Include files and impact on SEO

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by deepblue, Dec 26, 2007.

  1. #1
    I have built a site over last 7 years and it is pretty big with around 40,000 original content pages.

    All pages have been done manually over years and use same include file for head, navigation bar and footer. Now i notice that google treat all pages same and my forums rank much better on search engine than my site though site has much better content.

    How to handle this include file problem??
     
    deepblue, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  2. BILZ

    BILZ Peon

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    #2
    give us a link to the site - maybe we can figure it out.
     
    BILZ, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  3. Philopoemen

    Philopoemen Peon

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    #3
    Being big does not mean you're also good.
    If all pages are cluttered with useless code and duplicate content - it doesn't matter if you have 10 or 1000 pages.
     
    Philopoemen, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  4. wd_2k6

    wd_2k6 Peon

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    #4
    What include file problem you haven't stated one?
     
    wd_2k6, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  5. deepblue

    deepblue Peon

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    #5
    Hi

    You are right big does not mean anything. However all the pages are original content and let me explain it again

    I use include files for site layout that is there is one header,, footer and left hand navigation file. In all articles i use them to give look and feel and standard navigation.
    However I realized that google is not indexing pages properly and treating all pages as same and dont show more than 2000 or so unique pages. So how can i do optimization so that include file does not impact.
     
    deepblue, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  6. Philopoemen

    Philopoemen Peon

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    #6
    Who told you that the includes affect your indexing, and not something else? Just give us a link and we'll see what's the problem.
     
    Philopoemen, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  7. Diablos

    Diablos Guest

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    #7
    I use includes and have so far seen no negative seo effect. I would say they actually help Googlebot as they adhere to the webmaster guidelines about easy, text based navigation.
     
    Diablos, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  8. deepblue

    deepblue Peon

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    #8
    chk

    www.coolavenues.com
     
    deepblue, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  9. Philopoemen

    Philopoemen Peon

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    #9
    Well, besides having very bad code, there is nothing wrong with your includes.
     
    Philopoemen, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  10. sweetfunny

    sweetfunny Banned

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    #10
    Includes are rendered on the fly and output as a regular webpage, Google doesn't even know or care if it has includes because it just sees the final result.
     
    sweetfunny, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  11. Sem-Advance

    Sem-Advance Notable Member

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    #11
    You have 40,000 pages but only 2000 seem to have inbound links to them in Googles eyes.

    Google is indexing pages properly .....

    you however are not building links properly it seems.

    :D
     
    Sem-Advance, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  12. BILZ

    BILZ Peon

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    #12
    Includes are performed server-side which makes them invisible to search engines. Your problem isn't the include files.
     
    BILZ, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  13. catanich

    catanich Peon

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    #13
    DeepBlue, there is something called a Html Validation Checker that you should be using. From the following page: http://www coolavenues.com/seminars/index.php3 you should notice the errors.

    <html>
    <head>
    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">

    <META name="Title" content="CoolAvenues Networks : The online source for MBA's">
    <META name="Keywords" content="MBA, CoolAvenues, Business, Business school, MBA jobs, MBA career, MBA interview, Business degree, MBA program, Online mba, MBA online, Top business schools, Best business schools, Business week magazine, MBA students, Business Manaement, Business students, Online mba program, Mba rankings, Business plan, Business school listings, Business programs, MBA life, Careers, Jobs, IIMs, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow">
    <META name="Description" content="CoolAvenues MBA job channel is largest resource of Knowledge Seminars related to Business Management field. Best source area for HR Seminars, Finance Seminars, Marketing Seminars, IT & Technology Seminars. Get a single poin information on Seminars related to Brands Management, Fixed Income, Equity Research, Bonds, Human resources, Sales, Technology etc.">
    <META name="Author" content="CoolAvenues Networks">
    <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript">
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
    _uacct = "UA-151926-1";
    urchinTracker();
    </script>

    <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://www.coolavenues.com/cool.css" type="text/css">
    </head> <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://www.coolavenues.com/cool.css" type="text/css">

    <div align="center">

    <body style="margin-top: 3px;">
    <table border="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" NAME="top" WIDTH="750" valign="top">​


    Second, check the "Last Modified Date" of the content page (not the header, footer, etc.). If the combined page's "Last Modified Date" is not changed, then Google will not index it if you modify the "header" page.

    Suggestion: Move all pages into another FTP directory, and then move them back. This should update the "Last Modified Date".

    Then create a "google sitemap" and submit it to google via the webmaster tools account.
     
    catanich, Dec 27, 2007 IP
  14. deepblue

    deepblue Peon

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    #14
    Hi all

    thanks a lot for all feedback. It was a real eye opener. I think probably migrating to a cms will solve the issue

    i) quality of code

    ii) ease of management

    Once again thanks a lot. Just wanted your feedback on vivvo
     
    deepblue, Dec 27, 2007 IP