301 Re-Direct Pages From My Blog Domain To A New Domain

[send2paul]

I have searched the archives regarding "301 Re-directs" but was unable to find this particular situation dealt with....

I have a "mini website" - all nicely linked pages, in the domain where my blog lives. I want to move the pages to their own domain. I am told I would have to use a "301 re-direct" on each page. So far so good...

However, when I start to read about how to set-up a "301 re-direct" the explanations start talking about server side files and things I know nothing about.

What do I need to tell the webmaster of the blog where I have these pages what he needs to do? What do I need to do/can do, from my end in order to set up these "302 re-directs"?

Thanks for you help.

(p.s. I blog via a browser and not FTP if that makes a difference to any oncoming explanations).

[brian.mark]

You have to have access to your server files (ftp / ssh / control panel / file upload utility of some sort) in order to set up redirects. If you are using something like blogger where it's hosted for you, then you won't be able to set those up.

The answer will also depend on which web server you're running... IIS and Apache handle it differently. If you're hosting it and can tell us which web server it's running, we can probably help you out.

Brian.

[labeler2003]

It depends on whether your site is hosted on a UNIX system or Windows system.

Your webmaster should know how to do this without your needing to tell them--otherwise they are not a webmaster.

In any case:

On a UNIX system you need to tell your webmaster to set up an .htaccess file. The .htaccess file is a plain text file that goes in the root.

If the entire web site has moved, you can do a single redirect that sends all visitors who try to go to the old location, to your home page at the new location:

redirectMatch 301 ^(.*)$ http://www.newlocation.com/index.html

Or you can do individual redirects to send visitors to specific pages to the new location of that page:

Redirect 301 /blogfile.html http://www.newlocation.com/blogfile.html

If the original file was in a folder, the redirect includes the path:

Redirect 301 /foldername/blogfile.html http://www.newlocation.com/foldername/blogfile.html

I have information about 301 redirects on my blog at:

http://internetresults.blogspot.com/...-redirect.html

If your web site is hosted on a Windows system it is a little more complicated. The changes need to be made in IIS, and that is usually done by the system administrator. If you need to know about IIS, I can tell you more.

[DMC_34]

IIS

301 Redirects can be handled through IIS but the old file must still be on the server or a 404 error will take precedence. Just right click the file and select properties. Select "A redirection to a URL" and enter in the new URL. Make sure you check the radio button "A permenant redirection for this resource" or it will be a 302 - Temporary.

ASP | .Net
You can also 301 redirect via code such as ASP and response object which runs on IIS. In the end the same result as IIS transfers. The code would be placed in the old file.
<%
Response.StatusCode = 301;
Response.StatusDescription = "301 Moved Permanently";
Response.RedirectLocation = "New URL";
Response.End();
%>


Apache:
I believe this can be accomplished in the .htaccess but I am a IIS server admin :-P


After it is done you can test the header response.

DMC

[Andy SEO]

I currently use a redirect script to handle all the redirects on my site. It's a lot easier than hand coding them individually especially if you have a lot of them as I do.

If you want to read more about it I suggest you visit : http://www.webpageaddons.com/redirect-script.htm and judge for yourself.

It certainly solved a big problem for me.

Andy

[send2paul]

Thanks everyone for your help here :)

Believe me - when the time comes I'll be PMing people for help!

p.s. I havbe contacted my webmaster and he's cool about helping me - but it's nice to be talking the same language :)

[jaydilla]

If you dont have access to the files you can use a meta tag 301 goes like this
<meta http-equiv="REFRESH" content="20; URL=newurl">

[brian.mark]

Originally Posted by jaydilla

If you dont have access to the files you can use a meta tag 301 goes like this
<meta http-equiv="REFRESH" content="20; URL=newurl">

Yahoo says it's better to use a 0 for the time. They consider anything over 10 seconds to be a 302, anything less than 10 to be a 301. If you want the new page included and the old to be passing it's value to the new, 0 - 9 seconds would be much preferred, with 0 being the best in my opinion. No need for people to even sit staring at an outdated page for any amount of time.

Brian.

[send2paul]

.... but would the meta tag re-direct be in any deficient than the normal methos of 301 re-directing? i.i. would I lose search engine ranking by using the first method?

[brian.mark]

Meta tag refreshes aren't recognized by all engines, so the standard redirect is better. Google and Yahoo understand them for sure, but I'm not entirely positive on anyone else. If you don't have the option of a standard 301 redirect, then meta refreshes would be a distant second choice.

Brian.

[send2paul]

Thanks Brian.

I'll let y'all know when the big event is taking place ;)

[jaydilla]

I know MSN recognizes a meta refresh they offer it as a option for the 301
http://search.msn.com/docs/siteowner...directcode.htm

Now what im not sure is the time. Would you want the refresh every second? I put mine at 20 seconds.

[brian.mark]

Originally Posted by jaydilla

I know MSN recognizes a meta refresh they offer it as a option for the 301
http://search.msn.com/docs/siteowner...directcode.htm

Now what im not sure is the time. Would you want the refresh every second? I put mine at 20 seconds.

That's to refresh to a new page to get a 301 effect. Refresh doesn't mean refreshing the current page for new contents in this sense. In fact, I'm not sure how engines handle that at all. I've never asked one.

If you're moving a page, it doesn't make sense to have someone look at the old page for 20 seconds first, so set the time low and get them to the new stuff ASAP.

If you're refreshing a page for new content, then 20 seconds is probably too often. I can't read much of a site in 20 seconds, and IE restarts you at the top each time.

If you have a specific URL you'd want me to look at and tell you if the timing seems right, let me know. Otherwise I hope I answered your question.

Brian.