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Question: what to do with my website.

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Question: what to do with my website.

Postby LynnWilson » Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:32 pm

I have a website that was started more out of a passion for homeschooling than a real desire to make money. Still, the website has grown. I had 1000 references on a search in Google specifically for "The Healthy Homeschool," but I noticed that it has suddenly dropped down to 500 and something, but it's done that before and then jumps back up.

I do have some traffic, I get e-mails from people who are encouraged by our dyslexia story, and the website pays for itself by way of Google ads and on-line Usborne book sales and just a small (and I mean small) amount of Amazon sales. But it does not do much more than pay for itself consistently month after month.

That said, my one remaining homeschooler will graduate in a couple of years and my focus is changing. I am still passionate about homeschooling, but I would like to build a website about something else now.

I wondered if I should take the content of my current website and move it to a free site, but keep my domain name and reroute traffic to the free site. But I wonder if the change to free hosting could affect how Google sees the site? I may lose what traffic I already have and then what would be the point? Is a website like this worth selling? Should I try harder to market it? I have sort of lost my desire to do anything with it because so many of my interests now cannot be tagged onto a homeschooling website, I don't really want to pay for hosting for two websites, but I don't want to throw all this work away.

Any ideas? I am not even sure what I have said makes sense.

www.thehealthyhomeschool.com
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Postby money2bmade » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:04 am

Lynn,

I can definitely sympathize with you. I'm currently debating closing one of my websites, but I'm having trouble letting go of all that work that went into the site. It's a very difficult decision.

While I am no expert on the topic, I don't believe that a switch to a free host will affect your Google ranking dramatically. However, most free hosts make you take a domain name like freedomain.yourdomain.com (or something along those lines). If you want to keep your current domain name, you may want to simply redirect the domain to your new free hosting account.

If you're looking to redirect the domain to a new free hosting account, you'll need to follow a certain path to ensure that Google keeps your ranking correct. Check out this page for more info: http://www.ssw.com.au/SSW/Standards/Rul ... neFriendly.

Once you redirect your site according to the "rules" on the page above, use this tool to make sure it is Search Engine Friendly: http://www.webconfs.com/redirect-check.php.

Like I said - I am NO EXPERT IN THIS FIELD...so I'd definitely ask around to hear some other opinions. But it is an idea that I have been toying around with for a while as well. Regardless, good luck with your decision! :)
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Postby LynnWilson » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:44 am

Thank you so much for your input. I have until the end of March to decide, so I'll see how much info I can gather before that time!

Thanks again,
Lynn
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Postby Lynn Terry » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:07 pm

The first thought that came to mind was that you could use a hosting account that allows you to host multiple sites/domains on the one account. This way you arent paying for the site, or paying any additional for the new site(s) that you launch.

I use HostGator, which allows up to 50 domains per account I believe, for under $10/mo. If the cost is the only reason you are considering closing the site, this would be a good solution.

But if its the work/maintenance involved with keeping the site, that's another issue altogether. But dont just close it and let it fall off the face of the web - especially not if you have good traffic and repeat visitors and/or subscribers. Either sell it, or JV with someone who does have a passion for the topic.
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Postby LynnWilson » Sun Dec 24, 2006 5:46 pm

Thank you for the feedback, Lynn. I have a lot tied up in the site emotionally, :D so, the idea to keep it and also have something new to work on for the same price really appeals to me. I'll look into that.

Lynn
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