If all you want to do is redirect a wordpress blog to a new domain, then it really is a simple task of creating a .htaccess file using notepad and uploading it to the root of your server.

Simple though it is, I spent almost the entire day yesterday trying to find the right solution.  It was clear from the articles I read that using a 301 (permanent redirect) rather than a 302 (temporary redirect) was the way to go if I wanted to maintain both traffic from the old blog to the new blog and, to maintain the incoming links.  SEO wise, you just need to know though that using a 301 redirect is the way to go.

So, here are the steps I took to redirect the posts, pages, comments and categories from my old blog at TrishJones.com to my new blog here at BlogMarketingMix.com.

1. The VERY first thing you want to do if you use the method I’m using to is ensure you DON’T allow search engine traffic to your old blog until the new one has been redirected.  Yes, it could take time for the search engines to notice you have two identical blogs with identical content, but simply going to “Settings” and then “Privacy” in the dashboard and selecting the second option (to disallow the search engine spiders), you will be confident that you don’t have to try going to the search engines to explain your actions.




2. In terms of moving the blog, the first thing I did was backed up my files and transferred them over to the new domain. 
   Now, trying to move the database from one blog to another blog is NOT the easiest thing in the world to do and I cheated!  I exported the XML file of the old blog (TrishJones.com) by going to “Tools” and then “Export” within the WordPress dashboard and then, I used phpMyAdmin within the control panel of the new blog (BlogMarketingMix.com) to import the xml file.  This imports all of my posts, pages, comments and categories but, it doesn’t import my new password, widgets etc.  So, you have to decide which is most beneficial to you.

   
   

   
   

   Here are two posts you might find helpful if you decide you want to move the entire database:
   http://yoast.com/move-wordpress-blog-domain-10-steps/
   http://www.seoblogr.com/social/how-to-move-wordpress-blog-from-old-domain-to-new-domain-with-301-permanent-redirection/




3. The next step was to either create a .htaccess file or, in my case, modify one I already had.  This is what my .htaccess file looked like and you can copy this and just change the domain name:

   # BEGIN WordPress
   Options +FollowSymLinks
   RewriteEngine on
   RewriteRule (.*) http://www.yourdomainname.com/$1 [R=301,L]
   # END WordPress
   

4. Now you want to upload the .htaccess file to the “ROOT” of the server of the old blog – in my case, TrishJones.com.  In other words, the same folder where your index.php file sits.

 

Now all of your links and the traffic that currently went to your old blog, will be redirected to your new blog.  Be a little patient though, the pages have to be cached and you might notice broken links and 404 pages for the first few minutes at least.

Now, use this site to be sure your blog is being redirected as it should be:  http://www.webconfs.com/redirect-check.php

Once I realized I was uploading the wrong .htaccess file each time, I could not believe how easy a process this was!

Hope it helps you,

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