To WWW or NOT to WWW?

[ArtfulWebSites]

What does everyone think about using or not using the "WWW." on domain names? Do you use it when you promote to the SEs and directories? Do you use it on all references to the URL?

 

[DanielF]

Well, www still makes sense. It makes it easier for everybody to recognize a domain as what it is especially if you use an extension like .info which is not widely known. There are other reasons as well: automatic linking in software (without having to type http:// each time), can not be mistaken for mail addresses by noobs (yes, that happen's) etc.

Regards

Daniel

 

[Web Master]

If you have a domain that has a homepage, it's better to use "WWW. + YourDomain" , since it can be indexed easily on SEs and directories. Although window and some other browsers can automatically add "http://" before your web address, it's always better to add "http://" before "WWW. + YourDomain", because "http://www.YourDomain" will make no errors or wrong redirections when your domain is being indexed.

 

[Keral_Patel]

I would use www. for making all the links and doing other marketing stuff.

Moreover from your google webmaster account you can select the pages to be shown in the index from www. or from the NON www.

Other thing to make the NON www. redirect to the www. is to use the .htaccess file.

 

[ArtfulWebSites]

Great Info & Tips

Wow! A ton of great information and tips already!!

Thanks, guys.

 

[abdussamad]

I never use www in my developed sites. It is archaic and I am surprised to see domainers who should know better using it. MAybe we'll get a better idea of what most domainers prefer when more people vote in this poll.

 

[Ringr]

If I'm just tossing the link out and I don't really care if people click it or not, I don't put in the "www." prefix. But if I am formerly sharing it or submitting it to someone or a place, I add the "www." to make it look professional and to make sure no one has any issues accessing it.

 

[harkster]

I would use www. for making all the links and doing other marketing stuff.

Moreover from your google webmaster account you can select the pages to be shown in the index from www. or from the NON www.

Other thing to make the NON www. redirect to the www. is to use the .htaccess file.

This is a most important item which is often overlooked/forgotten (I sometimes forget in the rush of always having multiple projects going).

This has been posted numerous times but never hurts to do it again.

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

Without this it is possible that over time the domain.ext and www.domain-ext can have different PR values. By using the .htaccess entry all backlinks will be assigned to the www.

 

[ArtfulWebSites]

This is a most important item which is often overlooked/forgotten (I sometimes forget in the rush of always having multiple projects going).

This has been posted numerous times but never hurts to do it again.

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

Without this it is possible that over time the domain.ext and www.domain-ext can have different PR values. By using the .htaccess entry all backlinks will be assigned to the www.

hark,

Good to see you on the forum again. I haven't heard from you in awhile.

What a great suggestion and thanks for the .htaccess code.

I have a question about implementation. I have a multiple domain hosting account on a Linux/Apache server. There is a main domain and several "virtual host" secondary domains under it, each in their own sub-folder. I only have an .htaccess file in the root folder (main domain), which I understand is used for all the secondary domains as well. Is that right? If so, in this .htaccess file in the root, do I need to replicate the last two lines of the code and customize for EACH domain.ext?

 

[instance]

I still use www because people seem to know and trust it more like .com's. And if my dad always uses it then I'm sure more computer illiterate people do too.

 

[RJ]

On all new developed sites, I drop the www entirely and use .htaccess to rewrite the URL if anyone does enter www. I think in a few years it's going to be obsolete, so why not start now.

You can grab the code and a cool badge from here, http://no-www.org/

BTW, NamePros still uses www because that's how I launched it, and changing it now would make everyone have to re-login.

 

[mis_chiff]

This is a most important item which is often overlooked/forgotten (I sometimes forget in the rush of always having multiple projects going).

This has been posted numerous times but never hurts to do it again.

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

Without this it is possible that over time the domain.ext and www.domain-ext can have different PR values. By using the .htaccess entry all backlinks will be assigned to the www.

I was probably part of that thread :lol:
Here is an example of "to WWW or not WWW"
http://www.theceliac.com PR3
http://theceliac.com PR0

I have the rewrite in my .htaccess so when you type either
it goes to www.theceliac.com but when you check page rank
it shows different.

 

[ArtfulWebSites]

Confusing!

On all new developed sites, I drop the www entirely and use .htaccess to rewrite the URL if anyone does enter www. I think in a few years it's going to be obsolete, so why not start now.

You can grab the code and a cool badge from here, http://no-www.org/

BTW, NamePros still uses www because that's how I launched it, and changing it now would make everyone have to re-login.

RJ,

Whoa!! Now I am really confused. What you are saying (no-www is the way to go) is the direct opposite of hark and Nick. Even in the FAQ on the no-www.org site, in reference to "Class C", it says: "...many internet users are not yet savvy enough to drop the www every time." And even the experienced Domainers here (including myself) don't seem to be aware that www is deprecated, and apparently has been since at least 2003.

So, if many professionals, and the vast majority of average users aren't aware of it, will www EVER go away???

I must say I have been in the no-www camp for some time, but I recently ran into some SEs and directories that REQUIRE it for your submissions, and MSN was one of them!!

What is a Domainer to do???

Wow, to get even more confused, read these dialogs:

http://forums.asmallorange.com/lofiversion/index.php/t3752.html

and

http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/06/14/examplecom-vs-wwwexamplecom-trouble/

In the first one, I found the quote:

"There is no official deprecation because there is no official requirement - and never was. It is a technical convention, nothing more. The no-www group simply want people to start using their convention."

I did some searching too, and could not find ANY "official" statement stating that www is deprecated, other than on no-www.org.

Plus our poll seems to be in a 50/50 deadlock www vs no-www.

Sounds like you should go which ever way you feel more comfortable, but in either case you should use .htaccess code:

If you are a non-www'er use:

###
###  Assign all links to domain.ext
###
###  ***NOTE***  Change ???????? to appropriate Domain Name
###
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.????????\.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://????????.com/$1 [R=301,L]

If you are a www'er use:

###
###  Assign all links to www.domain.ext
###
###  ***NOTE***  Change ???????? to appropriate Domain Name
###
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^????????.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.????????.com/$1 [L,R=301]

 

[Erdy]

When I want others to click on the link I add the www's so it becomes a link instead a text. What I do is very simple. I forward the url to its listing page. For instance:

Click on the domain to buy:

www.yourfrench.com $79
www.yourgerman.com $79

 

[cache]

I don't use www

One problem I have is the yahoo's publisher network. When I check the stats of the YPN, there
is differences for www version and non www version. Very annoying.

 

[Ronald Regging]

How would you feel if someone chopped off your www?

 

[scandiman]

To answer the OP, yes and no. I use the htaccess code previously mentioned to redirect www to the no-www. For me that is a matter of preference, trying to have less junk in the address bar. But when marketing a domain, I feel it is important to consider the audience. Many older net users seem to think the www is required but younger users seem to understand more that the www doesn't matter.

 

[dongan]

I ALWAYS use "WWW." on all references to my domains

 

[mis_chiff]

How would you feel if someone chopped off your www?

:lol:

 

[xman]

IMO i think typing WWW is a condition responds. I sometimes try not to type in the WWW when i go to a site but i end up typing it anyway. WWW is a second nature for most internet user.