Hi guys! Just some general queries. When you do a serach in google... google comes back with terms with the urls listed as "www.domainname.com" rather than "http://www.domainname.com" Does this mean I should use "www.domainname.com" when tracking keywords? I ask this because some of the terms used appear on page one in google as "www.domainname.com" whereas when I track it using the tracker here... it lists the key term as... 102,324,234 pages away if you get what I mean. Additionally, I read on the net somewhere yesterday (sorry, can't recall off the top of my head) that Google will penalize sites that use automatic keyterm trackers such as this. They don't mind if you do it manually... what are you opinions? There seems to be a thread on this http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=16826 but no definitive answer. Thanks in advance.
From what I understand automated queries that do not use API violate Google TOS. Keyword tracker uses the API. Shannon
Regardless.... it is a form of autmated rank checking. Fiction: Automated "rank checking" programs are a good way for webmasters to save time and measure their online presence. Fact: Automated rank checking programs violate Google's Terms of Service. They use server resources that should be spent on answering user requests. We strongly request that you not use rank checking programs to check your position on Google.
This has been discussed many times, the Keyword tracker is NOT against Google's TOS, they know where it is, havent shut it down. Infact surely the API was created for this purpose. It is limited to 1000 queries per api.
The API has it's own terms of service that override Google's default terms when they conflict... http://www.google.com/apis/api_terms.html As far as the original question, you can do it with http:// or without. Personally, I just use domain (no www or http://).