301 redirect
- Started
- Last post
- 9 Responses
- ukit
Anyone have experience redirecting URLs on a large site when it was redesigned? Like changing the URL structure from one format to another.
I was hoping it was a straightforward process but heard today that it can cause you to lose ranking in Google for changing the URLs.
- akrokdesign0
why don't just apply a forwarding on the old url.
- ukit0
Should have been more clear - I was planning on 301 redirecting a large number of URLs, but I've heard it can have a negative impact.
Wondered anyone has experienced this firsthand or not.
- TexJ0
No, don't worry about stuff like that, just do your redirect and keep adding to the site
- Point50
sounds like a question for Trooperbill ... you know the drill and have visited the thread; maybe if you email him he'll help you out
http://www.qbn.com/trooperbill/
http://www.qbn.com/topics/592445…
- akrokdesign0
bump, bump. :-)
- trooperbill0
if the url structure has changed then you're in for a world of hurt and will have to do each page individually (im going through something similar) it might be easier to use a php script (something im toying with) that contains an array... ill post it on my blog when im closer to a final solution.
- I think you can use mod_rewrite, although learning the syntax is a little scary;)ukit
- leewilson780
Redirect via .htaccess, you will keep the search engine positioning for the pages and google will simply update the new url.
Here's what you do.
Redirect redirect 301 /old url http://www.thedomain.com/newurl
Drop me a pm if you need any help.
- ukit0
Thanks guys - I'm actually leaning towards playing it safe and just replicating the old URL structure on the new site for the time being as I transition for WP to EE.
I think I'll pursue a strategy of gradually migrating the pages over to the new URL structure over time rather than risk mass updating 3,000+ pages in one pass. I realize 301ing is the accepted technique but I've heard stories of people losing their rankings even when they did everything "right," so I'd rather not risk it.
- crillix0
We have had pretty good success with 301s, we did a large update like what you are talking about and didn't miss a beat, however it was just a structure adjustment so the redirects were 1 to 1.