Converting from ASP to PHP...is it an issue?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by crs12345, Dec 8, 2009.

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  1. #1
    So i have a site built in ASP, at www.inexpensivegold.com

    I haven't updated in a while, but i still rank #31 for the search term "buy gold coins". I want to update the site and improve rankings and had been thinking to switching over to a wordpress/php type site.

    But what are concerns of switching page names, and using a different extension (ASP to PHP)? Would this affect my SERP's?
     
    crs12345, Dec 8, 2009 IP
  2. 70Cents

    70Cents Peon

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    #2
    I don't think it will change anything.

    I recommend to switch to ASP.NET instead.
     
    70Cents, Dec 8, 2009 IP
  3. Canonical

    Canonical Well-Known Member

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    #3
    If you change URLs without 301 redirecting each old URL to its corresponding new URL then your new URLs will basically be starting from scratch trying to rank. In generaly, you should 301 redirect web pages anytime you delete or rename them. It is inbound links (especially from other sites) with link text that contain your targeted keyword phrase(s) that has the most influence on how a URL ranks for a particular keyword phrase. 301 redirecting the old URL to the new URL will cause the search engines to transfer credit to the new URL for all inbound links pointing to the old URL.

    Fortunately for you, a quick look at your site in Yahoo! Site Explorer shows 73 total inbound external links to your entire site, but 69 of those links are to your home page. As long is your home page doesn't have URL canonicalization issues you stand to only lose credit for a handful of links (the links to pages other than your home page). Personally, I would redirect every page expecially since you only have a few pages on your entire site and I'm just stingy with my links.

    If you decide to move from ASP to some other platform/technology, be sure to perform your web site redesign with SEO in mind. Moving from ASP to WordPress will mean changing hosting from IIS 5.x to an Apache/Linux based server (unless you're planning on running Apache on Windows). Running on Apache will give you access to Mod_Rewrite which will make redirecting your few pages to their new PHP equivalents a piece of cake.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2009
    Canonical, Dec 8, 2009 IP
  4. magda

    magda Notable Member

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    #4
    Completely wrong. Completely.

    If you change the urls, you're basically starting again. If all the previously indexed and linked-back-to urls ended with .php and you change them to .asp, you're starting again and throwing away every backlink and every position in serps you had before...
    UNLESS - you put in a permanent server side 301 redirect from every old page to a corresponding new page

    EDIT - Sorry - didn't see canonical's answer when I started typing
     
    magda, Dec 8, 2009 IP