/catalog vs / (root)

[dc_guy]

I've currently got our store set up with the default /catalog/ installation, using a permanent redirect to the folder. Yahoo has been our main spider, indexing pretty much at any given time. Google, however, has only came 6 times to the front page, and left each time (over the past 2 months). We're going to throw a party once Google indexes the site.

 

I'm interested in moving from /catalog/ to / .... however, how will this effect my current search indexes? All of my Yahoo links, for example, obviously point to /catalog/. If I move it back to root, all those links will be broken.

 

How do I prevent those broken links if I do the switch?

 

And finally, is it *really* worth moving it up to the root? (For search engines, Google specifically)

[WiseWombat]

I've currently got our store set up with the default /catalog/ installation, using a permanent redirect to the folder.  Yahoo has been our main spider, indexing pretty much at any given time.  Google, however, has only came 6 times to the front page, and left each time (over the past 2 months).  We're going to throw a party once Google indexes the site.

 

I'm interested in moving from /catalog/ to / .... however, how will this effect my current search indexes?  All of my Yahoo links, for example, obviously point to /catalog/.  If I move it back to root, all those links will be broken.

 

How do I prevent those broken links if I do the switch?

 

And finally, is it *really* worth moving it up to the root? (For search engines, Google specifically)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can try this it is working for me :D

Once you have renamed your catalog create a new catalog folder to replcace the one you renamed then inside this folder create new php files that you know the spiders are visiting.

inside these files add a redirect to your new home page.

[dc_guy]

You can try this it is working for me :D

Once you have renamed your catalog create a new catalog folder to replcace the one you renamed then inside this folder create new php files that you know the spiders are visiting.

inside these files add a redirect to your new home page.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

As an alternative approach, would a mod_rewrite work? I'm not too familiar with that function (used it once), but basically I'd like to automatically route all /catalog/file.php?variables=yaddayadda to /file.php?variables=yaddayadda without doing any redirects within PHP itself. I'd rather not have duplicate files out there (one set in root, the other in /catalog/), but a simple rename of the URL seems like it would work.

 

Is that accurate?

 

I just don't want to lose potential customers clicking on /catalog/ links from search engines.

[WiseWombat]

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

As an alternative approach, would a mod_rewrite work?  I'm not too familiar with that function (used it once), but basically I'd like to automatically route all /catalog/file.php?variables=yaddayadda to /file.php?variables=yaddayadda without doing any redirects within PHP itself.  I'd rather not have duplicate files out there (one set in root, the other in /catalog/), but a simple rename of the URL seems like it would work.

 

Is that accurate?

I just don't want to lose potential customers clicking on /catalog/ links from search engines.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry im not familiar with mod rewright

You could create a welcome to mysite page in all your new php files?

With A please click here link ?

Then you can relist your site to spider search engines with your new directory and have them both indexed?

[dc_guy]

I'd like to have it as seemless as possible, to both customers and search engines. Requiring anyone to click another link would be an absolute last resort.

[HobbyBoards]

I have google indexing my site everyday and my site is in the catalog directory. How have you setup your redirect?

 

If you wanted to move you site to the root I think you could use a 301 redirect in the catalog directory back to the root.

 

Eric

[dc_guy]

I have google indexing my site everyday and my site is in the catalog directory. How have you setup your redirect?

 

If you wanted to move you site to the root I think you could use a 301 redirect in the catalog directory back to the root.

 

Eric

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've got an index.php in my root with the following code:

 

<?php
$goto = "http://www.displaycollections.com/catalog/";
header("HTTP/1.0 301 Moved Permanently");
header ("Location: $goto");
?>

Should Google like that? Do I need anything else? Unless of course I just need to wait it out, but since they've came 6 times in 2 months and had just a single hit each time then left... it worries me!