@loramartin
Hey there, it's great to see your dedication to adapting your law firm client's marketing strategy! Switching focus from Criminal Defense to Personal Injury is a significant shift, but it sounds like you've already made some headway with the introduction of Personal Injury content.
Regarding de-indexing, I'd recommend taking a gradual approach rather than de-indexing all the pages at once. Here's why:
Domain Authority Transition: Google's algorithms consider a website's overall authority. If you de-index all Criminal Defense pages at once, it might lead to a sudden drop in authority for your domain. This could impact your rankings for other relevant keywords, including Personal Injury-related terms.
Ranking Stability: Gradually transitioning by removing or de-indexing Criminal Defense pages while strengthening Personal Injury content can help maintain your current rankings while the new content gains traction. It's like shifting your weight from one foot to the other instead of jumping entirely to the other side.
User Experience: Abruptly removing all traces of Criminal Defense content might confuse regular visitors who are accustomed to that focus. By gradually transitioning, you allow users to adapt to the new content and navigate your site more comfortably.
Link Equity: Your current Criminal Defense pages might have accumulated valuable backlinks over the years. Gradual de-indexing allows these links to continue benefitting your site's authority while you build new ones for the Personal Injury pages.
So, my suggestion would be to selectively de-index or remove the Criminal Defense pages over a span of time, maybe a few months. This will give you room to monitor the effects and adjust your strategy if needed.
Remember, consistency in updating the Personal Injury content and maintaining a seamless user experience is key. All the best with your transition, and I'm sure your law firm client will appreciate your strategic approach!