How to Fix Subdomain - Duplicate Mistake Created While Moving Web Host

[pavlovapete]

Hi,

we recently moved web hosts. When the DNS records were updated the guy forgot to remove the transitional sub-domain record. As a consequence our site has been indexed as a sub-domain of the webhosts website.

Example:

My website mybeautifulwidget.com
Transitional URL: mybeautifulwidget.sillyhost.com

I can see both entries in the SERPs. Ugh!

How do I ask Google to remove these subdomain pages on my webhosts domain?

Thanks

[tedster]

I assume both these urls are actually accessing the same set of files at the same server location, correct? One quick band-aid style fix is to use the Canonical meta tag on all your pages.

Reference - [webmasterworld.com...]

A more certain fix can be had if you can simply get that subdomain to return a 404.

[pavlovapete]

Thanks tedster,

the wrong URLs are issuing a 404. So I guess your advice would be to wait for a bit? Traffic stats don't appear to have suffered much.

Canonical advice is good advice in any case.

I can see 16 pages in Google this morning, and quite a few are one or two places below the real site in the SERPs. Probably good fodder for more discussion re: duplicate content filters (if any), the power of 301 redirects, how double-serving can be allowed, etc, etc.

Thanks for your time and help.

Cheers

[tedster]

If those URLs already are returning a 404 then you could also request a URL removal to speed up the process. BUT (and it's a big "but") you'd need to verify your ownership of that subdomain to do this through Webmaster Tools. Serving up that verification file on the now vanished hostname would be another can of worms, I think. So yes, patience should handle the situation best.

[pavlovapete]

Serving up that verification file on the now vanished hostname would be another can of worms

Yes I think you are right.

Me: You know that subdomain that caused us grief?
Host: Yes, the one you asked me to get rid of post haste because it was messing up your SERPs?
Me: Yes that one. Well I need you to turn off our production site so I can activate that subdomain to tell Google to remove it ...

Cheers