"Newbie" Error

chrisJumbo · #1 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 09:58 AM

I wish I could actually just chalk it up to that. But, until reading a post somewhere (and I don't remember where), I didn't know I could change the default URL in Wordpress. Duh!

So the question is:

The blog is almos a year old. For that whole time my blog address has been indexed as http:// jumbocdinvestments.com / cd_rates_blog (no www). Everytime I left a comment somewhere I used the non-www version since that is how WordPress had it defaulted.

Do I change it now to default with the www or just leave it since it has been quite a while?

I've learned for the next time though.

cd :O)

**crankydave** · #2 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 10:03 AM

If you change it, simply redirect the the non www version. If you don't change it, redirect the www version if you haven't already.

Dave

NateDesmond · #3 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 10:07 AM

I do not see any reason to start using the "www." version. I have a blog and I do not use "www.". Are there any reasons that I should switch for?

Thanks!

chrisJumbo · #4 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 10:18 AM

The potential for problems is having two versions of site indexed, www and non-www. In the case of the blog it has always been non-www, but our main site is www. So maybe since they are somewhat separate it doesn't matter as much. The blog is in a sub-folder.

Dave, thanks for the input. I don't have access to htaccess files with our host. Seems like a javascript redirect may be too much of a pain. What do you think?

cd :O)

**crankydave** · #5 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 10:30 AM

I personally don't think I'd sweat it. The blog has been up for while and eventually a canonical URL get's assigned. Just be sure and be consistant with your linking especially your internal links.

Dave

Peter (IMC) · #6 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisJumbo

I wish I could actually just chalk it up to that. But, until reading a post somewhere (and I don't remember where), I didn't know I could change the default URL in Wordpress. Duh!

So the question is:

The blog is almos a year old. For that whole time my blog address has been indexed as http:// jumbocdinvestments.com / cd_rates_blog (no www). Everytime I left a comment somewhere I used the non-www version since that is how WordPress had it defaulted.

Do I change it now to default with the www or just leave it since it has been quite a while?

I've learned for the next time though.

cd :O)

Let it be the way it is, but do try to be consistent. And open a Google Webmaster Account for this site and set the prefered URL to the non-www version over there. That will help Google to always show just one version.

chrisJumbo · #7 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 02:10 PM

Peter,

I have a Webmaster account for www . jumbocdinvestments .com. And it is set to have www. I can't have a second account for jumbocdinvestments . com / cd_rates_blog, can I?

I have been consistent with links to the main site and non-blog sub pages using www. I have also been consistent with the blog always being non-www.

Is there way to have the "Best of both worlds" in the Webmaster account?

Thank you to all.
cd :O)

Peter (IMC) · #8 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 03:55 PM

but can't you just change the default url in wordpress? You´re using search engine friendly URL's so wordpress is changing your htaccess already on its own.

**crankydave** · #9 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 03:59 PM

ahhhh... Okay

Your issue would then be with the root and not the blog itself.

If you wish, contact your host and ask them about doing a 301 from the non www root to the www root then change your internal linking. As far as Google is concerned, any "value" would probably be attributed to one or the other. If you have your preference set to the www version that's what should be used.

For example, take a look at the URL that shows up for this search...

jumbo investments blog - Google Search

They're already using the www version for the blog so changing your internal linking shouldn't be a problem for them. It would still be a good idea IMO to contact your host about the 301 for the root.

Dave

Peter (IMC) · #10 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 04:12 PM

by the way,.. maybe you do have access to the htacces,.. could be your ftp program isn't showing it because it has no name before the extention. Mayb you can edit the file through the admin account of your hosting?

Make sure to look in the right place too. Wordpress may put the htaccess in its own folder while the htaccess of the whole site is in the root. Not sure on this but something to check.

Janna122003 · #11 (**permalink**) 05-22-2008, 10:38 PM

If you already started building links using non-www then just continue that just redirect non-www to www

bj · #12 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008, 07:05 PM

Some ftp programs have to be set in options to show "hidden" files. htaccess file is one that is usually defined as "hidden" by windows, since it's an unrecognized extension. You can always edit .htaccess through cpanel's file manager.

If you're going to handle this, do it through .htaccess and/or google webmaster tools. Do not do it through wordpress since that will change ALL your urls and it's possible it will create havoc with people who have linked to you if you haven't set it in .htaccess the proper way.

Orion · #13 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008, 10:42 PM

since your blog has been indexed as non www I'd leave that set up the default URL in your google webmaster tools to be non www.

edhan · #14 (**permalink**) 05-23-2008, 11:11 PM

I am using this to redirect for my blog that is in the root directory using .htaccess method.

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^mysite.com
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.mysite.com [R=301,L]

Hope this helps.

tenkiya · #15 (**permalink**) 05-25-2008, 05:13 AM

Why not just set it up in Apache with some rewrite rules.

.htaccess is slow, slow, slow.