(Australia) Changing .net.au to .com.au - web dev is refusing to do a 301 redirect and wants to run two sites?

[carolineraad]

After years using a .net.au site, my client has purchased the .com.au version of the same domain. I've now set up a new, responsive website using a wordpress template with new content, but used a similar page structure.

I've asked their web developer to now do a 301 permanent redirect on each old page from .net.au site to it's new .com.au page, but he has refused, saying it would be bad for long term SEO. Instead, he says they should run both sites (which I thought would cause duplicate content issues).

Both domains are hosted with the same company.

I thought as long as the 301 redirects were done on a page by page basis, there were no issues? I'm no SEO expert, (which he claims to be), so I just wanted to get another opinion on what best practice would be in this instance.

[eyepaq]

Hi,

You said the new domain has new content ? Then it should be ok to have them separate - and no need for a 301 redirect. There are no issues with duplicate content if there is no duplicate content (as you said - the new domain has new content). Structure is not an issue if it's the same.

Can you post the two domain names so we can have a look ?

Cheers.

[carolineraad]

Wow - thanks for your quick response.

The new domain is www.screenco.com.au and the old one is www.screenco.net.au

Just for reference - these are the "SEO expert's" actual words: "leave it there and run both sites, putting a 301 redirect will harm the site in the long run. 301 redirects from other domains are now believed to be bad links – from the same domain they are considered ok, as they are redirecting pages that are now not  working or temporary created by php or similar".

So do I take it he either a) is confused between a temporary and permanent redirection, or b)just doesn't want to spend half an hour doing the actual redirections?

[eyepaq]

I am sure you won't get into any issues by keeping them both separate - but it doesn’t make any sense in doing that. You should definitely 301 redirect the old one .. page by page to the new site.

It doesn’t make sense to keep them both and you will lose since Google might start to rank one page from the com.au and for another query one from net.au. They should for sure consolidate everything into one single side.

Keeping them separately there migt also be some branding issues - as users might get confused. "oh, last time I was on the other Screento - let's look for those guys again"

So, you won't get into issues from Google with Duplicate content or anything else but you might shoot yourself in the foot by not 301 redirecting the old pages to the new ones since you will compete with each other and it just doesn’t make sense to keep them both.

So to make the long story short: Consolidate with 301 and you will be in good shape. Don't do it and you will be safe but you will lose on branding and rankings.

Hope it helps.