Redirecting old domain to new domain

[nzconrad]

Hi There,

I currently run a successful online shop that has been around for 4 years now. I am planning on a total rebrand and renaming of the online shop and I want to know if I redirect the old domain to a new one - will I effectively drop myself out of the google rankings for my current search terms and expose myself to the google aging delay (another site I had, just started getting top 10 rankings for its main search terms after 12 months of being launched).

I am diversifing my product range as well and I was planning on running the shop over around 5 different domains (each with key search terms in them, but all with the same branding). Is this a good idea or bad one?

Any advice over this sure would be appreciated.

Cheers
Conrad

[Marcia]

I want to know if I redirect the old domain to a new one - will I effectively drop myself out of the google rankings for my current search terms and expose myself to the google aging delay (another site I had, just started getting top 10 rankings for its main search terms after 12 months of being launched).A new domain has to start from scratch.

But if you're planning on expanding across more sites, why not leave well enough alone and just add?

[Robert_Charlton]

...I am diversifing my product range as well and I was planning on running the shop over around 5 different domains (each with key search terms in them, but all with the same branding). Is this a good idea or bad one?

Sounds like the way you're planning to do it, it might be a bad idea.

How closely will these sites be in terms of subject matter? Templates? Are you planning to cross-link them? Where will they be getting their inbound links? Where will they be hosted?

Could you accomplish the same diversification on one site, or are the products so different that they really belong on different domains?

[evilgreenmonkey]

I agree with Marcia and Robert_Charlton here, keyword rich domains will help little compared to using one already-trusted domain with history. As for diversifying your product range, I think that Amazon have proven that you don't need a separate website for non-complimentary product types, simply split them up into visibly separate shopping sections.

:cool:

Rob