What Is Best Practice: www vs non-www?

I have set my sites to redirect:
domain.com > www.domain.com

however, I am not sure what the best practice is since I know that
google does not want to see two versions of your website....

I know for sure when google looks at my site, it is constantly reminding me
that there is a 301 direct in place from domain.com > www.domain.com
which gives me thought, am I doing this right, should I be doing this...?

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks

 

Google can ignore your non www site but you need to tell Google same via Google webmaster tools.

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/44231?hl=en

 

I hate the www. It is a completely useless waste of characters. As mentioned, Google lets you pick which version you prefer, with or without the www. It is just your personal preference.

 

You're doing the right thing by redirecting one to the other.

 

you have to fix canonical issue

 

I think http://www version is best, just look at Google, itself it using www version.

 

Hi, here you're talking about the domain level canonical issues. Yes, if you don’t fix this problem then google found two version of your site and the funny thing is you may penalize for this. Because in Google eyes same content published 2 different website, it means duplicate content.

So, now how to solve it?

At first add your site to Google search console (former webmaster tool), but here same issues rising. Which version of your site you need to add?

Nothing to worry about it. Add whatever you want like yoursite(dot)com (without www) added first.

But if you’re using SSL then you’ve to face a problem here, like now you’ve four option..

1. h t t p s: //

2. h t t p s: //www.

3. h t tp: //

4. h t t p: //www.

So, nothing to worry… Add 4 versions one by one.

You think, in verification google give you 4 different verification code. No sir.

Every time the code remain same, so basically you need to add this code only first time to your header section (if you choose the Alternate method> HTML Tag) option to verify your website.

So, finally we complete to add all the four version of your website( if you’ve SSL, otherwise only two version).

Now go to any one version of your site in Google search console. See there is a gear icon on the top right corner. Click here and go to Site Settings option.

You see that there is a Preferred Domain option, now choose your targeted version and save it. Remember which version of your site you choose here for preferred domain, data will generate into this version of site. Like, if I choose h t t p s: //www. then Google generate data inside this version not others.

And finally, now you fix your domain level canonical issues. But I think you should always go for www version of your site, simple Google like www version.

Thanks

 

you are right

 

As per your description what you have done is correct, and as per the Google policy. However I would also recommend that along with this please make sure that your website is user friendly too as Google gives a lot of weightage to the fact that how friendly and easily accessible your website is from user point of view.

 

Definitely www.domain.com is correct

 

Yes, this is correct. You need to have your url's only in one format whether it's "with www" or "without www", as this is the canonical issue to have both both url's. Search engines understand these url's as some different sites, and as a result you may lose your rank. So redirection is the viable option that can remove such issue.