Need help re. multiple TLDs redirects

[Web-Design-Guy]

I've searched here and googled and there seems to be a fair amount of conflicting advice.

We've recently acquired a new client. They have two identical sites, with different TLDs - .com and .com.au.

I am redesigning the site and moving to a new host and obv. want to sort out their current duplicate content issue (Google has indexed pages from both TLDs - more for one than the other and neither has substantial backlinks).

What is the best way to do this:

1) Set up two hosting accounts and 301 redirect the .com to the .com.au? (not preferred due to extra cost)
2) Park the .com domain and redirect it to the .com.au (via cPanel)?
3) Make the .com an add-on domain and redirect it (via cPanel)?
4) Any better solution

I assume I'd also have to point both domains to the new server as well?

Appreciate any insights - TIA.

[seiretto]

your method 3 redirect will work fine.

However, maybe its not the best solution. If they sell internationally then your client could benefit long term by having the two sites: .com aimed at international traffic and the .com.au site for indigenous traffic.

It would not be too difficult to do and neither to explain the benefits to your client, rather than a quick fix which may end up being a false economy.

[GlowHost.com]

If you are simply trying to alleviate the duplicate content issues and save cash then number 3 is definitely the way to go with a 301.

As the poster above mentions, at some point it might be good to remove the 301 and make another site, with unique content. Content is king and the more of it that you have, the more pages you have out there for people to find you. my .02

[zbatia]

Since indexing pages with Google is a trivial task these days and the number of back links on .com is not impressive, the first attempt is to consider developing .au site with redirecting .com requests through the cPanel (#2).

However, it depends on your .com web pages. When you simply redirect to .au home page, the user might be forced to navigate to a certain page **again**. So, to preserve the .com site and redirect the user from the page to a corresponding .au page is the solution worth considering. With today's low cost of hosting to have two identical web sites (that might benefit you in the end) is something to consider. For instance, depending on a web site size and storage requirements, your cost with 800-webdesign.com hosting would be only $2.95/month or $5.95/month for a mid-size firm.

[deepsand]

If you will presenting but a single set of content, regardless of the location of the user, then simply place all content in one DN, park the 2nd & redirect it via the cPanel to the 1st. This method is easier, cleaner & less costly than any other.

BTW, I would suggest that you use the .com DN as the primary one, and redirect the .au one to it.

[dawilliams]

Park the lesser of the two considering all the variables (domain age, PR, Indexed pages, inbound links, blah-blah) and have it redirected to the stronger of the two.

Saves hosting both, eliminates duplicate content issues, and gives you a more solid foundation to build (or in your case 'rebuild') on.

Best wishes,
Dave

[adtastichosting]

All good answers they are. The third choice is in my opinion the better choice as far as parking/redirecting and so forth. But the mention of using the .com as the main domain is a very worthy idea since more people are used to .com as a top level domain. If it was my client I would probably argue that when it comes to Internet exposure more is always better and just parking or redirecting a domain seems such a waste in that regard. It's like having a storefront with all this extra space and you say to anyone that comes into the empty area "Go over there for the area with all the goodies for sale." Instead of having the empty area filled with items too, sq footage being all used as a profit center and so forth.
So I would use one of the domains, maybe the .au one as a reference to point to the other domain, at the least or like a landing page/site with some relevant info for the search engines and links going to the main site. Or use it for web analytics for testing by building it out with different content on it and playing it against the other to see which model works best for profit/conversions.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by adtastichosting

All good answers they are. The third choice is in my opinion the better choice as far as parking/redirecting and so forth.

How is 3) superior to 2)?

[adtastichosting]

Originally Posted by deepsand

How is 3) superior to 2)?

The choices were:

1) Set up two hosting accounts and 301 redirect the .com to the .com.au? (not preferred due to extra cost)

Obvious reason why I didn't think this was the best choice is double in cost.

2) Park the .com domain and redirect it to the .com.au (via cPanel)?

See point 3 below


3) Make the .com an add-on domain and redirect it (via cPanel)

There are some very valid reasons why an "add-on" domain setup is superior to a "parked" domain setup not to mention that with a parked domain often you will not be able to control or modify the address shown in the visitors browser.

In my opinion the biggest difference and obviously superior reason to use the add-on domain process in cpanel is that you will have the availability of separate web stats for the add-on domain so you can gauge and measure the incoming traffic from that domain. Not to mention that you also now have the potential if needed to setup email accounts for this domain easily.

[Web-Design-Guy]

For the purposes of clarification...

- AU is by far their primary market
- the .com.au site has the highest PR, #of IBLs (both insignificant), pages indexed - despite being the slightly younger domain

Both sites rank terribly (flash intro for homepage / text as graphics throughout) so as far as SEO is concerned, it's a start-over - so really I'm just trying to ensure we don't lose any .com traffic.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by adtastichosting

2) Park the .com domain and redirect it to the .com.au (via cPanel)?

See point 3 below


3) Make the .com an add-on domain and redirect it (via cPanel)

There are some very valid reasons why an "add-on" domain setup is superior to a "parked" domain setup not to mention that with a parked domain often you will not be able to control or modify the address shown in the visitors browser.

This is host dependent.

Originally Posted by adtastichosting

In my opinion the biggest difference and obviously superior reason to use the add-on domain process in cpanel is that you will have the availability of separate web stats for the add-on domain so you can gauge and measure the incoming traffic from that domain.

If you are parking the sub-domain, and re-directing it via the cPanel, you will not have access to any more statistical data than are available via method 2).

Originally Posted by adtastichosting

Not to mention that you also now have the potential if needed to setup email accounts for this domain easily.

This too is host dependent.

[adtastichosting]

Originally Posted by deepsand

If you are parking the sub-domain, and re-directing it via the cPanel, you will not have access to any more statistical data than are available via method 2).
This too is host dependent.

It is correct to the point of being host dependant with respect to the availability of having an "add-on" domain or not. But an add-on domain that is subsequently redirected is not a "parked" domain and an add-on domain would have sperate statistics available through cpanel via webalyzer or otherwise.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by adtastichosting

It is correct to the point of being host dependant with respect to the availability of having an "add-on" domain or not. But an add-on domain that is subsequently redirected is not a "parked" domain and an add-on domain would have sperate statistics available through cpanel via webalyzer or otherwise.

You've conflated my separate remarks; the 2 mentions of host dependency related to matters other than the capture & availability of statistical data.

As for "add-on" domains, while they may be appropriate when totally separate and independent sites are required, they provide no benefit here, as the OP is seeking to maintain and promote but a single site.

[incrediblehelp]

I would keep them both independent.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by incrediblehelp

I would keep them both independent.

Why ?

[incrediblehelp]

To focus on the .com and the com.au SE's, if tha tis what they want to do in the future.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by incrediblehelp

To focus on the .com and the com.au SE's, if tha tis what they want to do in the future.

For the present, per the OP, the goal is to maintain but a single site, with one of the DNs being re-directed to the other. What method do you think is the better for achieving this goal?

[incrediblehelp]

Then keep the website as the primary for the country they want to rank in.