Don't want to lose page rank, what's the best way to restructure a url other than a 301 redirect?

[marig]

Currently in the process of redesigning a site. What i want to know, is what is the best way for me to restructure the url w/out it losing its value (page rank) other than a 301 redirect?

[Trupanion]

Why don't you want to use a 301?  If you are truly restructuring a site, then you will need to use 301s.

There are a couple of posts about this topic.

http://www.seomoz.org/qa/view/44720/site-restructure-urls-301s-inbound-links-already-301d

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/301-redirect-or-relcanonical-which-one-should-you-use

[EGOL]

Lots of people who redesign sites change the URLs.  That is usually a huge mistake.

Is there a genuine need to change URLs?  If not then don't do it.

If their is a genuine need then weigh that against the fact that some link value will be lost through the 301 redirect.

We rarely rarely rarely change URLs here.

Any designer who says he wants to change my URLs will be in for a fight that he will probably lose.

[Trupanion]

I guess the main question is, but what if you have to?  Best way if you have to change structure.

[EGOL]

lol... right...

Just saying that if anybody comes into my office and talks about changing the URLs on my site I will be reaching for my gun.... there is a really good chance that they will be shot.

[marig]

thanks a lot everyone for the help. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't some other way of going about this.