Hi everyone, I need some major advice so i don't incur the wrath of penalization by google (or yahoo).

I did a major update of my site which is hosted on a MS server IIS server and I need to 301 redirect several pages whose file names have been changed (about 30 pages in all - not that many).

Specifically, I need to accomplish the following:

1. to redirect a .html page to a new .html page within my website.

2. to redirect a .html page to a new .asp page within my website.

Using the info available here - http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum23/3432.htm - there's a very simple script that can be inserted into the top of the page:

<%@ Language=VBScript %>
<%
Response.Status="301 Moved Permanently"
Response.AddHeader "Location", "http://www.example.com/new-page.asp"
%>

- but, as I found out, the script doesn't work on .html pages, it only works on .asp pages - and after doing a google search, it appears that .html pages must be redirected at the server level. Unfortunately, my host cannot "accomodate" me (I know, I know - I should move, and probably will in the near future).

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? My site is fairly young (born early dec'04).

If not, then what do you feel about these choices as possible options:

1. I could use the simple meta refresh tag at the top of the old pages and then remove those pages from the server when the new pages get indexed as a last resort

2. alternatively, I could simply leave the old pages up as they are, without any redirect at all and then remove them when the "new" pages get indexed.

Any comments/ suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Subbu.

I found this thread:

http://www.aardvarkbusiness.net/chat/viewtopic.php?t=3185

that suggests that a meta-refresh may be the only option for moving a .html page, assuming nothing can be done at the server level.

they are various suggesions that the refresh time should be 3-5 seconds vs 8 seconds vs 10 seconds.

Any comments on the refresh time, so that no penalty is incurred.

Thanks, Subbu.

I have 2 bits of help for you, saramu1 (BTW, welcome the the SEW Forums!)

First, make sure that your meta-refresh is 3 seconds or more. Better yet, don't use one :)

And this thread here: http://www.highrankings.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5644

Is an excellent overview of pretty much every type of 301 redirect you could think of :D

Cheers,

Ian

thanks a bunch for helping me out ian!!

i visited the url you posted and read it - there still wasn't any direct solution in terms of page-based code that can redirect .html to .html or .html to .asp, but a few people had suggested that the hosts that don't offer IIS access should offer "to change IIS so that HTM's are run through ASP.dll just like ASP's are..." I wrote them, linking the post with the suggestion in the email and suggested that if they couldn't do that, then i would move on to a host that would accomodate me.

they set it up within a few hours. awesome.

thanks again, subbu.

Sounds like a good host - I know many who would not be so accomodating. Congrats on getting the problem solved!

Ian