Yes, there are challenges to restructuring a Web site. When not done correctly, popular sites risk losing visitors among invalid bookmarked pages, broken links from other Web sites, and queries for
pages that no longer exist. But Eric Enge believes the proper use of 301 redirects can mitigate risks. He writes that success requires knowing how to map the content from the new site to the old, and
building a 301 redirect map that thoroughly links from the old to the new.
Enge provides insight on how to prioritize the transition. He suggests starting with Web analytics tool to
identify the top pages receiving traffic. Google Webmaster Tools can provide a list of external links to identify all pages that have received external links, and Yahoo Site Explorer can help identify
the top pages listed.
Read the whole story at Search Engine Watch »