New web site - 404 and 301

[EnigmaSolution]

Hello,

I have spent a lot of times on the forum trying to make sure how to deal with my client situation. I will tell you my understanding of the strategy to apply and I would appreciate if you could tell me if the strategy will be okay.

CONTEXT

I am working on a project where our client wants to replace its current web site with a new one. The current web site has at least 100 000 pages. The new web site will replace all the existing pages of the current site.

What I have heard for the strategy the client wants to adopt is to 404 each pages and to 301 redirect each page. Every page would be redirect to a page that make sense in the new web site.

But after reading other answers and reading the following comment, I am starting to be concerned:

'(4) Be careful with a massive number of 301s. I would not 301 100s of pages at once. There's some evidence Google may view this as aggressive PR sculpting and devalue those 301s. In that case, I'd 301 selectively (based on page authority and back-links) and 404 the rest.'

I have also read about performance issue ...

QUESTION

So, if we suppose that we can manage to map each of the old site pages to a page in the new web site,  is a problem to do it? Do you see a performance issue or devaluation potential issue?

If  it is a problem, please comment the strategy I might considere to suggest:

• Identify the pages for which I gain links

• From that group, identify the pages, that gives me most of my juice

• 301 redirect them and for the other, create a real great 404 ...

Thanks !

Nancy

[AlanMosley]

i think you have understaood quite well.

Many people seem to think you 301 redirect the page and any worth it has, this is not the case, a 301 redirecet redirects the request to the page, so in short if the page has no in comming link juice then it does not need to be 301 redirected.

You are correct, do not 301 redirecet in mass to one page, Bing for one has said they will disssmiss them. You shouyld 301 on a one to one or close to it basis.

As for performace issue, it is true that you create a second request when a 301 is encaountered, but this should not be much of a issue.

As for your 404 page, make sure it actualy returns a 404.

Expect a drop in rankings as 301 redirectes leak link juice, This is often offset by better bullt new website. There will be a major short term drop also that will last a few weeks.

Good luck

[EnigmaSolution]

Thanks Alan for thIe answer. But maybe I was not clear but I don't believe the strattegy to all point to the same page. They will make their best to point each new page to a page matching the same content.

So in your mind, there is no purpose doing a 301 redirect to pages that have no inbound link, is that correct?

Thanks again !

[AlanMosley]

yes. many have the belief that you are transfereing the value of the page, that not the case, you are redirected requests for that page. A user may reqest yiour page and be redirected to anouther, a search engine may request the page to assign link juice to it, and it will be redirected.

a good analogy is, if you and tom have a store, and tom puts a sign on his door, closed go to Nancy's store, you will get most of his customers, but you will not get the value of his stock.

OK you may have some customers that have your link bookmarked and for that reason you could 301 it, but I doubt that is a good enouth reason to 301 so many pages.