editing a site, want to have a testing site for it w/out messing current SEO up

  • rhender

    (@rhender)


    13 years ago

    Ok, so I am editing parts of a new client’s WordPress website.

    They have strong SEO right now, so I don’t want to screw it up at all.

    My question is… I would like to set up a copy of the site in a testing location, and just turn the robots off (no index – with the option in WordPress).

    If I do this, will it not have any effect on the current strength of the live site (which is indexed in Google)? Does that make sense to anyone?

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • esmi

    (@esmi)

    It shouldn’t affect the SEO of the existing site. Google usually honours the noindex flag.

    Thread Starter rhender

    (@rhender)

    OK, that’s good to hear. Thanks Esmi. Just don’t want to have a client get mat at me… of course! who does?

    If anyone else thinks differently, please let me know your experiences you might have had.

    esmi

    (@esmi)

    You could also place the test site behind a login using something like the Absolute Privacy plugin.

    Thread Starter rhender

    (@rhender)

    Absolute Privacy plugin??

    Ok, I will check that out as well. Thanks Esmi.

    esmi

    (@esmi)

    https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/absolute-privacy/

    Thread Starter rhender

    (@rhender)

    …reading it right now, thank you.

    Thread Starter rhender

    (@rhender)

    I just had a thought regarding this.

    Wouldn’t it be best to just set up a local site on my own computer vs. even having it be live on the web… and worrying about it being indexed by search engines.

    I’ve never run a local wordpress site, so I don’t even know how to do that.

    Is it easy? How do you run the database?? It scares me to be honest, because I don’t know how the hell to do it.

    I’ve always just built my sites on the web. Thanks for any help that can be offered.

    esmi

    (@esmi)

    Is it easy?

    Oh – that’s such a subjective question to try & answer. I think it’s easy and I can set up a server & site locally in about 30mins. I’d expect someone who has never done this before to take an hour or 2 to get it going. Check out installing WordPress locally. Lots of different approaches depending upon your OS.

    Thread Starter rhender

    (@rhender)

    Ok, looks like I’ve got some reading to do now…. ??

    Thanks Esmi.

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
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