Will Google Vanity URL ruin all my old backlinks??

[Former Member]

Should I get the new google vanity URL that is being offered to me. I have built many backlinks to the current URL and <acronym>it does help by ranking in areas outside of our service area (usually our webpage will rank in SERP and Google+ profile will rank shortly after).

It just helps our customers see our business name more than once in the SERPS..


By big questions is should I move to the new vanity URL? It will probably help in the long run, but short term will I drop in ranking? Does google use a 301 redirect that is just temporary and eventually something more permanent that will mess with my past backlinks?

whew...

Thanks for any advice and help everyone!
</acronym><acronym title="Search Engine Optimization"></acronym>

 

[Ben Bowen]

Not something to worry about. It's a 302 redirect- basically a "shortened" URL that redirects to your "real" , original, numeric URL.

Source: Google 302 redirects Old numeric URLs to Vanity / Custom URLs [update] | Threadwatch.org

 

[Greg Schueler]

Just an FYI...

302- redirects do NOT pass any "link juice" as they are designated as temporary movements, so Google will "hold" all the juice until a permanent home is found. 302s basically block all seo link value.

So if they are using a 302, any links pointing to the new vanity URL will be useless from an seo stance, but links pointing to the main listing will still be there and in affect.

So if you continue building links, don't point to the vanity url.

 

[Ben Bowen]

Good discussion of that on Cyrus Shepard's thread: https://plus.google.com/+CyrusShepard/posts/LjWnqUTGxFm

Doesn't seem to be a worry, as PR still flows- even if a 302 is not a "best practice".