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What to do with client's existing site?

by Aiki
10 replies
I'm meeting with a prospective client that has an existing domain. The domain has a PR of 2 with about 44 backlinks from 12 referring domains (Majestic Site Explorer data). Not enough to put it to the top of the SERP's, but it's consistently #3-5. We want to be #1.

If I take on this project I want to control the website. I was going to recommend a new, EMD domain; but the existing backlinks are making me think the old domain is definitely worth keeping. The old site is awful (looks OK but doesn't function) and built in Joomla; I'm planning to build a new site in WordPress, but taking the content from the old site.

The options I can think of are to keep the old domain, which is the business name (not KW rich), and convert it into a blog, linking to the new, EMD domain, which would be the primary (lead gen) site.

Or I could simply redirect the old domain. But it seems like I'd be wasting any link juice that the existing site has.

Maybe it would be best to simply build a new site on the existing domain. But then I would not have control of the domain and hosting. Control of the site is important because I plan to sell the client leads or do a percentage of profit. I don't want to be cut out.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has dealt with something like this. What would you do?
#client #domain #existing #site
  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by Aiki View Post

    I'm meeting with a prospective client that has an existing domain. The domain has a PR of 2 with about 44 backlinks from 12 referring domains (Majestic Site Explorer data). Not enough to put it to the top of the SERP's, but it's consistently #3-5. We want to be #1.

    If I take on this project I want to control the website. I was going to recommend a new, EMD domain; but the existing backlinks are making me think the old domain is definitely worth keeping. The old site is awful (looks OK but doesn't function) and built in Joomla; I'm planning to build a new site in WordPress, but taking the content from the old site.

    The options I can think of are to keep the old domain, which is the business name (not KW rich), and convert it into a blog, linking to the new, EMD domain, which would be the primary (lead gen) site.

    Or I could simply redirect the old domain. But it seems like I'd be wasting any link juice that the existing site has.

    Maybe it would be best to simply build a new site on the existing domain. But then I would not have control of the domain and hosting. Control of the site is important because I plan to sell the client leads or do a percentage of profit. I don't want to be cut out.

    I'd like to hear from anyone who has dealt with something like this. What would you do?
    I never work on their site Build another site. If you know what you are doing, in a few months, it will rank higher than theirs anyway. And you'll control it.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      My experience is like Claude's:
      leave existing domain alone
      create a new site
      get links from the old to the new and/or the other way around
      SEO new site

      One of the things I did not keep in mind when I started: how existing sites were built. I learned very fast that for some, to make any changes and not break the site required more programming skills than I possessed; others were so badly put together that I'd end up spending more time fixing existing site than creating a new one. Lastly, most were not created with SEO and Marketing in mind (were created by people with programming and/or design skills) so they looked good or loaded up fast or were easy to navigate or all of the above

      but would not convert.

      If you SEO a site that doesn't convert, they'll blame you even if you get them to be #1 for 2,537,979,914.37 keywords.

      Which leads me to: make sure you know how many visits existing site gets and how many buyers they get from their site. (If they don't know, you might have problems, unless you teach them (for free or otherwise) how to track, how to measure conversions, how to answer the phone (I'm endlessly amazed by how many small business owners answer the business phone with 'Hi' or their first name... Even after you have them listen to a few recordings of themselves and/or their people and show them that every time there was confusion on the caller's part... Have I got the right business on the line? Even if some of the prospects you have them listen to say things like "Uh... Uh... I must have dialed the wrong number" and hang up).)
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      • Profile picture of the author Aiki
        DABK and Claude, Great input. I've heard the same advice from 3 people now, so it looks like a consensus. I was already going to build an entirely new site because the existing site is exactly as DABK described - looks good, no marketing principles, doesn't convert. That's why she wants a new site.

        I now plan to build the new site on a new, EMD domain, on hosting (and domain) that I control. And convert the existing site into a mini, PR blog, linking to the new site.

        And I just made notes for myself to request data for the past 3 months to establish a baseline for the website's performance. I don't think they've done any analytics or tracking, but 100% of sales come from the site, and they'll have those 3's.

        Answering the phones properly is something the client and I have talked about and we know needs to be addressed. The business owner told me she closes anyone she talks to on the phone; problem is she has another full time job, so she doesn't answer the phone. So that's something we're working on. If the business is as successful as I believe it can be, she can opt to quit the job and dedicate full time to the business.

        Thanks for the advice!
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        • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
          Originally Posted by Aiki View Post

          I now plan to build the new site on a new, EMD domain, on hosting (and domain) that I control. And convert the existing site into a mini, PR blog, linking to the new site.
          Leave the old site alone. Don't touch it at all, if you change it chances are you will lose rank. It makes sense for them to be ranking with both sites so if you can do better then don't mess with the old one at all.
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          • Profile picture of the author DABK
            IAmNameless is right. Leave existing site alone... If you touch it, all the problems they'd had with it (real or imaginary) become yours. They will blame you for things you never did.
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            • Profile picture of the author Aiki
              DABK and IamNameLess, I hadn't thought of those potential problems and it does make sense to not mess with the existing site, so as not to be responsible for that. Thanks for the advice. I'm taking notes.

              But I do have a question based on a past, bad experience -

              About 3 years ago I built a 2nd (EMD) site for a dentist client who already had an existing site. Same business name, address, telephone # on both sites. Google discounted the 2nd site - it hardly ranked at all, when it should have ranked easily - so I ended up deleting it and focusing on the original site.

              Since then building 2 sites specifically for one business is something I've avoided doing.

              In the current situation both sites would display the same business name. The addresses are not prominent on the existing site, so maybe that wouldn't be a problem. And I am going to substitute the existing phone # with call tracking #'s, so also not a problem.

              It seems that the other consideration and potential problem with leaving the other site as is, is that the existing site ranks consistently at #3-5 on Google. So a certain percentage of searchers are going to find that site. It converts horribly, is essentially broken. So that would muddy up the waters.

              Maybe the solution there is after the new EMD site is functioning enough to convert, to put a prominent link on the existing site to the new site. And once the new site is ranking, to redirect the existing domain to the new site. I did exactly this for another client a few years ago. It worked perfectly, but the new site didn't rank until we redirected the old site.

              If we did this the old site isn't lost; the business owner could resurrect it in the future as long as she keeps the domain and hosing current. The existing site is so horrible that she is going to want to redirect it as soon as the new site is performing.

              Thoughts?
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              • Profile picture of the author mrtrance
                Originally Posted by Aiki View Post

                DABK and IamNameLess, I hadn't thought of those potential problems and it does make sense to not mess with the existing site, so as not to be responsible for that. Thanks for the advice. I'm taking notes.

                But I do have a question based on a past, bad experience -

                About 3 years ago I built a 2nd (EMD) site for a dentist client who already had an existing site. Same business name, address, telephone # on both sites. Google discounted the 2nd site - it hardly ranked at all, when it should have ranked easily - so I ended up deleting it and focusing on the original site.

                Since then building 2 sites specifically for one business is something I've avoided doing.

                In the current situation both sites would display the same business name. The addresses are not prominent on the existing site, so maybe that wouldn't be a problem. And I am going to substitute the existing phone # with call tracking #'s, so also not a problem.

                It seems that the other consideration and potential problem with leaving the other site as is, is that the existing site ranks consistently at #3-5 on Google. So a certain percentage of searchers are going to find that site. It converts horribly, is essentially broken. So that would muddy up the waters.

                Maybe the solution there is after the new EMD site is functioning enough to convert, to put a prominent link on the existing site to the new site. And once the new site is ranking, to redirect the existing domain to the new site. I did exactly this for another client a few years ago. It worked perfectly, but the new site didn't rank until we redirected the old site.

                If we did this the old site isn't lost; the business owner could resurrect it in the future as long as she keeps the domain and hosing current. The existing site is so horrible that she is going to want to redirect it as soon as the new site is performing.

                Thoughts?
                I'd also like to get some feedback on this sort of situation.
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              • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
                Originally Posted by Aiki View Post

                DABK and IamNameLess, I hadn't thought of those potential problems and it does make sense to not mess with the existing site, so as not to be responsible for that. Thanks for the advice. I'm taking notes.

                But I do have a question based on a past, bad experience -

                About 3 years ago I built a 2nd (EMD) site for a dentist client who already had an existing site. Same business name, address, telephone # on both sites. Google discounted the 2nd site - it hardly ranked at all, when it should have ranked easily - so I ended up deleting it and focusing on the original site.

                Since then building 2 sites specifically for one business is something I've avoided doing.

                In the current situation both sites would display the same business name. The addresses are not prominent on the existing site, so maybe that wouldn't be a problem. And I am going to substitute the existing phone # with call tracking #'s, so also not a problem.

                It seems that the other consideration and potential problem with leaving the other site as is, is that the existing site ranks consistently at #3-5 on Google. So a certain percentage of searchers are going to find that site. It converts horribly, is essentially broken. So that would muddy up the waters.

                Maybe the solution there is after the new EMD site is functioning enough to convert, to put a prominent link on the existing site to the new site. And once the new site is ranking, to redirect the existing domain to the new site. I did exactly this for another client a few years ago. It worked perfectly, but the new site didn't rank until we redirected the old site.

                If we did this the old site isn't lost; the business owner could resurrect it in the future as long as she keeps the domain and hosing current. The existing site is so horrible that she is going to want to redirect it as soon as the new site is performing.

                Thoughts?
                It won't muddy up the waters. A non-converting website ranking 3-5 is better than a competitor having a converting website in that same spot.

                3 years ago when you had an issue, it could be a variety of things. The 2nd website being on the same c block ip as the first. It could have been lack of domain age, it could have been another issue you aren't even aware of.

                If the address isn't on the first one, and you're using a tracking number, it isn't an issue. Unless you're talking about Google local and not organic search.

                The only REAL issue I can see for you not being able to rank the new one and having to 301 it, is IF you are using all the same content.
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  • Profile picture of the author kpmedia
    The main domain needs to be address first.
    The SERPs me squat if the main site is a complete turn-off to actual people.
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    • Profile picture of the author Aiki
      Kpmedia,

      "The main domain needs to be address(ed) first.
      The SERPs me(an) squat if the main site is a complete turn-off to actual people."

      If that's what you meant, I agree. The main (existing) site is such a mess that it would turn people off about the business.
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