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Google has double vision


sinbad

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Posted

Greetings Everyone,

Below is a actual search from google the site name has been edited but the rest is actual. Why is the googlebot reading the top nav. Other searches show the top nav and left cats box as content/description for the product pages. If you notice My Account and Cart Contents and Checkout repeat as it's picking up the alt attributes also. Is there a way around this or is this a google bug?

 

SiteName

Site Name, My Account Cart Contents Checkout. Top ? Catalog

? Home Decor, My Account | Cart Contents | Checkout. Categories, ...

www.sitename.com/index.php?cPath=49 - 39k

Sinbad

"Mine is not the only way, mine is just another way

Posted

Hello Marlene,

 

The reason google returned the top nav is due to the way the meta description tag is written. If the keyword you searched does not exist in the meta description, then google will return whatever text from the body of the webpage that contains the searched keyphrase.

 

For example, if my meta description is "Barbie dolls at discounted price". A search for "Barbie dolls", "Barbie discounted", etc will always cause google to return the description from the meta text.

 

But if I searched for "toys store", and since those words do not exist in meta description, then google will ignore the meta description and will return the description from the body text.

 

I learnt this from my observations. So if what I said is not true, please let me know so I know my conclusion is inaccurate.

 

Have a nice day

Posted

David when I type in the exact product name the site appeared in #1 spot :D showing the changes that I have made in the last two days with no double vision.

 

However when I searched for a page that I know is using dynamic meta tags using www.sitename.com in the search box I got this:

 

Site Name: Product Name (which is from title tag)

Site Name, My Account Cart Contents Checkout. Top ?

Catalog ? Season and Holiday Items ? Halloween Items ? 1-33296 ...

www.sitename/ product_info.php?products_id=472 - 21k -

 

Below are the tags for that page

 

<title>Site Name: Product Name</title>

<meta name="keywords" content="Site Name, product name, 1-32296-05148-9, ">

<meta name="description" content="Product mfg,product name, what's included in box. Retails For: $,product name">

 

So as you can see the description is in the meta tags and it stll showed the nav. I've been working/testing on a different theroy. I've made changes that removed the some of the duplications that were appearing.

 

It's late here so I'll say good night.

Sinbad

"Mine is not the only way, mine is just another way

Posted

You mentioned that descriptions from the alt tab are also shown. Google will parse the alt tabs as part of the search criteria when a search phrase has been entered. This is also a handy way of increasing your hit chance with Google. I am quite successful at making site that I design ?Google friendly? and this is one of the things that I have discovered. :P

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