Hi there,<br />
<br />
I have a question that may merit some discussion, as I have seen similar discussions on other forums that I consider not as good as htmlforums.com, and none of them really supplied a coherent answer, just a lot of 'ums' and 'errrs'.<br />
<br />
The question regards redirection. If I have a domain name registered [eg. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.site.com">http://www.site.com</a><!-- m -->] and I get a new domain and server [eg. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.newsite.com">http://www.newsite.com</a><!-- m -->] that I move my entire site over to, what is the best way to notify clients that the site has moved? I have listed all the options I know of, and the pros and cons of each (as far as I am aware):<br />
<br />
1. Have a link on the old server homepage that the client has to physcially click on to get to the new homepage.<br />
CON - user has to click through, extra page to load.<br />
PRO - Easy to implement, search engine robots don't ignore or leave.<br />
<br />
2. Use the <meta HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh"> tag in the header of the old server homepage.<br />
CON - I have heard from several places that search engine crawlers freak when they see this and don't index the page (apparently due to issues with the pornography website business of multiple pages and refreshes, and false higher hit numbers).<br />
PRO - EASY!!!<br />
<br />
3. Use an external javascript (.js) file that has the redirect command in it.<br />
PRO - More user friendly than a link (the user never sees the old server homepage)<br />
CON - do web crawlers freak on this method? or is it sound?<br />
<br />
4. Modify the Apache httpd.conf file to point to a new homepage on a different server.<br />
PRO - ????<br />
CON - ????<br />
I am interested if anyone can comment on the the Apache option - something about symbolic links???? I am out of my depth on this one....!<br />
<br />
This link goes to a few message boards discussing the same issue - no real answer from them....<br />
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum5/1169.htm">http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum5/1169.htm</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
I am interested in what all you experts out there have to say on this topic, and if there are any other options than I have listed.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, and I am looking forward to viewing the poll<!--content-->I use the meta tag option and the link on the page to the new page/site.<!--content-->I use a combination of techniques. <br />
<br />
javascript redirect (on the page).<br />
<br />
document.location='http://new location.cfm'<br />
<br />
<br />
you can put in all your meta info and all, and still use this. Its similar to using server side redirects. <br />
<br />
Pro: fast (especially server side). <br />
con: doesn't help if the user has bookmarked the OLD page. <br />
<br />
I can go into my webserver, and just point all requests at a new directory... which is preferred becaue that takes care of those 'old bookmarks'. <br />
<br />
I tend to use the old fashioned LINK, and meta refresh tags. This does the obvious: lets the user know the page have moved, tells them to update thier bookmarks, and provides both auto refresh to the new page (by either meta or javascript) while providing a text link... just in case. <br />
<br />
I constantly get pages from goodle that when clicked take me to a 'this page has moved to....' page. This is okay. that tells me that there isn't THAT much of a problem for a site that has moved, unless you've NEVER been spidered, and your already moving. Then, I'd just worry about getting the new site spidered... AFTER the move, not during.<!--content-->it really all depends. are you going to still own the old url? it is going to be cleared or deleted and no longer bing used. are you using the same ISP?<br />
<br />
you can use htaccess file to redirect them. I think al you need is<br />
<br />
Redirect / <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.newsite.com">http://www.newsite.com</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
but if the site is not goin gto be living in the old locatiion for very long them this way might not work.<br />
<br />
you could do the javascript redirect or give a link. if after a few months and you think everybody has changed there bookmarks or favorites then take the link off.<br />
<br />
remember though, the longer you leave the redirect link or whatever there the robots and search engines will see it and then start pointing to it in searches. and if the redirect is no longer there then that could be bad.<!--content-->
<br />
I have a question that may merit some discussion, as I have seen similar discussions on other forums that I consider not as good as htmlforums.com, and none of them really supplied a coherent answer, just a lot of 'ums' and 'errrs'.<br />
<br />
The question regards redirection. If I have a domain name registered [eg. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.site.com">http://www.site.com</a><!-- m -->] and I get a new domain and server [eg. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.newsite.com">http://www.newsite.com</a><!-- m -->] that I move my entire site over to, what is the best way to notify clients that the site has moved? I have listed all the options I know of, and the pros and cons of each (as far as I am aware):<br />
<br />
1. Have a link on the old server homepage that the client has to physcially click on to get to the new homepage.<br />
CON - user has to click through, extra page to load.<br />
PRO - Easy to implement, search engine robots don't ignore or leave.<br />
<br />
2. Use the <meta HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh"> tag in the header of the old server homepage.<br />
CON - I have heard from several places that search engine crawlers freak when they see this and don't index the page (apparently due to issues with the pornography website business of multiple pages and refreshes, and false higher hit numbers).<br />
PRO - EASY!!!<br />
<br />
3. Use an external javascript (.js) file that has the redirect command in it.<br />
PRO - More user friendly than a link (the user never sees the old server homepage)<br />
CON - do web crawlers freak on this method? or is it sound?<br />
<br />
4. Modify the Apache httpd.conf file to point to a new homepage on a different server.<br />
PRO - ????<br />
CON - ????<br />
I am interested if anyone can comment on the the Apache option - something about symbolic links???? I am out of my depth on this one....!<br />
<br />
This link goes to a few message boards discussing the same issue - no real answer from them....<br />
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum5/1169.htm">http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum5/1169.htm</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
I am interested in what all you experts out there have to say on this topic, and if there are any other options than I have listed.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, and I am looking forward to viewing the poll<!--content-->I use the meta tag option and the link on the page to the new page/site.<!--content-->I use a combination of techniques. <br />
<br />
javascript redirect (on the page).<br />
<br />
document.location='http://new location.cfm'<br />
<br />
<br />
you can put in all your meta info and all, and still use this. Its similar to using server side redirects. <br />
<br />
Pro: fast (especially server side). <br />
con: doesn't help if the user has bookmarked the OLD page. <br />
<br />
I can go into my webserver, and just point all requests at a new directory... which is preferred becaue that takes care of those 'old bookmarks'. <br />
<br />
I tend to use the old fashioned LINK, and meta refresh tags. This does the obvious: lets the user know the page have moved, tells them to update thier bookmarks, and provides both auto refresh to the new page (by either meta or javascript) while providing a text link... just in case. <br />
<br />
I constantly get pages from goodle that when clicked take me to a 'this page has moved to....' page. This is okay. that tells me that there isn't THAT much of a problem for a site that has moved, unless you've NEVER been spidered, and your already moving. Then, I'd just worry about getting the new site spidered... AFTER the move, not during.<!--content-->it really all depends. are you going to still own the old url? it is going to be cleared or deleted and no longer bing used. are you using the same ISP?<br />
<br />
you can use htaccess file to redirect them. I think al you need is<br />
<br />
Redirect / <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.newsite.com">http://www.newsite.com</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
but if the site is not goin gto be living in the old locatiion for very long them this way might not work.<br />
<br />
you could do the javascript redirect or give a link. if after a few months and you think everybody has changed there bookmarks or favorites then take the link off.<br />
<br />
remember though, the longer you leave the redirect link or whatever there the robots and search engines will see it and then start pointing to it in searches. and if the redirect is no longer there then that could be bad.<!--content-->