SEO impact of switching to HostGator

[jramljak]

I used to work on websites in a university setting, where I didn't need a host, and I am now starting to develop sites for independent clients. I have decided to go with HostGator as the host for this work and I will be using WordPress.
Most of my clients will already have sites with various hosts and I have to convince them to switch to WordPress. One of the main concerns they have is losing SEO ranking if they transfer from one host to another. I am aware that SEO ranking is a huge subject but I was wondering if any of you have dealt with clients with these concerns. The better answer that I am able to give them, the more likely it is that they will move over to HostGator. I am also concerned about how transferring content from an HTML site into a WordPress site may affect SEO but that may be a question for the WordPress forums.

[Pazeh]

Till lately, transferring hosts should wouldn't impact your SEO, but the latest page-load speed criteria that google implements might play a roll, if your clients site are on a super duper fast server.

now switching from html pages to WP, might play a roll cause the URL structure of the site might defer.

here you have two options, if your currents sites' urls are SEO friendly, then force WP to use those URLs else create SEO friendly urls in WP n redirect the old url to the current

Example (good url)
domain.com/products/car <-- you can keep this structure in WP

(bad url)
domain.com/index.php?page=5&id=1 you can create a url that is better like, domain.com/products/car & redirect your old (bad)url to the current one, this way you will not only (most probably) loose the current SEO, but also make it better.

[maddyyadav]

Thanks pazeh )

[skyrim77]

You should be fine I have converted many HTML sites to Wordpress and my rankings actually improved on some sites.

[eurgbp]

"One of the main concerns they have is losing SEO ranking if they transfer from one host to another. "
wow, this is news to me, how it is possible that Google would penalize you just for switching web hosting provider?
they are not changing domain names, just simply moving from one IP address to another.
Moving to Wordpress is a good idea, there are like gazillion of plugins for WP platform, there are lots of plugins for URL conversion to SEO friendly format & Sitemap creators, and stuff like that so, so go WP