How to convert well performing static pages to new dynamic pages

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by adsensoholic, Dec 18, 2006.

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  1. #1
    I have a website where animal shelters can list their cats and dogs to find a new home. Years ago, I manually created static pages like www.mysite.om/rottweilers-dogs-in-shelters.html . These pages are completely outdated now, but they perform well in Google. I would like to replace them with my new dynamic page which looks like www.mysite.com/search/rottweiler.html . This new page already proved to perform quite good as well in Google.

    So the question: how can I tell Google that I have a new (dynamic) version of a well performing static page? :confused: Should I just add a text link staing "this page has moved to..?

    Thanks a lot for your help!
     
    adsensoholic, Dec 18, 2006 IP
  2. T0PS3O

    T0PS3O Feel Good PLC

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    #2
    If you are on Apache, use htaccess to do a 301 redirect.
     
    T0PS3O, Dec 18, 2006 IP
  3. mad4

    mad4 Peon

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    #3
    Keep the page names the same and just alter the code on them to be php code. You can create a line in your htaccess file to make html pages parse php code.
    AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .html
    Code (markup):
    If you do have to change the names then you would need to use your htaccess file to 301 redirect the old pages to the new pages.
    
redirect 301 /old_page.html http://www.yoursite.com/newpage.php
    Code (markup):
     
    mad4, Dec 18, 2006 IP
  4. livingearth

    livingearth Well-Known Member

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    #4
    I noticed the example you gave for the new dynamic page has a .html extension. Is this its actual file name or just an example of how it will look.
    I don't know that I would want to tell google they're dynamic. There are a lot of people who believe that "g" down rates dynamic pages. Though I can't say that it is gospel. I would follow Mad4's advice and just give the new pages the same file names that are already ranking. If neccesary use the .htaccess technique so that your server will treat the html extension as php. If this is not feasible the 301 redirect described by TOPS will do the trick.
     
    livingearth, Dec 18, 2006 IP
  5. thedark

    thedark Well-Known Member

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    #5
    if you are using php, use the following way to do 301 redirects:

    
<?php
header('HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently');
header("Location:index.php");
?>
    Code (markup):
     
    thedark, Dec 18, 2006 IP
  6. ketan9

    ketan9 Active Member

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    #6
    Do not change your file names. Once you a filename change, even if you use .htaccess to do 301 permanent redirects, your new file name will not rank for a little while. But once google has figured out that they are moved to new location, it will pass on the juice to new pages, and this process takes a little while.

    So the point is, if you are willing to take a small hit for a little while, then go ahead and change the file name or rather stick with the current file names (do the rewrite in your dynamic pages, so that it gives you the same filename).
     
    ketan9, Dec 18, 2006 IP
    mad4 likes this.