Ensuring blog is searched by google etc

[PuddlePayroll]

Hi all,

I have a news/advice section on my site in Wordpress style posts as long with some other pages not shown on the main navigation menu. Is there away to ensure search engines look through them as they contain the core of my website content.

Thanks

 

[JonathanSEO]

You have some weird redirects going on that will likely effect indexation and crawl ability of your site. Needs fixing.

Basically the way your .htaccess / Wordpress install is setup means you are redirecting search engines to a page that you're then telling them they shouldn't index as it's a canonical URL of another.

Example:

If I go to this URL: puddlepayroll. co. uk/ ?page_id=75

I get redirected to: w w w. puddlepayroll. co.uk/ ?page_id=75

Yet you have a canonical URL (basically the preferred URL google should index) set to: puddlepayroll. co. uk/ ?page_id=75

Almost like an endless loop.

Drop me a message and I'll let you know how to fix it. Unless you're on some crazy hosting package or have the worlds worst Wordpress installation then it should be a 5 minute job.

 

[PuddlePayroll]

How very strange! I will send you a message. Thank you for the offer

 

[OldWelshGuy]

In short,

you have installed your site on the puddlepayroll. co. uk domain, ALL your internal links are pointing at the non www. version, but you are then redirecting non www. pages to the www. pages.

My guess is you used the autoinstal from the hosting company and it is set to non www. version.

Having your base url as non www. and then redirecting to www. is completely the wrong thing to do. Ideally go back in and change either the redirect match in the HTACCESS to point the other way around (as in requests for www. will be sent to non www. , or change the base url in wordpress to www.domain

 

[fashionprintdesigner]

.......I need to lie down........... this stuff just makes my head dizzy...

 

[OldWelshGuy]

it is pretty basic stuff it really is. Here is the balck and white of it.

GOOGLE IS DUMB!

Google thinks that
www. domain.com (space after www. to break the link) * domain.com are different websites (yep it really is that dumb )

When you install software, you have to set the base irl (domain name) at the point of installation. Most autoinstallers use the domain.com version.

To prevent Google from getting confused about www. and non www. (this is known as canonicalisation or C14N for the geeks) you use a redirect to send all requests from 1 version to your preferred version.

In this case, when installing the software they selected domain.com as the base domain name, because of that, all internal links will use domain.com at the start of their url's. e.g. domain.com/about-us.php . because this is the base domain type (domain.com) , the redirect should take all requests for www. domain.com/ and send them to domain.com/ but the redirect has been set up the other way around.

Put simply, if you move house, you tell the postal service your old and new address. In this case, they are redirecting all their mail to their old house, which will send it to the new house, which will send it back to the old house to the nth degree!

 

[PuddlePayroll]

Makes sense. Thanks.

I have done a few tweaks that Jonathan suggested so hopefully things should look better now. Thanks Jonathan!

Is there anything I need to do to ensure google is picking up on all my posts/pages?

 

[OldWelshGuy]

yep, ideally ad a feed to your twitter and facebook pages, plus add a good pinglist into wordpress. Doing that will ensure you get decent pick up from Google. Also claim your blof at technorati.

 

[PuddlePayroll]

Thanks. Would you ever recommend updating the ping list with peoples pre made ping list or creating one for yourself?

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I use the same ping list on all my WP sites, but in fairness, the above actions should get you indexed really quickly

 

[JonathanSEO]

Thanks. Would you ever recommend updating the ping list with peoples pre made ping list or creating one for yourself?

No, stick with the default. More than enough to get you indexed.

Pretty sure I remember Matt Cutts (Head of Webspam @ Google) tweeting that ping services can get you in trouble if you have a stupid list with lots of foreign domain extensions on.

A popular blogger asked him why he was been outranked by spam sites and that was cited as a reason. Removed the ping services and left the default, and it sorted it.

 

[ITsoldUK]

In short...getting indexed in Google is easy, the challenge is to improve your ranking.

There is a simple 5 point check list I squirt over to new site owners of WP and it is below, hope it helps.

1. When installed go to admin >> settings >> reading >> make sure the check box SEARCH ENGINE VISIBILITY is clear and empty.

2. Still in admin >> settings >> go to PERMALINKS and choose a setting. I prefer POSTNAME but it is up to you.

3. In admin >> appearance >> menu create a menu that is GLOBAL (takes you to top level pages etc and save

4. Install YOAST and get cracking on buiding content

5. Finally, verify your site in Google Webmaster Tools and set the PREFERRED domain (www. or non www. whichever one you use)

That should get you indexed and away...

Regards
Daren

 

[ITsoldUK]

No, stick with the default. More than enough to get you indexed...

I always do and it seems to work just fine.

Just my preference and doesn't do me any harm.

 

[JonathanSEO]

In short...getting indexed in Google is easy, the challenge is to improve your ranking.

There is a simple 5 point check list I squirt over to new site owners of WP and it is below, hope it helps.

1. When installed go to admin >> settings >> reading >> make sure the check box SEARCH ENGINE VISIBILITY is clear and empty.

2. Still in admin >> settings >> go to PERMALINKS and choose a setting. I prefer POSTNAME but it is up to you.

3. In admin >> appearance >> menu create a menu that is GLOBAL (takes you to top level pages etc and save

4. Install YOAST and get cracking on buiding content

5. Finally, verify your site in Google Webmaster Tools and set the PREFERRED domain (www. or non www. whichever one you use)

That should get you indexed and away...

Regards
Daren

Sound Advice.

I looked at the Puddle site and all those things are in place. (Unsure on Google WMT).

Permalinks were switched to postname when the canonical / base URL were sorted out earler in the thread.

All good to go, just a matter of making the site great for users!

 

[PuddlePayroll]

Really helpful posts thank you. And I have to thank Jonathan once again for taking the time.

I have webmaster tools all sorted so will just keep going on content now.

 

[JRAD]

I have hit a snag with my current seo with google having gradually downgraded my keywords. I could do with some advice please. I changed domain host recently and wonder if this could be relevant ?

 

[ITsoldUK]

I have hit a snag with my current seo with google having gradually downgraded my keywords. I could do with some advice please. I changed domain host recently and wonder if this could be relevant ?

May I suggest you start your own thread then buddy.

Someone will then be along to help I am sure.