De-indexed site

crabfoot · 17-06-2009, 01:42:38 PM

I recently moved a site onto a free host. No point in paying for hosting - four pages and the pics are linked - but now it has been de-indexed by Google.

Fishing around in Webmasters and Analytics help, I found the reason is in the way that Google indexes sites in the first place - if the site is indexed as
htttp:// www. mydomain .com initially, and the host has the preference set to
htttp:// mydomain .com , the indexing gets lost! Same thing happens if the preferences are the other way round.

So - how can I check the way Google has indexed a site before I move it next time?

Also, how do I know which is my host's preferred setting? Most do not bother you with the question when you are setting up an account.

I do remember being asked once, and thinking "what does it matter"? Now I know why it matters ...

Skinner · 17-06-2009, 02:22:20 PM

Use htaccess settings to set preference

My sites are accessible by both, and my servers have no preference.

As or checking which is indexed, google site:dom.ext to see if you have www. or not.

crabfoot · 17-06-2009, 02:28:27 PM

Ta - nice to know somebody cares!

Skinner · 17-06-2009, 02:33:52 PM

domain lore - Google Search

No WWW listed there for example

squarerobot · 17-06-2009, 02:45:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skinner

Use htaccess settings to set preference

For those of you that don't know, this is the code to use to make the non www version of your site redirect to the version with the www. Simply add the following to your .htaccess file and hey presto!

Code:

# 301 redirect non-www. to www.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^yourdomain.co.uk [NC] 
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.yourdomain.co.uk/$1 [L,R=301]

I also use the following to redirect any requests for index.php to just mydomain.co.uk - this helps prevent both being indexed (better for SEO imho).

Code:

# 301 index.php to /
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} ^[A-Z]{3, 9}\ /.*index\.php\ HTTP/
RewriteRule ^(.*)index\.php$ /$1 [L,R=301]

Skinner · 17-06-2009, 02:48:31 PM

I think you missed a bracket :P

I keep missing braces in PHP lately, not really done that since I moved from VB to C years ago but lately I keep doing it :P

squarerobot · 17-06-2009, 02:55:07 PM

Fixed! (that'll teach me to copy and paste!)

crabfoot · 17-06-2009, 10:23:16 PM

It's all good stuff! I'm learning ... but where do I put that code?

LOL I can't even remember how to program the alarm clock these days ...

admin · 17-06-2009, 10:29:29 PM

Put it in your .htaccess file (which should be in the root of your domain)

aZooZa · 17-06-2009, 10:37:06 PM

Steve rules!

17-06-2009, 01:42:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
crabfoot Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 814 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 1)	De-indexed site - a cautionary tale I recently moved a site onto a free host. No point in paying for hosting - four pages and the pics are linked - but now it has been de-indexed by Google. Fishing around in Webmasters and Analytics help, I found the reason is in the way that Google indexes sites in the first place - if the site is indexed as htttp:// www. mydomain .com initially, and the host has the preference set to htttp:// mydomain .com , the indexing gets lost! Same thing happens if the preferences are the other way round. So - how can I check the way Google has indexed a site before I move it next time? Also, how do I know which is my host's preferred setting? Most do not bother you with the question when you are setting up an account. I do remember being asked once, and thinking "what does it matter"? Now I know why it matters ... __________________ Cloud Factories ppi-info

17-06-2009, 02:22:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
Skinner Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Manchester Posts: 2,501 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 13)	Use htaccess settings to set preference My sites are accessible by both, and my servers have no preference. As or checking which is indexed, google site:dom.ext to see if you have www. or not. __________________ Browse:

17-06-2009, 02:33:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
Skinner Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Manchester Posts: 2,501 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 13)	domain lore - Google Search No WWW listed there for example __________________ Browse:

17-06-2009, 02:48:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
Skinner Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Manchester Posts: 2,501 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 13)	I think you missed a bracket :P I keep missing braces in PHP lately, not really done that since I moved from VB to C years ago but lately I keep doing it :P __________________ Browse:

17-06-2009, 10:23:16 PM	#8 (permalink)
crabfoot Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 814 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 1)	It's all good stuff! I'm learning ... but where do I put that code? LOL I can't even remember how to program the alarm clock these days ... __________________ Cloud Factories ppi-info

17-06-2009, 02:28:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
crabfoot Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 814 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 1)	Ta - nice to know somebody cares!

17-06-2009, 02:55:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
squarerobot Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Posts: 64 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (0% / 0)	Fixed! (that'll teach me to copy and paste!)

17-06-2009, 10:29:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
admin Administrator Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,511 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 1)	Put it in your .htaccess file (which should be in the root of your domain) __________________ Domain Appraisal \| Domain Escrow Service \| UK Appliances \| Surrey Deals \| Domain Auctions from Acorn Domains Subscribe to our Domains For Sale newsletter :: Submit a Domain For Sale to our newsletter :: Domains For Sale

17-06-2009, 10:37:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
aZooZa Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 3,995 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 46)	Steve rules!

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