Help please, I need to replace an existing website using the existing domain. I can build the new website but don't have a clue how to make it active with the existing domain.
Hello all, I have built new websites for a few companies that were their very first website, so no prior hosting company or SEO efforts. In fact, they have only been Wordpress sites hosted with Bulehost. No I am being asked to build a re-branded website for a company that has had an existing website for years and it showing up pretty well on organic searches from Google. The domain needs to stay the same. I have the ability to build a new site for them but I don't know the process in which you switch from the old site to the new site or if they will want to stay with their existing hosting company which is Windstream Communications, LLC. The other question I have is can I replace their existing website without destroying their SEO position that they have attained? Is it common to switch hosting providers when a company rebuilds their website or more common to continue with the same hosting company? Can you guys please help me ascertain what I need to ask from them and what I need to do? Thank you so much. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by this right now.
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Thank you for the eye opening info David Favor. I believe I will let someone else do this rather than take a chance with the company’s SEO rankings. When you say that you need to keep the entire slug structure 100% the same in order to retain the SEO Traction, does that mean that all the elements of the current website need to stay the same? Would, for instance, using a new theme for the website destroy the SEO traction then? Or changing the amount of pages and the names of them? Thank you.
ASKER
Thank you David Favor and CompProbSolv for your valuable information.
1) When you say that you need to keep the entire slug structure 100% the same in order to retain the SEO Traction, does that mean that all the elements of the current website need to stay the same?
Depends on what you mean be "elements".
This can be a bit long to discuss, so likely is better done by you open a new question.
The short, highly glossed over answer is, you must maintain all page names, so if you have a page foo.com/flarg.html then if you change /flarg.html to any other name, including just /flarg you run the risk of losing 100% of your SEO.
2) Or changing the amount of pages and the names of them?
Amount of pages likely won't matter, so long as your increasing number of pages as this is just the same as adding new content to your site.
Page names/slugs, as mentioned above in #1 must remain the same... to preserve all SEO.
Big Note: There are many other considerations. What's described here... think of as a broad framework...
For a detailed answer open a new question, including the existing site's URL.
Only way to provide a good/working/useful answer will be from having your actual site URL to test.
Depends on what you mean be "elements".
This can be a bit long to discuss, so likely is better done by you open a new question.
The short, highly glossed over answer is, you must maintain all page names, so if you have a page foo.com/flarg.html then if you change /flarg.html to any other name, including just /flarg you run the risk of losing 100% of your SEO.
2) Or changing the amount of pages and the names of them?
Amount of pages likely won't matter, so long as your increasing number of pages as this is just the same as adding new content to your site.
Page names/slugs, as mentioned above in #1 must remain the same... to preserve all SEO.
Big Note: There are many other considerations. What's described here... think of as a broad framework...
For a detailed answer open a new question, including the existing site's URL.
Only way to provide a good/working/useful answer will be from having your actual site URL to test.
You're welcome!
Also keep in mind, when changing hosting, that sometimes email services can be affected. Usually, it only needs considering when the domain name used by the website is also used for email addresses.
Sometimes email accounts are hosted on the web hosting account, in which case closing down the hosting account will close the email service. Sometimes the hosting account is configured with DNS settings that might be lost, and cause an email service outage.
Also, DNS settings for the domain often include a record for SPF which determines which servers are allowed to send email using the domain name. This is often an issue when a contact form on the website sends an email to someone, using a from address that contains the website domain.
Sometimes email accounts are hosted on the web hosting account, in which case closing down the hosting account will close the email service. Sometimes the hosting account is configured with DNS settings that might be lost, and cause an email service outage.
Also, DNS settings for the domain often include a record for SPF which determines which servers are allowed to send email using the domain name. This is often an issue when a contact form on the website sends an email to someone, using a from address that contains the website domain.
I'm not a web developer so will have to defer to someone else for your other questions.