new url what to do

Hi,

For my law student forum I have just acquired a domain name which is very relevant to the topic,

lawstudentforum.co.uk
How bad would it be to move my current site to the new domain?
Would a fitting name help with placement in the search engines?
Basically, is it worth it?

If you're established on the old domain, i woudln't recommend moving it. If you're not too established, it might be a good idea.

Well, PR4 and slowly building links.
In regards to students signing up, not too much yet.

PR4 Is very Good I didn't recommended you to move your site

Well,

How would I go about it if I wanted to move?
I want to move all my stuf over to the new domain, how?
I want to redirect all externalaw traffic to the new domain, how?
I want to do all this without too much pain for the forum,

I belief with the new domain name that google will give me better placement and that it will also be easier to market, the pr4 is the only goodthing now, that and about $5 a day in ad sense.

Mike

Just change your domain name in your license and redirect the old domain to the new domain to re-index your indexed files
Changing Domains: Directing Old Site to the New Site with htaccess

Thank you Marco,

But technically, can you tell me how to do this?

Do I install vbulletin on the new domain, and import the database or something?

Take a full backup from your Cpanel and then restore it in the new domain account

Originally Posted by marco1

Take a full backup from your Cpanel and then restore it in the new domain account

Not needed unless you are "moving" your account to a new webhost.
In this case, if you (@Mike) only need to change the domain:

1. Park the new domain on top of your existing domain; and wait for a while.
   
   
2. Change the Forum URLs on your vBulletin and vBSEO licenses.
   
   
3. Update the Forum URL in AdminCP » vBulletin Options » Site URL, etc.
   
   
4. (Not sure if a *new* vBSEO key would be generated for you.) If it is, Copy-paste the new Key in your vbseoCP.
   
   
5. Setup the .htaccess redirects.
   
   
6. Change the Forum URLs in any other locations where you may have 'hardcoded' it.
   (For example: Skin's StyleVars & Templates, Smiley URLs, etc.)
   
   
7. Theres an option in the Google Webmaster Tools to notify Google that you have moved your domain.
   Verify the new domain, and then use that option.
   
   
8. Wait for G and other SEs to reindex your site from scratch.

Btw, why do you really want to change the domain ?
Why not redirect the new domain to your old established domain ?

Originally Posted by Shadab

Not needed unless you are "moving" your account to a new webhost.
In this case, if you (@Mike) only need to change the domain:

1. Park the new domain on top of your existing domain; and wait for a while.
2. Change the Forum URLs on your vBulletin and vBSEO licenses.
3. Update the Forum URL in AdminCP » vBulletin Options » Site URL, etc.
4. (Not sure if a *new* vBSEO key would be generated for you.) If it is, Copy-paste the new Key in your vbseoCP.
5. Setup the .htaccess redirects.
6. Change the Forum URLs in any other locations where you may have 'hardcoded' it.
   (For example: Skin's StyleVars & Templates, Smiley URLs, etc.)
7. Theres an option in the Google Webmaster Tools to notify Google that you have moved your domain.
   Verify the new domain, and then use that option.
8. Wait for G and other SEs to reindex your site from scratch.

Btw, why do you really want to change the domain ?
Why not redirect the new domain to your old established dom
ain ?

As I understand from this reply

Do I install vbulletin on the new domain, and import the database or something?

That's he have any hosting account because he said install new vbulletin but if he in the old account maybe he will not say that
that's what I understand from this reply

Btw, why do you really want to change the domain ?
Why not redirect the new domain to your old established domain ?

And yes I Suggest that before since the old domain have PR 4
new url what to do

It is a dedicated server.

well if I redirect the new domain to the established one I am not sure if it will improve mu google position.

if i type in "law student forum" all the sites with those keywords in the domain name come forward, even if they are inferior (only spammed) or completely useless. So I figured that if google likes my content and awards PR4 it will like the content better on a relevant domain name perhaps.

What should I do?

there is a good discussion about losing PR or not here How do I move a domain without losing PR? - WebProWorld

They say that it is fine as long as you 301 redirect, my PR should be transferred to the new domain within weeks.

Originally Posted by lawstudent

there is a good discussion about losing PR or not here How do I move a domain without losing PR? - WebProWorld

They say that it is fine as long as you 301 redirect, my PR should be transferred to the new domain within weeks.

Yes it will transfer but in this time your site will be 0 PR so you will see decrease in your visitors

Well, it means I will go from 0 signups a day to zero so its ok!
And perhaps with the new domain my placement in the results will be improved, that really is what I am betting on!