When index.html is a redirect to a .php homepage does it need metatags?

rihallix · 02-06-2012, 07:53 AM

My site is PHP driven and the index.html is a redirect to index.php. I just got an SEO report but it appeared to do all the evaluation on the all but empty index.html file which is nothing but a JavaScript redirect.

Do I need to populate this index.html redirect with metatags and content (even though no one will see it)?

This seems like a shortcoming of the report - but I wanted to check with the experts.

kodshi · 02-06-2012, 08:13 AM

In this case you don't need the index.html file, if it just redirect to the index.php file, you can delete it.

rihallix · 02-06-2012, 08:27 AM

Won't users get "page not found" when they go to the domain without specifying a page URL?

(I thought browsers only redirected to the index.html, not the index.php).

rihallix · 02-06-2012, 08:30 AM

Doh! I took the leap of faith and deleted index.html and voila - the site redirects to index.php.

[-2 doofus points for me]

kodshi · 02-06-2012, 08:45 AM

I am glad that it worked for you

02-06-2012, 07:53 AM	#1
rihallix Warrior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	When index.html is a redirect to a .php homepage does it need metatags? My site is PHP driven and the index.html is a redirect to index.php. I just got an SEO report but it appeared to do all the evaluation on the all but empty index.html file which is nothing but a JavaScript redirect. Do I need to populate this index.html redirect with metatags and content (even though no one will see it)? This seems like a shortcoming of the report - but I wanted to check with the experts.

02-06-2012, 08:13 AM	#2
kodshi Active Warrior Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 41 Thanks: 3 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: When index.html is a redirect to a .php homepage does it need metatags? In this case you don't need the index.html file, if it just redirect to the index.php file, you can delete it.

02-06-2012, 08:27 AM	#3
rihallix Warrior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: When index.html is a redirect to a .php homepage does it need metatags? Won't users get "page not found" when they go to the domain without specifying a page URL? (I thought browsers only redirected to the index.html, not the index.php).

02-06-2012, 08:30 AM	#4
rihallix Warrior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: When index.html is a redirect to a .php homepage does it need metatags? Doh! I took the leap of faith and deleted index.html and voila - the site redirects to index.php. [-2 doofus points for me]

02-06-2012, 08:45 AM	#5
kodshi Active Warrior Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 41 Thanks: 3 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: When index.html is a redirect to a .php homepage does it need metatags? I am glad that it worked for you