Effect on SEO on Moving Site from Root to Subdirectory

[BeckM2]

Hi,

I've got a site on a shared hosting account that does well with its SEO. The site files are in the root directory.

I'd like to add another site to this shared hosting account -- and since I can't simply put the new site in a subdirectory under the root, I'm considering moving the primary site (the one that already does well with SEO) FROM the root into a subdirectory.

This way I can have both sites separately under the same shared hosting (so that the root would have /site1 and /site2).

So will I take an SEO hit or have a problem if I move it from the root to a subdirectory?

Thank you!

[thebitbotdotcom]

It depends. Will your new site location have the same URL structuring in a browser? If so, you're fine..if not, your screwed. If you have unlimited domains with your hosting company, such as Hostgator, new domains go under a subdomain of your main domain, but appear as a top level domain in a browser. If this is what you are talking about, you should be fine.

[socialbookmark]

I think it has no effect. Some of my websites are hosted in a shared hosting under a primary domain and i have no problem with them in search engine and they rank good. Its just a separation and definition on your server and search engines don't understand it.

[BeckM2]

Originally Posted by thebitbotdotcom

It depends. Will your new site location have the same URL structuring in a browser? If so, you're fine..if not, your screwed. If you have unlimited domains with your hosting company, such as Hostgator, new domains go under a subdomain of your main domain, but appear as a top level domain in a browser. If this is what you are talking about, you should be fine.

Yes. The site will still me www.someSite.com/index.html, but within the structure of the 1and1 hosting account it originally was set to point the site to / (root), but now the site would point to something like /site1.

So the directory structure on the serer would be: /site1/index.html, but www.someSite.com/index.html would still bring up the home page.

Thanks.

[mad.hat]

You'll be fine. I would recommend switching hosts though. 1and1 will give you problems in the long-run and its better to always get domains from a domain registrar and domain hosting from a host. They both try to do both but you're better off using two different companies.

[jesus72knight]

Nothing bad will happen. As long as the domain structure remains intact. You'll have problems if you change host. Changing the file location from the root folder to the sub-directory won't have any impact.

[BeckM2]

Originally Posted by mad.hat

You'll be fine. I would recommend switching hosts though. 1and1 will give you problems in the long-run and its better to always get domains from a domain registrar and domain hosting from a host. They both try to do both but you're better off using two different companies.

In fairness to 1and1 -- and I have heard a mixed bag of reviews -- I use it for some minor hosting and knock on wood -- I've never had a problem. And yes, I always purchase domains separately so they are not tied down to hosting and the "if you cancel your hosting we will hold your domain name hostage game".

Nothing bad will happen. As long as the domain structure remains intact. You'll have problems if you change host. Changing the file location from the root folder to the sub-directory won't have any impact.

.

Thanks. I've gotten basically your response and people who said I need redirects, but it seems that since the URLs won't change, then it should be ok.

much appreciated.

[Wesley Atkins]

Google ranks pages not sites...

If you change your site structure or URL's then yes it will take a hit of some kind..

If you've build up significant links and SE rankings on your homepage..

http://www.yourdomain.com/

...and you move that page to:

http://www.yourdomain.com/site1/

That is a new page and will not rank as highly as the old location..

Sure, it will establish some authority from the domain but as this is a seperate location to the other one you want to host.. Im guessing that you are not going to place any active text links from...

http://www.yourdomain.com/
http://www.yourdomain.com/site1/

So your not going to get any link juice passed from the old location...

What I don't understand though is why you want:

http://www.yourdomain.com/site1/
http://www.yourdomain.com/site2/

So, what is going to happen to...

http://www.yourdomain.com/

...If thats the case, you want to make use of a 301 redirect from your root...

http://www.yourdomain.com/

To the domain that was ranking well, otherwise you will lose the authority...

[BeckM2]

no no---it's the way 1and1 sets it all up. 1and1 redirects the domain to a folder. the url will remain unchanged.