Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings

vikg · 07-01-2011, 07:45 AM

Hi I have a site that is ranked on the first page of google for my keyword - it is a review site but is very simplistic and is essentially some articles and some review pages.

If I want to move it to wordpress and make it better looking with additional functionality ( eg social media etc)

Will the move to wordpress affect my ranking?

GeronimoBee · 07-01-2011, 08:03 AM

Probably. Maybe not your domain, but if your permalinks to your articles change then they will have to be re-indexed etc and will lose rank--that's my experience with something like that.

faysal969 · 07-01-2011, 09:15 AM

Yes, it may affect your ranking. But, I believe it will not be longer lasting. After few times you will get back your ranking. With more beautiful and professional web site you may get better position in search result.

BubbaJay · 07-01-2011, 11:29 AM

If you have specific pages that are ranking well I'd suggest doing 301 redirects to like named pages on your new WP site.

Jay

dburk · 12-09-2011, 01:11 PM

Hi vikg,

If you maintain the exact URL for each page there will be no effect. If you change the URLs then you will lose all link juice that was flowing to those pages from backlinks. You can mitigate the damage by putting 301 Redirects from the old URLs to the new ones.

Best choice is to keep the same URL structure. Next best thing is to setup Permanent 301 redirects, and last and worst option is to ignore the above advice and start rebuilding your rankings from scratch.

Abledragon · 12-09-2011, 04:52 PM

The points above about 301 re-directs are important, because your link structure will change. The WordPress permalink structure is different from your current link structure.

These two articles may help:

Migrate an HTML Website to WordPress | WealthyDragon

and:

Convert an HTML Website to WordPress | WealthyDragon

Cheers,

Martin.

Juvv2096 · 12-09-2011, 05:04 PM

I think it will, but it will pick back up.

Make sure you pay attention to your current URL's. When you change your site to wordpress, the sub page URLS will change and may become broken so make sure you 301 redirect them so you dont get penalized. This is one of the main things people dont do.

john_kennedy · 12-09-2011, 05:15 PM

With the right plugin you should be able to maintain your current URL structure.

googlepage1 · 12-09-2011, 05:45 PM

it will surely hurt your rankings a bit but only if you been able to maintain the same url and same content on respective pages.
Else if you are going to change the url and the inner content then you have to build links once again.

samual james · 12-10-2011, 02:48 AM

According to me if you want to maintain your ranking then you need to redirect (301)your current page to new created page in wordpress. Ranking may be fluctuated for a shore time only, your ranking will be back

Stripe · 12-10-2011, 01:21 PM

This is a great question since I am in the process of doing the same thing. Sounds like I need to make sure links get properly indexed to the new site for this to be effective over time.

I appreciate all the advice here.

yukon · 12-10-2011, 01:50 PM

If you change those URLs & don't keep the exact same URL you best do a 301 redirect to fix the broken links. Otherwise your existing ranked page will drop like a brick in the SERPs, I guarantee that.

Chris- · 12-10-2011, 10:04 PM

As others are saying, use 301's to redirect all current pages to the new WP pages.

WP has many advantages, which should help your site after the short-term effects from changing, such as great plugins to help optimise your on-page-seo and offer useful features for visitors, plus the fact that the search engines seem to like WP better anyway.

As for your new Permalink structure, I suggest reading this article

11 Ways to Make Your WordPress Site Faster and Leaner

which has a link to some little-known info on permalink structure, as well as lots of other great unfo.

Chris

07-01-2011, 07:45 AM	#1
vikg Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: , , . Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings Hi I have a site that is ranked on the first page of google for my keyword - it is a review site but is very simplistic and is essentially some articles and some review pages. If I want to move it to wordpress and make it better looking with additional functionality ( eg social media etc) Will the move to wordpress affect my ranking?

07-01-2011, 08:03 AM	#2
GeronimoBee Active Warrior Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 62 Thanks: 13 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings Probably. Maybe not your domain, but if your permalinks to your articles change then they will have to be re-indexed etc and will lose rank--that's my experience with something like that.
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07-01-2011, 09:15 AM	#3
faysal969 Advanced Warrior Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 886 Thanks: 41 Thanked 60 Times in 57 Posts	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings Yes, it may affect your ranking. But, I believe it will not be longer lasting. After few times you will get back your ranking. With more beautiful and professional web site you may get better position in search result.
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07-01-2011, 11:29 AM	#4
BubbaJay Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Big Bear, California Posts: 80 Thanks: 16 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts Social Networking	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings If you have specific pages that are ranking well I'd suggest doing 301 redirects to like named pages on your new WP site. Jay

12-09-2011, 01:11 PM	#5
dburk Senior Warrior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 4,643 Thanks: 162 Thanked 671 Times in 581 Posts Contact Info	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings Hi vikg, If you maintain the exact URL for each page there will be no effect. If you change the URLs then you will lose all link juice that was flowing to those pages from backlinks. You can mitigate the damage by putting 301 Redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. Best choice is to keep the same URL structure. Next best thing is to setup Permanent 301 redirects, and last and worst option is to ignore the above advice and start rebuilding your rankings from scratch.
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12-09-2011, 04:52 PM	#6
Abledragon Advanced Warrior Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hong Kong. Posts: 982 Thanks: 3 Thanked 181 Times in 159 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings The points above about 301 re-directs are important, because your link structure will change. The WordPress permalink structure is different from your current link structure. These two articles may help: Migrate an HTML Website to WordPress \| WealthyDragon and: Convert an HTML Website to WordPress \| WealthyDragon Cheers, Martin.
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12-09-2011, 05:04 PM	#7
Juvv2096 HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 292 Thanks: 8 Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts Contact Info	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings I think it will, but it will pick back up. Make sure you pay attention to your current URL's. When you change your site to wordpress, the sub page URLS will change and may become broken so make sure you 301 redirect them so you dont get penalized. This is one of the main things people dont do.
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12-09-2011, 05:15 PM	#8
john_kennedy HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mobile, AL , USA. Posts: 339 Thanks: 84 Thanked 63 Times in 56 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings With the right plugin you should be able to maintain your current URL structure.

12-09-2011, 05:45 PM	#9
googlepage1 Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 65 Thanks: 14 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings it will surely hurt your rankings a bit but only if you been able to maintain the same url and same content on respective pages. Else if you are going to change the url and the inner content then you have to build links once again.

12-10-2011, 02:48 AM	#10
samual james Advanced Warrior Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 502 Thanks: 1 Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings According to me if you want to maintain your ranking then you need to redirect (301)your current page to new created page in wordpress. Ranking may be fluctuated for a shore time only, your ranking will be back
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12-10-2011, 01:21 PM	#11
Stripe Warrior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 17 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings This is a great question since I am in the process of doing the same thing. Sounds like I need to make sure links get properly indexed to the new site for this to be effective over time. I appreciate all the advice here.

12-10-2011, 01:50 PM	#12
yukon SEO Strategist War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 6,532 Thanks: 355 Thanked 1,992 Times in 1,273 Posts	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings If you change those URLs & don't keep the exact same URL you best do a 301 redirect to fix the broken links. Otherwise your existing ranked page will drop like a brick in the SERPs, I guarantee that.

12-10-2011, 10:04 PM	#13
Chris- HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: various :) Posts: 476 Thanks: 265 Thanked 95 Times in 33 Posts	Re: Will Changing My Static Site To Wordpress Affect Rankings As others are saying, use 301's to redirect all current pages to the new WP pages. WP has many advantages, which should help your site after the short-term effects from changing, such as great plugins to help optimise your on-page-seo and offer useful features for visitors, plus the fact that the search engines seem to like WP better anyway. As for your new Permalink structure, I suggest reading this article 11 Ways to Make Your WordPress Site Faster and Leaner which has a link to some little-known info on permalink structure, as well as lots of other great unfo. Chris
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