Updating a site

[shogix]

Hi,

I am about to finish a HTML to PHP switching on my site. For the moment, i keep the 2 versions online. So my questions is: how to make a smooth transition for SE. Should i disallow the html version to SE until the PHP files are indexed, before removing completely the HTML files? Is it risky to do that?

And i am curious to know how SE deals with page with same or almost same content on a domain, especially for Google (90% of my SE traffic).

Thanks for your advices.

[Torben Lundsgaard]

Hi shogix, Welcome to Webmaster World [webmasterworld.com]

Oficially Google doesn't like duplicates.

However, I have done what you are doing lots of times without any problems. Just make sure that you implement the new link network on the old site. When a user or robots hits the old site you want to make sure that all links go to the new site. Also make sure that you disallow the old site to robots. You don't ever want a robot there again.

Torben

[HoloC76]

"When a user or robots hits the old site you want to make sure that all links go to the new site. Also make sure that you disallow the old site to robots. You don't ever want a robot there again. "

If you disallow the old site to robots, will it still follow the links to the new site (without wasting time at the old)? Sorry for the dumb question - I'm going to be completely redoing my site soon and want to be sure google gets to the new one asap.

[robertito62]

If you are in Apache, configure it so that it always reads first php files, unless this is default.

www.domain.com/

Do not write anything after the slash. Your server will return the php´s. Then, you can either delete or leave the HTMLs, your choice.