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URL Question - www or not?

by AllanWard
8 replies
I have some questions about the URL of my blog and how it affects my Google PR and linking.

Let's say my web site is www .sitename. com. Within Wordpress, I have the option to display the Wordpress Address (URL). I've currently got that set to http :// sitename. com. (spaces added so the post doesn't create a hyperlink).

Within Google Webmaster tools I have the option of setting either www .sitename. com or site name.com as my preferred domain. Currently neither of these options are ticked.

I understand that I can access my site by typing the full URL - http: //www .sitename.com, the www version (without the http), or the site name.com.

I need some help understanding the implications of the URL structure. Is there a benefit in sticking with one? If there is, what settings do I need to change in WP or anywhere else so Google knows what to index. I understand that having different versions could lead to a dilution of PR. Is this correct? Also, how should I structure my backlinks? Up to now, most of my backlinks from EZA etc have pointed to http ://www .sitename .com. Is this ok, or do I need to change something?

Thanks in advance for your help.
#question #url #www
  • Profile picture of the author mike.leembruggen
    yeah... i do believe that you can have 2 different pr values for http:// and http://www.

    stick with http://www. and make all your backlinks point to that.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joe Giannetti
      yes i agree.....I would do that also...
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      Make Up To $96 Cash Every Time You Give Away My CPA Coaching Program For FREE!
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      • Profile picture of the author stitchlips
        Most people these days don't even bother with the www, so I leave it out with an htacess file. Just make sure all of you inbound links do not include it either.
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    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by mike.leembruggen View Post

      yeah... i do believe that you can have 2 different pr values for http:// and http://www.

      stick with http://www. and make all your backlinks point to that.
      Yes, each one can have a different PageRank.

      As a webmaster, you should choose one and force your website (generally through the .htaccess if you are on a Linux/Unix server) to recognize only one... That way, Google will see the one you define as the one that should catch all of your link popularity.

      To www. or not to www.?

      It really depends on the length of your URL.

      I use text email and articles to promote my websites, and I don't want someone's email reader breaking my links. So for long domain names, I always go without the www. And for short domain names, I generally always go with the www.

      You may have noticed that on short domain names, I said I "generally always go with the www." If I am putting a blog on the site, which uses SEO-Friendly URLs, then WordPress tends to crank out long URLs. When it is a potentially long-URL situation, I always go without the www. But if I know I can keep URLs short, I go with the www.
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      • Profile picture of the author AllanWard
        Thanks for the responses so far. So, when you say to use the non-www version, you're saying to use http://sitename.com?

        I can set that up in WP as my preferred domain ok, but Google webmaster tools only gives me the option of www.sitename or sitename.com. How do I tell Webmaster tools to use the non-www version?

        I'm off to learn more about .htaccess files now.
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        • Profile picture of the author -Jericho-
          Originally Posted by AllanWard View Post

          Thanks for the responses so far. So, when you say to use the non-www version, you're saying to use http://sitename.com?

          I can set that up in WP as my preferred domain ok, but Google webmaster tools only gives me the option of www.sitename or sitename.com. How do I tell Webmaster tools to use the non-www version?

          I'm off to learn more about .htaccess files now.
          By using sitename.com not www.sitename.com when you set it up.
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      • Profile picture of the author khanhdom
        Originally Posted by tpw View Post

        Yes, each one can have a different PageRank.

        As a webmaster, you should choose one and force your website (generally through the .htaccess if you are on a Linux/Unix server) to recognize only one... That way, Google will see the one you define as the one that should catch all of your link popularity.

        To www. or not to www.?

        It really depends on the length of your URL.

        I use text email and articles to promote my websites, and I don't want someone's email reader breaking my links. So for long domain names, I always go without the www. And for short domain names, I generally always go with the www.

        You may have noticed that on short domain names, I said I "generally always go with the www." If I am putting a blog on the site, which uses SEO-Friendly URLs, then WordPress tends to crank out long URLs. When it is a potentially long-URL situation, I always go without the www. But if I know I can keep URLs short, I go with the www.
        great information, never really notice the implications of using www and without
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  • Profile picture of the author lumpy burgertushie
    the thing is to be consistent. google does not care what you use.
    in some cases I have heard that you can get listed for both but if you are consistent then whichever one you use is the one that will show up.

    I never use the www anywhere. It is rarely needed to be able to access your site.
    If so, it is because the server is not setup correctly.

    these days, people rarely type in a URL because they are simply going to click on it.
    therefore, it really does not make any difference to the users.
    that is why short/easy to remember domain names are not all that important any longer. people do not have to remember them, they just have to click on the link.


    robert
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