Google webmaster tools - Set Preferred Domain

Discussion in 'Google' started by onlyhuman, Aug 18, 2008.

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  1. #1
    Hi,

    I'm new to the forum and I tried to do a search for "preferred domain" here, but I did not find find anything so I will ask.

    When using Google's webmaster tools, you can set the preferred domain to point to your domain with the www prefix or without or you can set it to "don't set an association". Does anyone have any recommendations on this setting? And if so, what would the reasoning be?

    One other question I have concerns sitemaps. If my site is added to the webmaster tools on google without the www prefix, should my sitemap file contain links without the www prefix to internal pages within my site as well? Or is it better to now list your site under google tools without the prefix (meaning, only submit your URL with the www prefix)? I ask because when I submitted my URL there, I didn't enter the www prefix and now I'm worried that this could cost me indexing time.

    Thanks for any input.

    Also, I just wanted to say that this is a great forum with knowledgeable posts.
     
    onlyhuman, Aug 18, 2008 IP
  2. kingofsanda

    kingofsanda Peon

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    #2
    It is better to use the www prefix because it makes it easier for the search engines to
    index your pages.
     
    kingofsanda, Aug 18, 2008 IP
  3. delonix

    delonix Guest

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    #3
    I agree, use the www and make sure you navigation & links uses the full URLs too. Also, by setting this in your webmaster tools it does NOT mean that duplicate pages couldn't still be created (with and without www prefix) despite what some webmasters seem to think. You need to modify your htaccess if you want to truely redirect all links and page rank to just the www URLs
     
    delonix, Aug 18, 2008 IP
  4. onlyhuman

    onlyhuman Peon

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    #4
    Thanks to both of you.

    To delonix,
    Do you suggest modifying the .htaccess file? Would modifying the file have any significant seo gains? I understand what you are saying, I'm mostly just asking if there would be a significant benefit in doing so.

    Thank you.
     
    onlyhuman, Aug 18, 2008 IP
  5. Paintball Guns

    Paintball Guns Active Member

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    #5
    I'm not sure of the answer, but for a contrary argument, consider that
    1. you have a shorter domain without the www
    2. some leading websites are dropping the www
     
    Paintball Guns, Aug 18, 2008 IP
  6. zodiac

    zodiac Peon

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    #6
    not much at all,unless you have a bunch of non-www links when your using www.
    using a 301 redirect will make those non-www links count towards the www.
    i would still use one though.

    i would think it wouldn't matter to search engines if you have www's or not,as long as your link structure is the same.
    if you don't use www and when the bots crawl and don't find any links with www,why should it matter? :confused:
     
    zodiac, Aug 18, 2008 IP