(Entry was posted by Don Sturgill on this post in the Dumb SEO Questions community on Facebook, 01/10/2015).

301 redirects for canonicalisation.

Client site, let`s say ABCZ. Both versions of the site, ABC!!.com and www.ABC!!.com are reachable url`s. Tools show both are about even in DA and such. My guess is the client needs to keep one and redirect the other to it. Yes? How to proceed. No access to Webmaster Tools. The site is controlled by an expert site design company. (That`s all pretty obvious.) Salient points are: 1) Pick one form of the url 2) Redirect via .htaccess (better than 301), 3) Select preferred url in Webmaster Tools (should do the same with Bing?) 4) Stick with it 5) Live and learn. >> Any other considerations you guys see? ?

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YOUR ANSWERS

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

Don Sturgill: Client site, let's say ABCZ. Both versions of the site, ABC!!.com and www.ABC!!.com are reachable url's. Tools show both are about even in DA and such. My guess is the client needs to keep one and redirect the other to it. Yes? How to proceed. No access to Webmaster Tools. The site is controlled by an expert site design company. (That's all pretty obvious.) Salient points are: 1) Pick one form of the url 2) Redirect via .htaccess (better than 301), 3) Select preferred url in Webmaster Tools (should do the same with Bing?) 4) Stick with it 5) Live and learn. >> Any other considerations you guys see? ;
Mach Page Speed: Yes.... they need to add a redirect in the .htaccess file in the root of the website.
Steve Kilbride: The site should be controlled by the client. ;It's fine that the design company have access - but not control.
Don Sturgill: Yep, it's an ugly situation, Steve. The company that designed the site owns their URL (the company name) and controls every aspect. Charges big bucks and did a crappy job of SEO/Conversion. It's pretty, though :)
Federico Sasso: Other than the obvious 301s:
> 5) Live and learn. >> Any other considerations you guys see?
Yes: have your client get somehow possession back of their own assets, and fire the design company.
Never let in the future a third party control such a strategic asset allowing them to suck big money because of that. Stop the black mailing - and money drain - asap. I would consider doing it even if not able to take ownership of the domain name: if you have access to .htaccess, 301 redirect to a new domain name the client really owns.
Christopher Hale: Can I ask a question? I started a new website and you can reach my website by both going to the www.version and to version.com, and in GWT I have it set to www.version as my preferred domain, am I to understand that I need to 301 redirect that version.com to the www.version? If so is there any good info out there that shows how to?

Thanks!

Chris
Rotimi Orimoloye: +Christopher Hale ;please ask your question as a new share. That way it won't be missed on the Live show, by the panel of experts. :)