SEO- How can I keep my PageRank ?

rsadik · #1 (**permalink**) 07-16-2004, 12:57 PM

Dear members,

I am currently in the process of renaming some of my webpages and would like to know how I can keep my current page ranking for the pages I'm changing. In need of some assistance asap?

Thanks,

rsadik
www.arrowtravel.com
www.eldertravelclub.com

bhartzer · #2 (**permalink**) 07-16-2004, 01:02 PM

What are you renaming them from and what are you renaming them to?

Why are you renaming them? In most cases, you can rewrite the urls so that they remain the same. This way you will keep your PR.

rsadik · #3 (**permalink**) 07-16-2004, 01:13 PM

This is an example of what I'm talking about. The page:www.arrowtravel.com/5day_london.htm
will be renamed www.arrowtravel.com/london.htm. The file extension remains the same.
I need to make sure my PR stays the same.

If you can please advice, thank you

rsadik

www.arrowtravel.com
www.eldertravelclub.com

cbp · #4 (**permalink**) 07-16-2004, 01:18 PM

The PR will stay the same as long as the links to those pages stay the same.

CBP

fathom · #5 (**permalink**) 07-16-2004, 01:33 PM

cbp is correct - but it will appear in the toolbar to drop the moment you relocate the page.

Best to add noindex,follow to your robots meta tag of the old page and add a link to the new location to the page as well, once Google drops it then deleted it.

Curious George · #6 (**permalink**) 07-16-2004, 02:09 PM

I had almost a similar experience when I changed my site domain from http://internetworksr.us to http://internetworksrus.com. The old domain has a PR4 now I am back down to PR1 with the new domain. What I did was use old domain to direct traffic to the new one.

I am wondering if I should have done it differently or what I did is fine.

I appreciate any comment and insight.

Thanks!

Curious George

rsadik · #7 (**permalink**) 07-16-2004, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Best to add noindex,follow to your robots meta tag of the old page and add a link to the new location to the page as well, once Google drops it then deleted it.

Hi Fanthom,
Not sure what you are talking about. If you can explain to me a little more indebt, I'll be grateful.

Thanks Guys,

erima · #8 (**permalink**) 07-17-2004, 03:39 AM

One problem clients of mine have is the burning desire to make a change just for the sake of it. I ran a quick scan of Google and don't really see you in the top 20 for London or London Tour so I actually see your making the move as a plus. Make sure that your Title and if possible the Page Name are incorporating the primary key word for the topic. Before you redesign the page, do a search on the major search engines and take a look at what the top 10 pages are doing - Go to google adwords or overture and get estimates for key words ... and use the suggestion tool ... they compile hundreds of thousands of clicks of data to sell you adds ... use that information to select your keywords and pick the ones that make the most sense for your business model. Make sure you are also taking advantage of the pay per click services, it can be the cheapest form of advertising you can get.

hotwired · #9 (**permalink**) 07-17-2004, 04:37 AM

Which pay per clicks do you recommend? And what's the best way to narrow down your search term. I know there's overture but is there a way to find out how often a keyword or phrase is typed into google?

kidsfreesoul · #10 (**permalink**) 07-17-2004, 06:34 AM

Why rename? My suggestion is that you change the contents but do not rename the page if you've already submitted the same in search engines. Of if you have changed to www.arrowtravel.com/london.htm than I suggest you submit this particular url in search engine like from www.Addme.com (free or paid)and make it a point to update the same page and upload every day so that the robots can find this url. Apart from other search engines, you can also submit at http://www.toptimizeit.com or even www.networksolutions.com. Of course they charge for this.

I'm sure this might help!

- Blossomsmile ilaxi
Edited my mod Webnauts. Links to you web site may only be in your signature.

TrafficProducer · #11 (**permalink**) 07-17-2004, 12:01 PM

How I can keep my current page ranking...

Could try buying 1,000,000 shares in Google. Joke :)

Although important PR is not everthing.

Answer, for now...

Swaping links with other good sites may help until Google pull the plug on this.

lightning · #12 (**permalink**) 07-17-2004, 01:50 PM

I had the same problem, wanting to rename pages. Plus I wanted to reorganize the server's directory structure. I managed both of these feats without losing any traffic or page ranking.

My solution worked very well. I wrote a '404 File Not Found' handler in PHP that redirects visitors from the old page to the new page (if old page name is found). Simple if statements. Plus I send back a '301 Moved Permanently' header to the referring search engine. Plus I send myself a message notifying me that a redirect occurs. My thought was that I'd be able to determine when various search engines would update their database with the updated info I send them.

Funny thing is that Google updated their database during the last 'Google dance' about 3 weeks after I made the change. Pageranking on the moved pages was 0 until they performed their update, but it was just a brief period. MSN and Yahoo still haven't updated their databases. Luckily the 404 page redirects surfers automatically. Otherwise my traffic would have dropped to zero.

If a 404 error occurs and I don't have a redirect statement (a true 404 error) I send back an error to the web surfer and send myself an email so that I can fix the problem. These messages also notify me that someone is poking around searching for pages they shouldn't be looking for.

If everyone implemented a solution like I have we wouldn't have the huge '404 File Not Found'problem on the Internet.

webiff · #13 (**permalink**) 07-17-2004, 07:50 PM

Well I agree to all replies, because the same problem goes to apnahyderabad.com when we created pages and after some while we were renamed them and we went down in Google Ranking. But as we redirect 404 error page to SiteMap of our site, it seems to be approving in Page ranking becuase there you can see all active and updated links on same page.

Your reply about this information may be appreciated.

Regards,
Furqan Durvesh

<MOD edit - links removed>

keywordguy · #14 (**permalink**) 07-17-2004, 10:24 PM

I agree with some of the previous posts. Page rank is nice, but it isn't always the most important factor as discussed in previous WPW threads.

Also, Bill Hartzer has a point...why are you renaming your pages? If they are working well for you I would leave them unless you absolutely have a critical reason for changing them.

debtfree95 · #15 (**permalink**) 07-19-2004, 01:31 AM

Even I faced this problem, can you please give a good detailed description as how to proceed with renaming of pages.

TIA

fathom · #16 (**permalink**) 07-19-2004, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsadik

Quote:

Best to add noindex,follow to your robots meta tag of the old page and add a link to the new location to the page as well, once Google drops it then deleted it.

Hi Fanthom,
Not sure what you are talking about. If you can explain to me a little more indebt, I'll be grateful.

Thanks Guys,

<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="index,follow"> normally included on page... change to (or add if not there) between <head> and </head>

<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="noindex,follow">

This will instuct search engine as they come to the page that you wish them to not longer keep this old page in the index and you wish it to follow all links off the page...

thus adding a link going to the new page will automaticially be picked up and included at or about the same time as the other is dropped.

rsadik · #17 (**permalink**) 07-19-2004, 10:06 AM

Dear members,

Thanks so much for your assistance. I think I get it now. Also special thanks to fathom for your explanation.

Thanks again,
rsadik
www.arrowtravel.com
www.eldertravelclub.com

AcmeSEO · #18 (**permalink**) 08-10-2004, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsadik

...how I can keep my current page ranking for the pages I'm changing

The appropriate solution to this search engine optimization issue is to use page specific 301 redirects. Spyder comes knockin', you answer "oh, are you looking for this page? Ok, it's over here now, permanently."

This will transfer any link popularity and Google page rank that exists.

Optimized regards!

Robert

AcmeSEO · #19 (**permalink**) 09-02-2004, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fathom

This will instuct search engine as they come to the page that you wish them to not longer keep this old page in the index and you wish it to follow all links off the page...

thus adding a link going to the new page will automaticially be picked up and included at or about the same time as the other is dropped.

Fathom, this is a good way to go but I think RSadik was asking how to preserve the [Google] PageRank of the old to the new. The technique you've described will not. The 301 solution will pass the Google PageRank from the old to the new!

If RSadik was not asking about preserving his pages Google Page Rank then please excuse me.

Cheers,

Robert