Questions about domain names

[MktgPro]

Hello all,

Hope this is the right place for these types of questions. Thanks in advance for reading all this - I'll try to be brief.

First, I have a website that has two domain names. I started with one name, then created a 2nd to be more user-friendly. Right now, I have the user-friendly name pointed to the site by setting the DNS Servers and then assigning it at my web host. The original name is set up as an alias to the user-friendly name.

My question is: does an alias annoy the search engines? I'm not sure what kind of a redirect an alias is? Or, not considered a redirect at all?

Second, I have a second website that has one domain name. Unfortunately, the name contains a word that I just discovered is also a "Collective membership mark that rather than indicating the source of a product or service, identify the user of the membership mark as a member of a particular group", so I need to stop using the domain name.

I'm trying to determine the least hurtful way to make this transition. I will bring in a new domain name, but I need to redirect the old name until people stop using it. Any ideas on the best way to accomplish that without annoying the search engines?

Thanks for any ideas. Ideas described in non-technical terms will be especially appreciated. You're talking to a newbie. :-)

Kathleen

[incrediblehelp]

http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic...298&highlight=

or do a search on this site or Google for 301 redirects.

[chowell]

In regards to your alias question:
From our experience, the search engines are going to index one of the domains and apply a ranking to that domain; the other will either not be indexed, or will have a penalty/etc assigned to where it does not rank well.

For instance, we setup aliases to allow us to setup an ecommerce store on a site prior to transfering the domain; we setup the store on a .net versus the live .com domain. Some engines are indexing the .com's and other's the .net's.

Based on this, I'd have to say that using the aliases is probably not the best option. Another redirect method should be used.

[chowell]

In regards to your alias question:
From our experience, the search engines are going to index one of the domains and apply a ranking to that domain; the other will either not be indexed, or will have a penalty/etc assigned to where it does not rank well.

For instance, we setup aliases to allow us to setup an ecommerce store on a site prior to transfering the domain; we setup the store on a .net versus the live .com domain. Some engines are indexing the .com's and other's the .net's.

Based on this, I'd have to say that using the aliases is probably not the best option. Another redirect method should be used.

[DrTandem1]

The good news is that your alias will not cause a problem, as long as it is simply a URL forwarding to the main site and not a mirror site itself with a redirect either in the form of a meta refresh or JavaScript. If it has its own server, you need to employ a 301 redirect in the form of an .htaccess file. Better yet, just make sure it is only a forwarding URL with no server of its own.

Now, for the bad news, changing the actual domain name of your second site will be painful, especially with Google. By painful, I mean you will drop out of the SERPs on all engines and Google will take the longest to re-establish.

If you can, establish the new domain on another server and, if time allows, use a 301 redirect on the original site that has the domain name you must relinquish. Yahoo and MSN will be quick to respond, but Google will not.

Don't forget to contact the sites in which you have external links to change the link to the new domain name as soon as it's established. Good luck.

[MktgPro]

Thanks for the posts.

Looks like I need to do a 301 redirect. From what I've read, I could do that by hosting a one-page website. Another suggestion was to add a CNAME in the DNS record to point one domain to another.

Does anyone have an opinion about going the CNAME route? I really don't need to host 1 page sites, if I can help it!

I know changing the site name will be painful, but having no choice, guess I'll just bite the bullet.

Thanks again,

Kathleen

[DrTandem1]

You don't even need a page for a 301 redirect. The .htaccess file is read before the page files.

[incrediblehelp]

Originally Posted by DrTandem1

Don't forget to contact the sites in which you have external links to change the link to the new domain name as soon as it's established. Good luck.

This is a huge point. If this is not done it can cause a much longer switch over in the search results than you want.

[MktgPro]

Hello again,

After more reading, I have another question. I now have two sites at my webhost - the original site and a site with the new domain name.

Using my web host, I can do a 301 redirect from the original site to the new site, but they will both be at the same IP address. I'd need to set up a hosting site at another web host to get separate IP addresses, and I'd rather not do that.

I didn't really understand all the discussion about whether you need to have different IP addresses when doing a 301 redirect.

Can anyone give me some advice as to whether you need to do the 301 from a different IP address, and what the result would be if the redirect was done using the same IP?

Hope this makes sense!

Thanks,

Kathleen

[incrediblehelp]

I don't see an issue with the domains being on the same IP as long as the 301 direct is implemented correctly. I am sure your hoster is virtual hosting many domains on one IP.

[MktgPro]

Hey, Incredible.

Thanks for the post. That will make my life easier.

Appreciate the assist!

Kathleen

[Faglork]

Just to confirm: No problems with 301 on the same IP. I do it all the time on my server.

Alex