Does Google index redirected websites?

slinkydonkey · #1 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 11:53 AM

Hello All

I have bought the domain www.paulsheraton.co.uk which I redirect to my own private server. The problem is that the only way I have been able to get my site in the google system is by linking my site to another already indexed site see www.sideburns.co.uk and even then in google when I search under the string 'paulsheraton' it only returns the URL not the meta description.

Am I right in thinking Google doesnt index websites which get redirected as it cant see them?

Thanks
Paul S

bhartzer · #2 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Am I right in thinking Google doesnt index websites which get redirected as it cant see them?

Yes, their spiders crawl your sites just like a user would--they get redirected (hopefully with a 301 Permanent Redirect) and therefore do not crawl the content on your site. By doing a redirect, you're telling everyone that both sites are the same--they go to one domain and it points to the other where the actual content resides.

slinkydonkey · #3 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 04:17 PM

So if I want to get my website fully indexed in google with the URL and meta description I simply can't becasue im using a redirection service?

Are you saying that I am forced to buy a server space off my domain supply?

I only have limited access to the redirection page, I can add the page title the meta description and meta keywords sadly I can add a bots follow line.

Why would my domain company allow me too choose key words on the redirection page if they new that the page wouldent get indexed.

I must admit I am a bit of a newbee to website design and implementation but would like to get this to work.

I have added the code from my redirection page:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META NAME="description" content="Paul Sheraton's Online Curriculum Vitae.">
<META NAME="keywords" content="Qualifications, Career Achievements, Contact Forum, Links Page, Paul Sheraton">
<TITLE>paulsheraton.co.uk - Paul Sheraton's Online Curriculum Vitae. Qualifications, Career Achievements, Contact Forum, Links Page, Paul Sheraton</TITLE>

</HEAD>
<FRAMESET ROWS="100%,*" BORDER="0" FRAMEBORDER="0">
<FRAME SRC="http://myipaddress/web/" SCROLLING="AUTO" NAME="bannerframe" NORESIZE>
</FRAMESET>
<NOFRAMES>
paulsheraton.co.uk - Paul Sheraton's Online Curriculum Vitae. Qualifications, Career Achievements, Contact Forum, Links Page, Paul Sheraton

<DIV ALIGN="CENTER">http://paulsheraton.co.uk/</DIV>
</NOFRAMES>
</HTML>

bhartzer · #4 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Are you saying that I am forced to buy a server space off my domain supply?

Yes, you must have website hosting somewhere. It doesn't have to be your domain supplier, though, you can get website hosting services from any place you want.

braknews · #5 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 05:04 PM

I always test my pages in a Lynx viewer as I can remember reading somewhere that if it looks OK in Lynx then a Search Engine bot can read it.

While frames are not really search engine friendly if you use the NOFRAMES area they can read the pages behind the frame.

When I use a Lynx browser on the domain you gave above get this.

slinkydonkey · #6 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 05:33 PM

Thanks for your help guys although think I am confusing my self even more :OD

bhartzer you say that I must have website hosting somewhere I do, I have my own win 2003 server thats the ip address users get forwarded too once they enter my domain name.

My point was that if I bought webspace off my domain supplier there would be no need for the redirection page currently been used. Hence the google bot would hopefuly see my true homepage and index the page.

braknews sadly I only have limited access to code the redirection page but looking at it it does have the NOFRAMES thingy.

Im reading the booking search engine optimization for dummies think ill keep reading it I never thought it would be soo hard to get a page indexed :OD guess I was wrong

bhartzer · #7 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 05:45 PM

Quote:

bhartzer you say that I must have website hosting somewhere I do, I have my own win 2003 server thats the ip address users get forwarded too once they enter my domain name.

Great, so change the nameservers so that it points to your server.

Quote:

My point was that if I bought webspace off my domain supplier there would be no need for the redirection page currently been used. Hence the google bot would hopefuly see my true homepage and index the page.

That's exactly how it works. It will then index your true homepage.

Kellare · #8 (**permalink**) 12-03-2004, 06:23 PM

There are companies that can set up your domain name to be redirected to your ip address, some of them are free with or without restriction and others charge a fee.

Once set up anyone typing your domain name is taken directly to your server.

Here's a free one but they also offer several paid packages that might be worth you looking into

http://www.no-ip.com/services/page/free/dynamic/dns

or if they don't meet your needs just do a search for dynamic ip redirection or dynamic dns and you should get quite a few results.

slinkydonkey · #9 (**permalink**) 12-04-2004, 07:42 AM

Again thanks for all your help guys but I cant help but think you are missing the point.

I currently have my own doamin which is being forwarded to my own private webserver.

That in it's self is not a problem.

The problem I am having is that my site is not getting indexed correctly in any of the major search systems ie Google or Yahoo.

When I search for 'paulsheraton.co.uk' a link to my friends website (sideburns.co.uk) comes up.

I know that my site isnt index correctly in google by doing the following:

cache:http://paulsheraton.co.uk/
When I enter
site:paulsheraton.co.uk -ppppp
this is what comes up in google
'www.paulsheraton.co.uk/
Similar pages '

In final conclusion are you guys saying the reason why the web hosted on my private server is not getting indexed is simply becase the bots cant follow the redirect from my domain provider to my private server. And that to resolve this I have to buy webspace directly off them (it seems crazy that im forced to pay for webspace when I have my own server)?

computergenius · #10 (**permalink**) 12-04-2004, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slinkydonkey

I have added the code from my redirection page:

I am confused! What is the URL for this code?

Quote:

Originally Posted by slinkydonkey

<NOFRAMES>
paulsheraton.co.uk - Paul Sheraton's Online Curriculum Vitae. Qualifications, Career Achievements, Contact Forum, Links Page, Paul Sheraton

<DIV ALIGN="CENTER">http://paulsheraton.co.uk/</DIV>
</NOFRAMES>

Missing </P>!

You seem to have bought the domain name paulsheraton.co.uk, and have two servers. I don't understand why you have two. And why do you redirect?

Why can you not just change the DNS, which you should be able to do where you bought the domain name, so that it points directly to your main pages? And bin this redirection page? This is the standard method.

You cannot safely redirect a bot using html - you can do it with your .htaccess file, or in PHP or ASP.

Kellare · #11 (**permalink**) 12-04-2004, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by computergenius

Why can you not just change the DNS, which you should be able to do where you bought the domain name, so that it points directly to your main pages? And bin this redirection page? This is the standard method.

Typically this won't work unless you have a primary and backup ip-address, since it's on his server I'm guessing it only has one public ip-address.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slinkydonkey

Again thanks for all your help guys but I cant help but think you are missing the point.

Changing the DNS though will get around the problem you are having because you won't need to redirect the website using a frame. The dns simply points people at your computer directly when they ask for paulsheraton.co.uk

The reason that I mentioned the dynamic dns companies is because they allow you to set up your dns using only 1 ip address, you don't need a primary and backup ip address, and it doesnt matter if your ip address changes, your domain name just points directly at your server.

hth and appologies if it doesnt.

slinkydonkey · #12 (**permalink**) 12-04-2004, 01:18 PM

Hi Kellare

I have one server and I have one a static public IP address, the only admin I can do at all to my domin is this:

http://faq.1and1.co.uk/guide_to_usin..._domain/1.html

I dont have any DNS settings to change. Sounds like I need to switch my domain provider to one that provides dynamic dns.

Thanks
Paul

nelsonez · #13 (**permalink**) 12-04-2004, 05:00 PM

Why are you using frames anyway?? The search engines hate frames and every client that I have switched away from frames have seen dramatic improvements in the SERP's.

Just my opinion but I think the use of frames is hurting you.

EZ

nelsonez · #14 (**permalink**) 12-04-2004, 05:45 PM

The other problem I see at first glance is their is no content in the body of the page. The search engines tend to want to see that at least some of the text in the meta tags matches text in the body of the page. Otherwise their algorthims see on reason to index it.

EZ

Kellare · #15 (**permalink**) 12-04-2004, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nelsonez

Why are you using frames anyway?? The search engines hate frames and every client that I have switched away from frames have seen dramatic improvements in the SERP's.

This is part of the dns setup, essentially it gives the option to open your website inside a frame so that to a web browser it looks as though they are still on the url they entered. Using this kind of setup the web site designer can't modify the no frames text which is what causes the problems. It also means the search engine can't get to specific pages inside the actual website they can only see the entry page.

and yes slinkymonkey, you'll need to transfer to one of the redirecting dns, typically you still pay for your domain registration through the original dns though. There should be an option somewhere to transfer your primary and secondary dns servers to that provided by the redirecting service. You can get the information that you need when you sign up to the new service but if you have any problems just send them an email and they should be able to help you out more.

Mumtaz · #16 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 07:44 AM

I would suggest slinkydonkey should go for link popularity to have the site indexed and ranked in google. You can have free and paid links. That is the best method I have learned so far.

slinkydonkey · #17 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 12:09 PM

Thanks for your help guys, Im going to sign up with that NO-IP.com company and transfer my domain accross to them.

Ive tried there free service and even that offers more than my current company. :O)

slinkydonkey · #18 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 11:33 AM

I phoned my domain providers and they said I could upgrade to the full DNS service this seems to have worked and I can see my site in google now :OD