What is the merger technique in SEO?

The merger technique in SEO involves merging a relevant expired domain with your business by implementing a 301 redirect. This strategy is aimed at boosting your site's authority and trust, resulting in improved keyword rankings. By utilizing the merger technique effectively, you can leverage the existing reputation of the expired domain to enhance the overall credibility and visibility of your website.

How to combine 2 websites into one?

Combining two websites into one can be a complex task, but with careful planning and execution, it can be streamlined effectively. Firstly, create a sitemap of the website you are merging (site A) to get a clear overview of the content and structure. Then, choose a new domain name that reflects the combined brand and is something you are proud of. Make the new domain live and ensure that all URLs are mapped correctly, using 301 redirects to preserve search engine rankings and traffic. Update internal links throughout the website to reflect the new domain structure. Finally, move the entire site to the new domain, ensuring that the content and functionality remain intact. By following these steps, you can successfully merge two websites into one, providing a unified brand experience for your audience.

What is SEO crosslinking?

SEO crosslinking, also known as internal linking, is a strategic technique used in digital marketing to optimize website structure and improve search engine rankings. By linking relevant keywords to related content within the website, SEO crosslinks enable search engine crawlers to navigate through various pages and understand the interconnectedness of the site's content. This practice not only enhances the authority and relevance of individual pages but also provides a seamless user experience as visitors can effortlessly explore related information within the website. Ultimately, SEO crosslinking contributes to keeping users engaged, increasing website visibility, and driving organic traffic.

What are the different types of merger strategies?

Mergers can take on several different forms, each with its own unique strategy. A conglomerate merger occurs when two companies from unrelated industries come together, often aiming to diversify their operations and expand into new markets. On the other hand, a horizontal merger involves the combination of two companies that operate in the same industry and are often competitors. This type of merger seeks to increase market share and eliminate competition. In a market extension merger, two companies within the same industry but in different geographic areas join forces to expand their customer base and reach new markets. Similarly, a vertical merger involves the integration of two companies in the same industry but at different stages of the supply chain. This type of merger allows for increased control over the production process and can lead to cost-savings. Lastly, a product extension merger occurs when two companies with complementary products or services merge to offer a broader range of offerings and provide a one-stop solution for customers.

Home / SEO / Top SEO Considerations for Merging Sites

Top SEO Considerations for Merging Sites

This article examines the top SEO considerations for merging sites.

It provides a comprehensive analysis of important factors to consider during the site merger process.

The first consideration is the proper implementation of redirects to mitigate any URL-related issues.

Content mapping is also discussed, emphasizing the need to avoid duplicate content for optimal user experience.

Technical issues that may arise after the migration, such as tag updates and CDN adjustments, are addressed.

The article also explores the use of tools from Google and Bing to expedite the search engine notification process.

Overall, this article offers valuable insights and resources for a successful and SEO-friendly site merger.

Redirect Plan

The redirect plan should include:

Ensuring 1-to-1 redirects for all URLs and URL variants.
Updating older redirects if necessary.
Using a Screaming Frog crawl or export from the CMS to obtain a comprehensive list of URLs to avoid any URLs falling through the cracks.

Thorough planning is crucial to:

Manage duplicate content.
Handle tech issues post migration.

Google and Bing tools can be used to facilitate the process.

Updating old redirects is an important aspect of the overall migration strategy.

Content Mapping

When planning a site migration or consolidation, it is essential to carefully consider how to handle similar content on both sites.

Duplicate content should be addressed to ensure optimal user experience and avoid potential SEO issues.
Content consolidation involves deciding which content to rewrite or retire and determining the appropriate URLs for the duplicate content.
SEO signals pointing to one URL over the other should be considered.
URL mapping plays a crucial role in directing users and search engines to the correct pages.

All The Tech Issues

After a site migration or consolidation, it is necessary to update various technical elements such as canonical, schema, and hreflang tags. Additionally, adjustments to CDN settings, analytics tags, and handling random javascript/images with static URLs are crucial. Updating sitemaps, paid links, Open Graph tags, and Twitter cards is also essential. These updates ensure that the site is optimized for search engines and maintains a smooth user experience. Below is a table summarizing the key technical elements that need to be updated:

Technical Element	Description
Canonical tags	Specify the preferred version of a webpage
Schema tags	Provide structured data to search engines
Hreflang tags	Indicate the language and targeted country of a webpage
CDN settings	Adjust content delivery network settings for improved performance
Analytics tags	Update tracking codes to monitor site performance and user behavior

Overall, addressing these technical issues is crucial to maintaining the visibility and functionality of a site after a migration or consolidation.

Tell The Search Engines

To expedite the process, utilizing Google and Bing tools can be effective in notifying search engines of a site migration or consolidation. This ensures that the search engines are aware of the changes and can update their indexes accordingly.

There are several key considerations when it comes to telling the search engines about these changes:

Updating Canonicals and Schema: It is important to update the canonical tags and schema markup on the new site to ensure proper indexing and ranking.
Handling CDN Settings: Adjusting the CDN settings is essential to ensure that the content is served correctly and efficiently.
Updating Analytics Tags: The analytics tags should be updated to ensure accurate tracking of the site’s performance and user behavior.
Avoiding Duplicate Content: It is crucial to avoid duplicate content issues by properly mapping and consolidating the content from the old site to the new one.

Additional Resources

The Additional Resources section offers a variety of valuable materials for SEO audits, site migration best practices, duplicate content strategies, and SEO tools and resources.

It includes advice from Google on-site migrations, tips on combining pages to improve rankings, an SEO audit checklist, a weekly SEO advice column by industry experts, and a newsletter to stay updated on search marketing news.

These resources provide technical, analytical, and strategic insights that can enhance SEO and user experience.

SEO Signals and Considerations

SEO signals play a crucial role in determining the success of a site migration or consolidation. To ensure a smooth transition, several key considerations should be taken into account.

These include updating canonical tags, schema tags, hreflang tags, sitemaps, and analytics tags. By properly configuring these elements, website owners can optimize their site’s visibility and maintain their search engine rankings during the migration or consolidation process.

Failing to address these SEO signals can result in negative impacts on organic search performance and user experience.

User Experience and SEO

User experience is a critical factor to consider when undergoing a site migration or consolidation process. It plays a crucial role in SEO optimization, website design, user engagement, mobile optimization, and site performance. To ensure a seamless transition, it is important to focus on improving user experience during the migration. This can be achieved through responsive and intuitive website design, optimizing for mobile devices, and enhancing site performance. By prioritizing user experience, businesses can enhance their SEO efforts and attract more organic traffic to their website.

Key Factors	Considerations
SEO Optimization	Focus on optimizing URLs, metadata, and content to improve search engine visibility and ranking.
Website Design	Create a user-friendly and visually appealing design that enhances navigation and usability.
User Engagement	Implement interactive features and relevant content to encourage user interaction and retention.
Mobile Optimization	Optimize the website for mobile devices, ensuring a seamless experience across different screens.
Site Performance	Improve website speed, loading times, and overall performance to enhance user satisfaction.

Prioritizing Work and Domain Changes

When prioritizing work and making domain changes, it is important to carefully evaluate the impact and potential risks associated with these decisions. To effectively navigate domain changes and migration challenges, consider the following:

Assess the SEO implications of the domain changes and ensure proper redirects are in place.
Plan content optimization strategies to maintain or improve user engagement during the transition.
Address technical issues such as updating tags, sitemaps, and analytics to ensure smooth site migration.
Prioritize the user experience throughout the process to enhance SEO performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when merging websites, it is crucial to have a well-planned redirect strategy to avoid any URL-related issues.

Content mapping is also important to prevent duplicate content and ensure a seamless user experience.

Addressing technical issues, such as updating tags and adjusting CDN settings, is essential for maintaining SEO performance.

Informing search engines about the site migration using tools from Google and Bing can expedite the process.

By considering SEO signals, prioritizing work, and optimizing user experience, a successful and SEO-friendly site merger can be achieved.

Summary

Was a pleasure to work with Eddy and the team at EDM. They had great ideas for updating our website and were eager to work with us to provide a great end result!

Met with Eddy from EDM. I must say, amazing, fast and professional service given. I was given the time of day whenever I phoned and during our meetings. Eddy is a great guy to work with, I definitely recommend EDM. They are transparent and to the point with what they can do for you, no questions asked.