seo search engine optimization link building agencyseo search engine optimization link building agencyseo search engine optimization link building agencyseo search engine optimization link building agency
  • SERVICES
    • Managed SEO
    • Link Building
    • White Label SEO
    • Content Writing
    • SEO Audits
    • PPC Management
  • TOOLS
    • Backlink Checker
    • Site Audit
    • Broken Link Tool
    • Robots.txt Tester
    • Sitemap Validator
    • Site Speed Tester
    • Title Tag Checker
    • AI Content Writer
    • SEO Training
  • WHY US
    • Case Studies
    • Our Process
    • Our Team
    • Our History
    • Acquisitions
    • Become a Writer!
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
GET STARTED
✕
Blogger Outreach Services: The Good, The Bad & The Really Ugly
November 29, 2021
Marketing Funnels: How They work and How to Optimize for Maximum Revenue
Marketing Funnels: How They Work and How to Optimize for Maximum Revenue
November 30, 2021

How to Merge Websites Together for SEO

Last Updated by Timothy Carter on November 29, 2021
How to Merge Websites Together for SEO

Have you rebranded recently or acquired a new domain?

Then you may need to merge websites, but you need to do it carefully to maintain your SEO rankings.

Below are some of the best practices that a skilled SEO team should follow to merge two sites successfully.

Table of Contents

  • Why Merge Your Websites?
  • How Does Merging Sites Help SEO?
  • Strategy To Merge Websites
    • Perform a Comprehensive Audit
    • Create a NEW, Combined Sitemap
    • Design The New Site Well
    • Take The New Site Live
    • Map All URLs
    • Update Your Internal Links
    • Move The Old Site
    • Make 301 Redirects
    • Provide Sitemaps
    • Watch Your Site’s Indexed Pages
  • Mistakes To Avoid When Merging Sites
    • Failing To Weigh Risks
    • Not Making A Comprehensive Migration Plan
    • Migrating On Sunday
    • Improper Use of Expired Domains
    • Forgetting To Redirect URLs or Redirecting Incorrectly
    • Trying To Do Everything In One Day

Why Merge Your Websites?

Before we dive into how to consolidate your sites and content, let’s examine some of the reasons you need to do it:

  • You purchased another domain, and you want to blend the content from both sites.
  • You own an outdated site with followers and authority, and you want to merge it with a newer website.
  • You need to rebrand your company with another URL.

Are you in one of those categories? Then you’ll need to merge your sites carefully to ensure that you have the best SEO results.

How Does Merging Sites Help SEO?

Merging two sites together can have the following SEO benefits, if done properly:

  • A powerful, authoritative site can pass its authority to a less-known URL
  • Two sites with mediocre SEO authority can be combined to create a more authoritative, industry-dominating presence
  • Two authority sites can target a greater number of keywords, significantly improving rankings for many more keywords than the individual sites alone

The best case studies for website mergers include a 1+1=3 scenario, where the combined quality of two websites can create a higher authority site that ranks better overall had the site’s remained separate and single ranking entities.

As we’re fond of saying:

A site is position 0 or 1 on Google is worth infinitely more than two owned sites taking up 20% of page 1 rankings without the top position.

If combining two sites could mean improving rankings to high positions and removing some pages out of the index, then the effort is very worth the cost.

Strategy To Merge Websites

Below are the steps you need to follow to merge your sites for the best SEO results:

Perform a Comprehensive Audit

Your comprehensive SEO audit should include a review of the following:

  • A complete backlink audit between both sites, including the creation of a disavow link list for nefarious links as well as comprehensive updates to internal linking strategies.
  • A full content audit, taking into consideration the content overlap and cannibalization potential between the competing sites. Some pages on either site may need to be removed and replaced by existing and better ranking content on the corresponding site. This is a tedious task that can take a great deal of time.
  • A review of all title, H1, meta descriptions and other areas critical to your rankings success.

Create a NEW, Combined Sitemap

Make A Sitemap

When you make a sitemap of the site you need to merge, you’ll obtain an inventory of every page. This is what you need to make sure that you include every page you need on the new or merged site.

Design The New Site Well

When you are merging an old and new site, you want to spend time and money to ensure the new product is one that you’ll be pleased to show off. So, as you design your new site, pay close attention to load speed, mobile-friendliness, attractive design, and simple navigation.

Take The New Site Live

Before you merge the sites, you should ensure that the new website is working correctly.  If you don’t pay close attention to this critical detail, you could create many problems with the new site.

Map All URLs

It’s important to use your old sitemap to determine where you want the URLs on the new website. This part is a pain in the neck, but you’ll need to do it for a successful merge.

Also, this is how you will make a 301 redirect list, mapping pages 1-to-1 to the new site’s equivalent page or updated page.

Update Your Internal Links

How Internal Links Work

It’s also vital to alter every internal link on the new site. When the new site has links to the old one, remember to convert them to your new URL.

Move The Old Site

You’re almost there! Now you need to move the old site to the new one. If it’s a small site, moving it at once will alert Google to the move, which will lead to the search engine indexing your pages quicker.

If you have a big site, it’s fine to move things by section, and you can correct problems as they occur.

Make 301 Redirects

What Are 301 Redirects

With your old sitemap and the new one, you can make the 301 redirects that ensure that the power of the links on the old site will go to the new one.

Update All Robots.txt Files

On the old website, you need to take out every robots.txt orders or directives. This ensures that search engines can find the new redirects on the new website.

The new site should be made so that the robots.txt file lets search engines crawl the site.

As part of this process, you should tell Google that you’re changing your site address.

Provide Sitemaps

To keep the site merge going, you need to give Google the old and new sitemaps. This will help the search engine find your redirects.

Watch Your Site’s Indexed Pages

You can use the index coverage report at Google to see which pages are getting indexed.

Mistakes To Avoid When Merging Sites

Now that you understand how to merge sites effectively for SEO purposes, let’s look at what not to do:

Failing To Weigh Risks

Merging or migrating sites usually occurs because someone made a high-level decision somewhere. But these folks may not be tasked with running the site or SEO part of the business. Unfortunately, this means that all of the implications of merging sites may not have been considered.

The most significant risk is that site migration can cause a reduction in web traffic. If you follow best practices, this risk can be reduced, but it still may happen.

Sometimes merging or migrating sites must be done because of a brand name change. Otherwise, it’s worth thinking carefully if the move is worth the cost.

Not Making A Comprehensive Migration Plan

There are many moving parts in migrating the old site to the new one. So, there needs to be one person in charge who has made a comprehensive migration plan. Having every part of the move in a project plan is essential to ensure nothing is forgotten.

Your SEO team also needs to be involved in the migration plan from the start. If your SEO people are given a heads up late in the process, your migration could cost you traffic.

Migrating On Sunday

Migrating your site when traffic is lowest sounds smart. But when you launch the new, merged site, there will probably be issues here and there. So you want to have your technical team on hand, ready to handle any problems that crop up.

Improper Use of Expired Domains

While expired domain names can be a great source of SEO power, their effectiveness as a massive booster for SEO success has declined in recent years.

When merging two domains, existing, live websites will always outperform the acquisition of expired domain names, even if those domains have great link profiles.

If you are considering this as a potential strategy, first ask the following questions:

  • Has the domain truly expired and been re-registered? If so, the impact of the previous links may be reset.
  • Is the site’s content quality, live and already ranking well for great search terms? If not, how long has it been gone?
  • Will you own the copyright to expired, once-ranking content? If not, will you be able to get the rights to it cheaply?
  • Did the backlink audit reveal any nefarious issues related to spammy links? If so, are they currently impacting the site?

Buyer beware when it comes to the “who” and “how” of acquiring another domain name with the intent to merge it for SEO purposes. Acquiring an aged domain can certainly give you a boost when it comes to authority, but you will want to do your homework before making what could be an expensive buy.

Forgetting To Redirect URLs or Redirecting Incorrectly

How Do 301 Redirects Affect SEO

Redirecting dozens or hundreds of web pages is tedious work, and after you do this for hours, some can slip through the cracks.

You need to remember, for example, your current redirects on the old site. You could have a redirect history where there need to be several redirects for one page, which can create problems for Google.

And while some might be more concerned with performing a 302 redirect (non-authority-passing) vs. a 301 redirect (full-authority-passing), we have found the biggest issue in site redesign is including redirect chains in your content. To the user it will look fine, but crawlers may see multiple redirects in a chain before the original URL lands on it’s final resting place. This is one way links rot and your site’s authority can bleed out.

We typically use a tool like https://httpstatus.io/  to ensure no redirect chains exist.

Trying To Do Everything In One Day

Consolidating a large site into a new one is a big project, and you need to do it carefully and with a lot of planning. Trying to get everything done quickly is understandable, but it can create problems that cause serious traffic drops.

Now that you understand how to merge sites for the best SEO results, you’re on the road to making your company’s web presence better than ever.

Looking for assistance in merging two sites together? Our expert SEO company help. Get in touch with us today!

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Timothy Carter
Timothy Carter
Chief Revenue Officer at SEO.co
Industry veteran Timothy Carter is SEO.co’s Chief Revenue Officer. Tim leads all revenue for the company and oversees all customer-facing teams - including sales, marketing & customer success. He has spent more than 20 years in the world of SEO & Digital Marketing leading, building and scaling sales operations, helping companies increase revenue efficiency and drive growth from websites and sales teams. When he's not working, Tim enjoys playing a few rounds of disc golf, running, and spending time with his wife and family on the beach...preferably in Hawaii.

Over the years he's written for publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur, Marketing Land, Search Engine Journal, ReadWrite and other highly respected online publications. Connect with Tim on Linkedin & Twitter.
Timothy Carter
Latest posts by Timothy Carter (see all)
  • How to Optimize for “People Also Search For” or “People Also Ask” - June 27, 2022
  • Content Marketing: An SEO’s Guide to Content Marketing - June 1, 2022
  • How to Fix a Website Traffic & Impressions Plateau - May 23, 2022
Share
0
Timothy Carter
Timothy Carter
Industry veteran Timothy Carter is SEO.co’s Chief Revenue Officer. Tim leads all revenue for the company and oversees all customer-facing teams - including sales, marketing & customer success. He has spent more than 20 years in the world of SEO & Digital Marketing leading, building and scaling sales operations, helping companies increase revenue efficiency and drive growth from websites and sales teams. When he's not working, Tim enjoys playing a few rounds of disc golf, running, and spending time with his wife and family on the beach...preferably in Hawaii. Over the years he's written for publications like Entrepreneur, Marketing Land, Search Engine Journal, ReadWrite and other highly respected online publications.

Related posts

How to Use Google Autocomplete to Perfect Your Content Strategy
July 4, 2022

How to Use Google Autocomplete to Perfect Your SEO & Content Strategy


Read more
How to Optimize for "People Also Search For" or "People Also Ask"
June 27, 2022

How to Optimize for “People Also Search For” or “People Also Ask”


Read more
Link Reclamation: How to Reclaim Lost Backlinks
June 20, 2022

Link Reclamation: How to Reclaim Lost Backlinks


Read more

Inc 5000 Logo

Our Services

  • SEO Services
  • Link Building Services
  • White Label SEO
  • Content Writing Services
  • Amazon SEO
  • PPC Management
  • Public Relations
  • Brand Mentions
  • SEO Site Audits

SEO Resources

  • SEO for Beginners
  • Link Building Guide
  • Local SEO
  • Online Marketing
  • Digital Marketing
  • Content Marketing
  • SEO Reseller
  • Backlink Checker
  • Keyword Research
  • Google Ranking Factors

About SEO.co

  • About Us
  • SEO Team
  • SEO Blog
  • SEO Clients
  • SEO Tools
  • Markets Served
  • Locations Served
  • Client Login
  • Contact

Contact Us

Email: info@seo.co
Call: +1 (877) 545-4769
Address: 1425 Broadway Suite 22689
Seattle, WA 98112
White Label SEO Agency
  
Outwrite. Outrank. SEO.
© 2022 SEO.co. All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy | Sitemap
PPC.co // DEV.co // Website.Design
An Invest.net Partner
    GET STARTED
      We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of all the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
      Cookie SettingsAccept All
      Manage consent

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
      CookieDurationDescription
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
      viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
      Functional
      Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
      Performance
      Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
      Analytics
      Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
      Advertisement
      Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
      Others
      Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
      SAVE & ACCEPT