302 Redirect Method

[jdubbish]

So, I've researched a lot on 302 vs 301 redirects, and am convinced 302 is the best method to use when switching domain names.

I am setting all of my pages on my old domains to point to the related page on the new domain via a 302.

My question is, if I replace the content on the pages with a 302 redirect alone how do the engines handle this? Do they keep the last view of the page in the index, or do they continue to index the content after the 302 header?

This information is vital as I need to know if I should leave the content on the page with the 302 header or just replace it.

Thanks!

 

[feherke]

Hi

am convinced 302 is the best method to use when switching domain names.

No. 302 is a status considered temporary, so the search engine will keep asking the old URL. 301 is permanent status, so the search engine will update its database and in the future will go directly to the new address.

So use 301 Moved Permanently, and you do not have to keep a copy of the site in the old location.

The robots speaks perfectly one language : the standards. To communicate with them you too have to learn it. Do not guess what HTTP status code is better for you. Read and use RFC 2616, it tells you everything.

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/

 

[jdubbish]

I understand the purpose of the different methods, however, I am using 302 to maintain current rankings for the old domain while gaining them at the new (loss prevention essentially).

Many go back and forth on this issue, and the search engines actually handle 302 better nowadays to help people prevent loss of ranks when changing domains.

My question, again, is if I use a 302 redirect how will the rankings for the old domain be weighed, on the new content on the new domain, by the old content on the old domain, or by the current content on the old domain.

Thanks for that link though....still a lot I haven't read since the last I saw that document.

 

[feherke]

Hi

When a 301 Moved Permanently is encountered, only the URL is updated, the ranking is kept.

If you maintain both sites, the search engine will recognise the identical content and will ignore one of them, probably the newer one.

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/

 

[ChrisHirst]

When a 301 Moved Permanently is encountered, only the URL is updated, the ranking is kept.

Not if you are moving to a new hostname.

http://www.highrankings.com/issue142.htm#guest

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Woo Hoo! the cobblers kids get new shoes.
People Counting Systems

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

 

[feherke]

Hi

Interesting article. Would be even more interesting to confirm that is still appliable, as I find it abit old.

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/

 

[ChrisHirst]

test it!

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Woo Hoo! the cobblers kids get new shoes.
People Counting Systems

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

 

[jdubbish]

That is in fact the article I've read before. There's been a bit of back and forth discussion as to the validity of it across the web.

Right now I've forwarded two of my product sites that we get the most hits on with 302, and then our main company site with 301. I'll be sure to post back the results after a few months, although it seems some of the company site rankings have already fell off, but I'll have to investigate this further.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[feherke]

Hi

I would still use 301. I am sure, Nelson Minar's experience is not just an exception.

http://www.somebits.com/weblog/tech/movingUrlResults.html

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/