Logistics Question (Pros Cons of New URL)

  • hops

    (@hops)


    17 years, 1 month ago

    I’ve found the requisite info on how to move my wp site to a new URL that is the name of the blog. However, i’m worried about the consequences of doing a move after being 2 years at an old URL. (losing well established links from other sites, etc. Right now the new URL simply redirects to the old URL. If i keep the old URL up fully functioning, but then start from the new URL with a working copy, I suppose I’m fragmenting my viewers. Should I just start with a fresh database and not copy my old posts to the new database? Etc. Etc. Lots of Q’s

    So here’s the real question: The how to do it is clearly documented in these forums. Does anyone know of a good resource that walks you through to decide if its worth it or not?

    IF not, can someone help me with these and a couple other Q’s?

    Thanks

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • thelazygeisha

    (@thelazygeisha)

    17 years, 1 month ago

    I’m not sure there’s really a good resource to help you decide whether or not you should move your blog to a new url. I kind of think that’s a matter of opinion really, or the flip of a coin to be exact, but I could be wrong.

    If your site has been up for 2 years, then it’s probably been indexed by search engines, so when people look for content and they go to your old site (which isn’t there anymore), then they won’t find you – unless you set up a global redirect which sends all the traffic to your new site, but that won’t be post and comment specific.

    If it were me? I’d leave the old site up as is and just start new someplace else.

    Thread Starter hops

    (@hops)

    17 years, 1 month ago

    thelazy — I’m thinking that, but i hate to lose all the old subscribers to the RSS feed, etc, re my new content.

    All thoughts welcome. Maybe we can make this the definitive thread for pros and cons. thanks!

    thelazygeisha

    (@thelazygeisha)

    17 years, 1 month ago

    There’s an RSS feed redirect plugin around here somewhere, so you could redirect your feed traffic without any major problems.

    timok

    (@timok)

    17 years, 1 month ago

    To quote the w3c: Cool URIs don’t change.
    I would set up a copy of the old database, make a new WP installation that uses that database, adjust the WP settings for URIs to whatever you want and then set up redirects on the old installation so all links there redirect to the same content on the new blog. If you do it on HTTP level (for example with a .htaccess and mod_rewrite or by replacing your index.php with a php script using header()) feed readers should follow them too, so the risk to lose readers is really low and all traffic coming via search engines will end up on your new blog too.
    If you need help with the redirects just ask and I will see what I can do. Before I used WP I had a Sunlog powered blog under the same domain name and all the old links are still working due to mod_rewrite – compared to that your “problem” is easy 🙂

    Thread Starter hops

    (@hops)

    17 years, 1 month ago

    TimoK — interesting… I’ll certainly have some more questions. I’m adding a directory on top of my site, and i’d like to start that with where I’m going. I should probably run that at my new URL and that’ll only obligate me to a new hosting account — not a huge investment.

    Otherwise, me just being a Holiday Inn Express sorta techie, all the .htacces and mod_rewrite stuff makes me wobbly with fear.

    Anyway, thanks! Great stuff. Anyone else have any other thoughts?

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
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