I did a search but I couldn't really find anything... maybe I missed it.
How much does changing content affect SEO, rankings, etc...?
I started tweaking, but now I find myself in the middle of a 'remodel' (for lack of a better word.)
I am keeping most of my content, but I've shuffled it around to new pages.
I haven't published anything yet, so I can always go back to the original.
Thanks in advance, for any help!
Quote: Originally Posted by J from Michigan 
I am keeping most of my content, but I've shuffled it around to new pages. As is move some existing content to new pages? or renamed the page file names?
If you renamed the page file name(s) then you have to do a 301 permanent redirect to the new page file name so you don't loose your incoming traffic and so the search bots learn the new name. If you mean you want to optimize your content, it effects your ranking and helps your pages to rank higher in Google or other search engines. Because search engines always crawl and index cached or new pages and they affect new changes for ranking results. And if you are going to change the name of your pages too, as "HTMLBasicTutor" said, redirect them using 301 redirect that all value of your current pages to be transfered to the new pages. Thanks for the responses...
I'm not changing any titles or names. No content will be removed, I'm just moving some text to other pages.
Long story, short... I'm making my home page more of a "starting point" with options/links to more detailed and specific pages.
(example: separating 'commercial' window cleaning with 'residential')
I also have pages for each individual city we service, which I'm excited about.
If you currently are not getting traffic it isn't a big deal. If you are, preserving URLs is the best way to keep the rankings up. Obviously a 301 will suffice if you can't preserve the URLs.
Local pages.. good idea & that's the right way to do it. Have you delved into local search optimization yet? We are finding it can be a lot easier to pull in local search rankings vs. organic search rankings. Sometimes all it takes is building a handful of citations to make a drastic jump up. I'm just getting to the point where I'm on the first few pages.
I have a list of cities I service, in small print at the bottom (hoping search engines would pick up on them.)
Then I decided to just make them all actual links.
So each city has it's own page... is that what you mean by "local SEO?"
(sorry I don't know much, I'm a novice... but I do pay attention to what people tell me.)
How much does changing content affect SEO, rankings, etc...?
I started tweaking, but now I find myself in the middle of a 'remodel' (for lack of a better word.)
I am keeping most of my content, but I've shuffled it around to new pages.
I haven't published anything yet, so I can always go back to the original.
Thanks in advance, for any help!
I am keeping most of my content, but I've shuffled it around to new pages. As is move some existing content to new pages? or renamed the page file names?If you renamed the page file name(s) then you have to do a 301 permanent redirect to the new page file name so you don't loose your incoming traffic and so the search bots learn the new name. If you mean you want to optimize your content, it effects your ranking and helps your pages to rank higher in Google or other search engines. Because search engines always crawl and index cached or new pages and they affect new changes for ranking results. And if you are going to change the name of your pages too, as "HTMLBasicTutor" said, redirect them using 301 redirect that all value of your current pages to be transfered to the new pages. Thanks for the responses...
I'm not changing any titles or names. No content will be removed, I'm just moving some text to other pages.
Long story, short... I'm making my home page more of a "starting point" with options/links to more detailed and specific pages.
(example: separating 'commercial' window cleaning with 'residential')
I also have pages for each individual city we service, which I'm excited about.
Local pages.. good idea & that's the right way to do it. Have you delved into local search optimization yet? We are finding it can be a lot easier to pull in local search rankings vs. organic search rankings. Sometimes all it takes is building a handful of citations to make a drastic jump up. I'm just getting to the point where I'm on the first few pages.
I have a list of cities I service, in small print at the bottom (hoping search engines would pick up on them.)
Then I decided to just make them all actual links.
So each city has it's own page... is that what you mean by "local SEO?"
(sorry I don't know much, I'm a novice... but I do pay attention to what people tell me.)