How does location of homepage affect search engine rankings?

[everything_webby]

Hi,

I'm about to install a cms on my domain (eg. xyz123.com) and I have the option to install it under a directory or at the top level, therefore I was wondering if it makes any difference to my search engine rankings if I install it under xyz123.com/ or xyz123.com/homepage/ for example and then redirect xyz123.com to xyz123.com/homepage/ for example?

 

[pete.mcal]

If you're using a permanent 301 redirect then it does not matter where you redirect your home page (root domain) to. Any page rank and SEO value will be mostly carried over to the final destination.

 

[ITsoldUK]

Why would you do this?

Making it fiddly for the sake of it (unless you have a reason for doing this???)

Put the CMS at TOP LEVEL and go about your work dude.

Stop over complicating things.

TTFN

 

[ITsoldUK]

When you have two different web sites referring to the same page. Like xyz123.com to xyz123.com/homepage/, many search engines will take both of them as separate pages. According to the human eyes, we can easily identify this two are same but according to search engine both are separate. Search engine treat it as a duplicate content. And your pages might get blocked.

No they wouldn't...

and remove your link or the mods will kick your booty

 

[everything_webby]

No they wouldn't...

and remove your link or the mods will kick your booty

Are you sure on this one as there seem to be conflicting views here.

I guess my main reason for doing this was so I could (if I wanted) have multiple cms installations under the same high level domain for trying things out all separated nicely in their own installation folders with none at the top level, this isn't a necessity, however just thought it would be a better way to organise things.

I guess if its not an exact science with respect to rankings, I can always just go with a top level installation...

 

[InternetMarketingPlatinum]

No they wouldn't...

and remove your link or the mods will kick your booty

Yes they would, same with www and non-www

 

[everything_webby]

Based on the feedback, I think I'll just re-install my cms at the top level to avoid any potential SEO issues, however its good to know about the 301 redirect so thanks for that!