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chromate
04-20-2004, 12:03 PM
Someone noticed that http://dating-services.net has the same PR as http://www.dating-services.net. They were saying that google considers them to be two seperate things and it would be a good idea to put a permanent re-direct to the www version to save PR from being devided between the two.

This makes sense, but I'm still not sure if it's a good idea? Does google actually consider them to be two seperate pages (with and without the www) ?

I think this has been discussed before, but I don't think there was any clear answer. In which case, would putting the 301 redirect to the www version hurt anyway?

Mike
04-20-2004, 12:18 PM
I've always thought they were seperate things. For example, type in websitepublisher.net, then type www.websitepublisher.net

There's a huge difference in PR.

GCT13
04-20-2004, 12:19 PM
Interesting the two versions have the same PR for your dating site... a few of your other sites the non www has no PR.

Anywho... Google shouldn't consider them two different sites, but it just might, so what the hey why no put the redirect?

chromate
04-20-2004, 12:24 PM
Yeah, I noticed that about my other sites too. That's why it seems to make sense. I've not done anything with redirects before (on my own sites ;) ) and I wasn't sure if google would like it or not. I guess it would be OK because they would both point to the same thing?

GCT13
04-20-2004, 12:44 PM
If you have .htaccess access (get it?), this code will automatically forward any url on your site to www.dating-service.net/sex-me-up.php (or whateven was typed in) if the "www." part was not included in the request.


# Include this line only once in your .htaccess file
RewriteEngine On

# ---
# make sure "www" is included on all urls
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^dating-services\.net [NC]
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.dating-services.net/$1 [R,L]

chromate
04-20-2004, 12:57 PM
Thanks dan. Doesn't seem to be working. If I type in a url without the www it should update to the same url but with the www part displayed, right? I copied and pasted what you wrote above, but I don't think it's working. Any ideas?

GCT13
04-20-2004, 01:04 PM
It would help if I got your domain correct. Okay! I editing the post, try it again...

chromate
04-20-2004, 01:07 PM
OOoops, I should have noticed that too! It is my site after all! :)

Works like a charm now. Thanks!

MarkB
04-20-2004, 01:08 PM
Would point one domain to the other save the PR being split? Surely PR is based on incoming links? So if there are links pointing to both, then you'd need to get them all pointed to one set address for the PR balance to be aligned.

(How Zen!!:))

chromate
04-20-2004, 01:12 PM
I think if I use a permanent redirect then it's passed to the landing page of the re-direct isn't it?

Actually, considering that, would the htaccess above count as a perm redirect? Would it have the same effect?

GCT13
04-20-2004, 01:23 PM
Originally posted by MarkB
So if there are links pointing to both, then you'd need to get them all pointed to one set address for the PR balance to be aligned.The idea is, you can't control how other sites link to you. If they leave the www. off your link, well it's like drinking sour egg nog over the holidays.

However, the code above will solve the issue (if your site is run under Apache Server). Using the code above will help, because your links will be consistent as user surf your site, there will always be the "www." on the url.

http://pbs.org/ uses the technique. I've also seen a few sites do the opposite, leaving the "www." off their urls. Perhaps the strategy is to keep their urls as short and sweet as possible, making it less likely the urls to break in emails and whatnot.

mobilebadboy
04-20-2004, 01:27 PM
That's me. I do the opposite with my URLs, redirecting to no www. But of course alot of people add links to their site with the www. It'd be nice to control that too. Even adding a site or two to DMOZ, without the www, the editor(s) felt it in their best interest to list it with the www. Of course I did email them, and the www was swiftly removed.

www is deprecated, and just unneeded nowadays, IMO.