Hello everyone!
I currently have a site on this adress - http://mixningochmastering.se/ (for my music mixing and (mostly) mastering business).
However, I want to start using a completely new adress (http://masteringsbyrån.se/)* and I have built a new site there (not quite finished though). Eventually I will also have an english version of the site on http://themasteringbureau.com
Now, of course I want to “phase out” the old address over the next year or so. How do I do that in the best way in your opinion? I know there are a lot of web Jedi masters around here, so your advice is greatly appreciated. I know there is this thing called a “301 redirect” (saw it in my ISP’s server UI) but I don’t know if that’s the right way to go. How is SEO impacted by the different ways to redirect visitors?
Also - is there any good way in Sparkle to sort of throw up a splash screen that says “we’ve moved” or something like that, and then automatically after 5 sec send them on their way to the new site? Good or bad idea? 
What’s the professional way of doing an operation like this?
*The site address includes the swedish letter “å” (pronounced like the french “eau”) so I hope it works for you guys to click on it. Not sure how that will work.
All the best from Stockholm,
Jollygods
@jollygods, There is so so so much on this but the following explains it nicely - https://yoast.com/6-questions-about-redirects-for-seo/
A permanent 301 redirect will do the job, but if you introduce “https” (SSL Certificate) you’ll need to 301 all “http” to “https” as well. A number of years ago SEO would have been slightly impacted but that isn’t the case nowadays.
I would do the 301 redirect which will take your old website (and domain) out of the loop so there is no need for a splash screen or anything similar because anyone using your old domain will land on your new website by default. Maybe on your new website you can mention you have moved, etc… to reassure your Users.
I would keep the 301 redirect in place for about 6 months and then just archive your old site and let your domain lapse and remove the 301 redirect…
If you have a good web host and have all domains hosted by the same host, redirecting your site is as simple as checking a box in your web host UI. This points one domain to another. You don’t want your users to see they are being redirected. As @FlaminFig said, you need a SSL certificate on each domain. I see right now you don’t have one on any of your domains (A good web host will provide SSL certificates for no additional charge).
You don’t need separate websites on different domains for additional languages. That becomes incredibly burdensome if you work internationally. In Sparkle duplicate your primary language pages and convert those to another language. You then organize those pages into “Sections” in Sparkle’s Page Outline on the left of your screen. So now you just create a menu labeled by language that takes users to that language’s pages. You can even allow language choice by page with a language menu on each page.
Search engines won’t penalize redirects at the domain level because they can see common ownership. What’s more important is how web browsers view redirects. Apple’s Safari and privacy oriented search engines such as DuckDuckGo watch for redirects as a sign of website hijacking.
Also, in Apple’s next release of Safari, if a website (domain) does not have a SSL certificate, or is over a year old, it will not show the user the website at all nor give a warning.
Side note…You don’t need a .com domain for English speaking users. Just one website/domain to rule them all!
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I’ll back @thetravelhikelife on this… A SSL Certificate against your domain is a must and not an option nowadays! Google (and others) have been redflagging websites without SSL and has stated that it will effect your organic ranking!
Hey @thetravelhikelife and @FlaminFig!
Thanks for A LOT of great info. I don’t have a lot of time right now but I’ll think more about this over the next week and might follow up later with some additional questions unless my ISP and/or the yoast-video does it for me. A few quick thoughts though.
I wonder whether it might be good to do a splash screen on the old site AND do a redirect later. The splash screen could say something like;
“From the 1st of December I will start phasing out this site and web adress and begin the move to my new home - www.masteringsbyrån.se”.
Is it possible to have a splash screen or an image appear as the first thing visitors see (just for 5 seconds) when they go to the old site? Would that be a server-thing or is it possible to do in Sparkle? Maybe to make a "new index.html-page that would only show for 5-8 seconds or something like that…
Also - btw - when I go to both of my sites here on my laptop - I get the “locked padlock” and the address bar says “https” etc. So I think it should be SSL… Right?
Anyways - great help guys!
/Jollygods, Stockholm
@jollygods You’re right, the Locked Padlock and https do mean you are all certificated up. I missed that, apologies.
When I redirect I don’t announce it on the old site. This can give users pause as to what’s happening with your business. To current clients it may not matter. But to potential new clients a wait and see mentality could impact your business. I wait and do an announcement on the new site. I also don’t use a splash page, I create some cool graphic with a quick announcement. You want to make the change a positive and remove any chance of negative perception.
As an example, my current site is not my real site. The current site is for a new business of mine and is a test of what I could build using only my iPad and iPhone. I’m leaving it up for SEO reasons while I finish my new Sparkle site. I do build all my client sites in Sparkle though.
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Hey again! No time really, but this is SO much more interesting than what I’m doing right now.
Anyways. Thanks for raising some good and valid points! I’ll give it more thought the coming week…
Also I forgot to say - unfortunately the old and the new site are on different ISP:s. The old is good (one.com) but they have NO people to talk to. Only chat. Soo tiring some times. The new (inleed.se) is not as polished/shiny, but there’s a number to call and they answer almost directly. They’re a very small ISP in a small Swedish town called Tällberg. It’s far from everything and I felt like supporting a local business in order to keep the Swedish country side alive and kicking.
Cheers again!
/Jollygods