Simple SEO url issue when updating to newest Zen

I'm running into a very odd issue that I'm hoping others have addressed. I'm in the process of upgrading to the newest version of Zencart. I have the old Simple SEO url module installed and thus all of my url's have been rewritten to be user friendly to the eye. Now, I know that this module is not compatible with the newest version of Zen and thus, it cannot easily be carried over to the new site. Here's the dilemma. Last month I got 7,998 organic clicks from Google, Bing, and Yahoo. If I don't carry this module over to the new version of Zen then all my url's will change, thus until G-B-Y reindex my site I'll essentially lose about 8000 clicks per month! That could and most likely would destroy my primary income until my site was reindexed. Has anyone run into this before and found an acceptable solution? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Ian

r1formetoo:

I'm running into a very odd issue that I'm hoping others have addressed. I'm in the process of upgrading to the newest version of Zencart. I have the old Simple SEO url module installed and thus all of my url's have been rewritten to be user friendly to the eye. Now, I know that this module is not compatible with the newest version of Zen and thus, it cannot easily be carried over to the new site. Here's the dilemma. Last month I got 7,998 organic clicks from Google, Bing, and Yahoo. If I don't carry this module over to the new version of Zen then all my url's will change, thus until G-B-Y reindex my site I'll essentially lose about 8000 clicks per month! That could and most likely would destroy my primary income until my site was reindexed. Has anyone run into this before and found an acceptable solution? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Ian

I "inherited" a site some months ago that had "SEO URL" module installed for some years.

Now it is well known (on this forum) that I have no love for these (pointless) modules, and I persuaded the site owner to revert to core behaviour. There was the addition that the site was MOVED to a .COM domain, previously on a .CO.UK domain.

I hired a student to go "grab" all the url's and then we compiled a comprehensive .htaccess file that reads something like this:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www.)?websitename.co.uk
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.websitename.com/$1 [R=301,L]
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} ^shoes/ladies/ugg-boots.html
RewriteRule index.php http://www.websitename.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=393 [R=301,L]

The lines in RED are repeated for every re-direct page.

We've discussed this but I'm told that redirects are not good for your rankings...

When we implemented the above, we did not experience any significant loss of ranking. Admittedly, we did not put too much effort into tracking the effects of the re-direct on ranking, but I don't think it had much impact at all.

I don't have sufficient experience of having to do this re-directing stuff, so perhaps you should wait for others to respond and give their views.

schoolboy:

When we implemented the above, we did not experience any significant loss of ranking. Admittedly, we did not put too much effort into tracking the effects of the re-direct on ranking, but I don't think it had much impact at all.

I don't have sufficient experience of having to do this re-directing stuff, so perhaps you should wait for others to respond and give their views.

I agree that waiting for other's experience with these matters is a good idea, though I thank you for your input.

Ian