Re-write of url
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Hi,
I would like your input on the following dilemma
I am wanting to target the keyword "download xml".
at the moment Google indexes us on page 2 and indexes the page www.ourdomain.com/download.aspx
I would like to rewrite the url to be /download-xml-editor.aspx
The current page is a pr5 and is our most trafficked and externally inked to page.
My thoughts are quite mixed on how to do this.
approach 1: re-write url of "download.aspx" and setup permanent 301 redirect of download.aspx to download-xml-editor.aspx
approach 2: create a new page called download-xml-editor and 301 redirect that to the current stronger page which is download.aspx
approach 3: create new page called download-xml-editor with unique content and try and get that page to rank over time, allowing it to build up links and not compromise the current page, then later 301 redirect
How would you deal with this and what are your recommendations
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I have a few questions Andrew.
You want to target download.xml as a keyword and you do, but currently rank on page 2. Therefore you want to increase this rank to page 1.
Why do you need to set up another page?
Why is the current page not suitable for your needs, and can it be optimized better for this keyword?
What is your intent for the new page? Why do you see a need to have a second page to target this keyword?
You say you want to rewrite the URL. Are you saying you want to re-code the URL or do a re-write rule on the URL in the .htaccess file?
With the information you have provided, I see no reason to create a new page, but simply optimize further the page that is already ranking for this term. Perhaps running it through the on-page report card and building some inbound links with exact anchor text.
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We had the same case in the past, rewrote the URL and told Google the old URL was permanently moved. In one week the new page ranked instead. Once you've done this and other on-site bits go and earn some links as that will me a much more fruitful way of getting the page to a better position.
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I agree with the other posts. The URL name is one of many factors; I'd concentrate on making other on and off page factors to try and grow the relevance of the page as it is without any redirects. If it was a truly new page with no authority then I'd simply 301 it but that's your decision.
DD
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Matt Cutts has been quoted as saying that they have probably been paying too much attention to page names, so if I were you, I would not worry about this too much as you can probably expect a change in the algorithm again soon.
Wish I had paid more attention to the article because I can't find it now, but this came through my news feeds when discussing a few other aspects.
Andy
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Copy the page and name it download-xml-editor.aspx and redirect the old page to this 'new' one. Take the slight ranking hit now while you're on the second page since the higher up you're ranking the more you have to lose.
Just remember that changing the file name/url is not going to always increase your ranking for that keyword - it depends on lots of other factors too
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