Changing my meta tags

[Kerrib4]

I am changing my product range on my website, which means I will be using different keywords. I need to change the whole meta tags for my homepage, and I am wondering if doing this could have any negative effects. Most of my keywords are for children's car seats which I am no longer going to be selling.

Thanks

 

[zigojacko]

Well if your meta tags contain keywords for / target a product range that you aren't selling anymore then there's no requirement to rank for those terms so no possible negative implications will arise.

 

[Kerrib4]

Thanks, I thought it would be okay but though I was best to check.

Also, I am having to place redirects on all my old product urls and some old category urls. Should I be directing all of them to my homepage, or am I best to direct these to different pages on my site. I have never had to work with redirects before so I'm not too sure what is best.

 

[fisicx]

If the old products/categories no longer exist re-direct to a:

Sorry but we don't stock these items anymore. But we can offer you the following....

You then need to tell Google so they can remove the pages form the index.

 

[Kerrib4]

If the old products/categories no longer exist re-direct to a:

Sorry but we don't stock these items anymore. But we can offer you the following....

You then need to tell Google so they can remove the pages form the index.

Thanks, so basically I should make a new page and set it to hide so that only these old urls link there? Correct me if I'm wrong as I've never done this before.

How do I tell Google?

 

[zigojacko]

Thanks, so basically I should make a new page and set it to hide so that only these old urls link there? Correct me if I'm wrong as I've never done this before.

How do I tell Google?

Register a Google account, sign up to Webmaster Tools, add your website, verify your website (either by meta tag, uploading a file via FTP or creating a DNS entry) and then once verified you can request the removal of certain pages of your site in Google's index.

Just ensuring each 'old' indexed page is 301 redirected to a similar/helpful page should suffice though, as long as there are no 'dead' pages of your site left in Google's index.

 

[Kerrib4]

Thanks for your help. I've already got a Google account so I will give this a try once I get my new products in and my redirects are done.