Howdy,
I have a web site ("main") that is in google, decent pr, etc. Its highly interconnected.
I also have another web site ("preview"), also in google, etc. Different domain name (actually on a free host).
Same structure, style, and type of content - but completely
different content (
covers a different part of the world).
In the next few months I want to merge the preview site into the main site. The way I've done that in the past is
- merge data into main
- replaces every page in preview with a new page that basically says "site moved" and provides a link to both the front page of the main site and also to the replacement page in the main site
- wait a month (during this time I'll try to contact everyone linking into the soon-to-be-dead site)
- delete preview site, except for the main entry which just becomes a redirect to the new site
Is this method likely to cause any problems for Google and other SE?
For the user it seems ok, cause they get an obvious link to the new page during the transition.
Note: unfortunately I can't do a proper redirect (301) from the old site because its on a free host :(
