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Changing site from .net to .com - SEO Question

by blase40
6 replies
  • SEO
    • |
I have a registered domain at 'mywebsite.net' . I have had the site
for a few months. I am finally getting things rolling with it though.
I have used a directory submission service to gain some back links, other
than that I have not really promoted that site at all.

My question is this:

I have been offered to buy 'mywebsite.com', and would much rather use
that URL for obvious reasons. If I set 'mywebsite.net' to permanently
redirect to 'mywebsite.com' will I have basically wasted all those
directory submissions in terms of SEO?

Thanks!
#changing #net #question #seo #site
  • Profile picture of the author RichardLegg
    Instead of redirecting your existing site to the new .com, why not set
    up a redirect for your.com to your existing site?

    From my testing, I haven't been able to see any real difference in
    rankings between a .com and a .net extension so if the .net already
    has some links into it, I would stick with that one.

    A .com may have more benefit offline (where people will use that
    extension by default when typing in your URL) but for people who
    are searching online, all they have to do is click the link, so the
    extension doesn't make a difference to their ability to get to your site.

    Hope this helps,

    Richard
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    Richard-Legg.com | Simply Work At Home | FB | YouTube | Twitter | LinkedIn | Academy of Advertising
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    • Profile picture of the author blase40
      Thanks for your input. I think it makes sense to just redirect the .com to the established .net.
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      • Profile picture of the author Easy Cash
        Why don't you keep them both and link them together?

        If you are targeting a niche - create 2 websites and make sure they are both in the same niche - but slightly different with different information.

        You could direct your users to either site depending on which one they land on first.

        Then you have a 50% more chance of selling them something or getting them to click on your Adsense.

        Then you could expand to 3 sites and 4 sites.....

        The .com is better than the .net.
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        • Profile picture of the author slashman
          Don't redirect it will effect the SEO effort you just worked on. Do what was said. Create a site on the .com in addition to the .net.

          Be careful that your sites don't get affected by dup content. Google and other search engines won't index both sites you know...

          This is a difficult situation. Either create two different sites and promote both and cross link them, or drop the .net redirect it, and then restart with the .com.

          The latter will offer SEO benefit to the .com because the other site being redirected does have some power to help your site. You will also have to probably wait a little bit for your sites to age anyhow...

          Thanks,

          George
          Signature

          I'm a cool guy.

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          • Profile picture of the author bsmith
            You absolutely can redirect with *NO* ill effects whatsover on your SEO and/or current rankings.

            Simply do a 301 redirect in htaccess to the new .com site.
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