.free.fr ; from February 2003 on, old_domain.free.fr is (301 Permanent) redirects to new_domain.com

In 2002, I obtained a few links, I systematically asked to link to new_domain, but not everybody understood me ; and I also got unasked links, of course to old_domain. Google perfectly understood that old_domain and new_domain were the same, as well in 2002 as now : researchs on link:new_domain and link:old_domain gave the same results (interestingly enough, this was NOT the case of site:new_domain and site:old_domain).

In February, I e-mailed to the old_domain links webmasters, but at least two did not answer me ; I shall try again in a few months. But I fear I shall have to keep the old_domain.free.fr (with its 301) for a few years still if I don't want to lose PageRank... As long as it remains free, this is not a serious problem!

[dvduval]

I would write to all the sites which link to you and ask them to redirect the links to the new site.

That's good advice. I did it for a site a while ago and never looked back. It may take an update or 2 to get back to the rank you desire. If you are talking about less than 50 or 100 sites you need to contact, you're fine. If you are talking about 1000's of incoming links, you might need to reconsider. I don't think there is anything wrong with keeping the free site live for a while. Maybe you could even keep the content unique without a need to update it very often.