Google gone crazy!?! Why is it indexing my site strange!

[Frenchiexno1]

My site was listed fine on google and then recently (last day I have noticed) it is indexing my site as http://plooka.com and is missing out the www. at the beginning.

This is causing my flash menu to stop loading - whats going on???

 

[maxeaus]

I think you will find you have a case of canonization of your url. This in basic caveman terms (which is how i uderstand it) means you have two versions of your website, a http://www.plooka.com, and a http://plooka.com .

Which in simple terms also means you have copied content of your own site indexed by Google and other search engines. this may or may not have occured for many reasons, that i have absolutely no control of or understand. All i know is, i had the same problem with my website, and i never bothered to fix it, i sold it instead!

Not to say you should do this (sell),i suggest you get yourself over to Google webmaster forums and you will be given the answer/s to your problem by people who are so smart, you can only be in awe of there sheer willingness to share their knolledge and help you out for free.!

WOW, on coming back out of my cave and looking at your site/s.....they are not even the same site!.......The guys at Google Webmasters are gunna love this one!!!, Nope im going crazy, they are the same site now, you have "issues" here my friend.

 

[weblord]

it's ok on google.com.ph
http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=site:plooka.com

 

[maxeaus]

A thousand pardons, it appears i typed in the wrong URL, that is why i got two different sites. So, it appears you just have a simple case of canonization.

 

[Frenchiexno1]

Ok I will get over to the webmaster forums as I dont think I have two versions of my site on my server. This is really odd!

Googled 'Canonization' and manged to get myself ordained! I expect to be the next Pope!

 

[maxeaus]

Your Holiness , :lol: , i should be more specific! :lol: again type in cononization url, and then you may get a better idea, oh holy one.

 

[Peter]

Ok I will get over to the webmaster forums as I dont think I have two versions of my site on my server. This is really odd!

You wont have 2 versions onthe server. You will have the 1 site that is capableof being accessed in at least 2 ways.

The normal setup of Apache (web server) is for www.domain.com to lead to the same place as domain.com.

You may also find your site accessible using servr_host_name.com/~cpanel_username which makes a 3rd way. There are other ways as well but beyond this post to go through each.

To fix this issue simply put a .htaccess (thats right nothing before the .) file in the root web accessible folder on your sebsite with the collofinw content)

RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^YOUR_DOMAIN.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.YOUR_DOMAIN.com/$1 [L,R=301]

This will take care of google directing to the wrong URL and give it a proper 301 redirect to say the content has moved too www.domain.com (remember to change domain.com in both instances to your actual domain).

Anyone using a browser made in the last 10 years (or even longer) will also be redirected to the proper address.

 

[angilina]

I suggest you do what Peter just said, that is, do a 301 redirect the non-www version to the www version.

I think this will solve the issue, however, it may take some time for google to update the indexed pages.

If the problem do not solve, then I think you should go to google webmaster groups and ask this question there. hopefully some google team member will help you with it.

 

[Damion]

Within Google Webmaster Central you can also specify your preference for the www or non www version of your URL's.

Login and go to Tools -> Set preferred domain

And as well implement the suggestion Peter brought forward.

 

[Peter]

Although I agree Damion that should be done. Google themselves have state they do not always take note of that.

 

[Damion]

Good practice though