Google search returns blank homepage...

rich56k

HI,

When you search for HooliganUnderground.com on google the results show my home page without any image (within the thumbnail google shows) - I believe this may be do to the time lag when the page comes up and the first splash slideshow image posting.

I've played with the splash delay to no avail and am out of options at this point.

Also note I checked some other smug pro accounts and the problem is the same - on pretty much all homepages that utilize a slideshow. Please check your own accounts too.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rich

Here's a direct link:
http://www.google.com/search?q=hooliganunderground&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Hikin' Mike

I checked your site and I don't the "preview" pictures. Am I missing something?

rich56k

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

I checked your site and I don't the "preview" pictures. Am I missing something?

Here's what I would like google to show when you search for my site - the image is set as the first 'slash' image in my slideshow - and is supposed to be the image shown WHILE the slideshow loads.

What I'm saying is my google search result shows the page BEFORE that image loads. Not exactly sure what you're saying about 'preview' pictures - please clarify.

Note I checked your site in google and your first image DOES show - what are your slideshow settings if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks,
Rich

Hikin' Mike

I don't use Smugmug's slideshow.

Your browser or Google settings must be different then mine. I've NEVER seen images to the left, only the text. I'd post a screen print, but I don't have Photoshop loaded right now.

rich56k

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

I don't use Smugmug's slideshow.

Your browser or Google settings must be different then mine. I've NEVER seen images to the left, only the text. I'd post a screen print, but I don't have Photoshop loaded right now.

OK - here's what I get when googling your site - compare to my result and that's what I'm bummed out about - yours shows the actual page with your first slideshow image -whereas mine shows what to me is a 'blank' page

That you're not using the smugmug slideshow is quite possibly the difference.

I'm using and getting the same result whether on FF or Safari. It seems more like it's the smug SS loading too slow.

Thanks for the feedback and info.

Thanks,
Rich

Hikin' Mike

FWIW, it's not my Smugmug site that is showing. It's my regular website.

I'd like to know how you can see the images to the left? I only see the text, not the images.

Hikin' Mike

I just noticed the images from my site (the ones you posted here) are NOT my current design. I changed my site about a year ago.

EDIT: Google must be caching the screen print.

rich56k

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

FWIW, it's not my Smugmug site that is showing. It's my regular website.

I'd like to know how you can see the images to the left? I only see the text, not the images.

I just went to google.com and typed in your web address and that's what returned - since I've never gone into google preferences - if there is such a thing - this could likely be the default google search page (??!!)

Here's what I get when I click on 'cached' version for your site - I believe this is the current version - which is OK.

It's those darn thumbnail images that I get thru the google homepage that are my problem - it's less likely some one will click thru on a bare/blank image homepage (like mine shows) - than yours which shows a full color page with image (current or not)

I'm not sure what to say about that other than that would seem to be totally at googles end - if they have a cache of your site from 4 days ago why are they showing a year old thumbnail shot on their main page??

-Rich

Note: I'd be happy with ANY image showing in my results!!


I just noticed the thumbnails google search shows for my site is old also - my nav bar now has 3 'buttons' and the search results show my old nav bar style with 5 'buttons'

Hikin' Mike

rich56k wrote: »

I just went to google.com and typed in your web address and that's what returned - since I've never gone into google preferences - if there is such a thing - this could likely be the default google search page (??!!)

Here's what I get when I click on 'cached' version for your site - I believe this is the current version - which is OK.

It's those darn thumbnail images that I get thru the google homepage that are my problem - it's less likely some one will click thru on a bare/blank image homepage (like mine shows) - than yours which shows a full color page with image (current or not)

I'm not sure what to say about that other than that would seem to be totally at googles end - if they have a cache of your site from 4 days ago why are they showing a year old thumbnail shot on their main page??

-Rich

Note: I'd be happy with ANY image showing in my results!!


I just noticed the thumbnails google search shows for my site is old also - my nav bar now has 3 'buttons' and the search results show my old nav bar style with 5 'buttons'

That's the "problem". Google is caching the thumbnails.

Is there a listing (with image preview) for http://mike.imagesinthebackcountry.com - that's my Smugmug site.

rich56k

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

That's the "problem". Google is caching the thumbnails.

Is there a listing (with image preview) for http://mike.imagesinthebackcountry.com - that's my Smugmug site.

I agree with your assessment regarding the caching - I also went into google help forums briefly and all I could find is that they do 'update' the thumbnails 'regularly' however- as we both found they're certainly not doing that as often as they could.

Here ya go...

PS: cached results say it was from June 3, 2011

Hikin' Mike

Thanks.

Looks like it's a plug-in for Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/searchpreview/, so it's no wonder I don't see it.

rich56k

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

Thanks.

Looks like it's a plug-in for Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/searchpreview/, so it's no wonder I don't see it.

No problem - and thanks for your help too!

Hey Mike, I need to hit the sack (zzzz's!!)- will be back on sat late a.m. if there's anything else I can do just leave a note.

-Rich

rich56k

Anyone else?
Bump for new eyes...

rich56k wrote: »

HI,

When you search for HooliganUnderground.com on google the results show a thumbnail of my home page without any image (the blank grey area within the thumbnail - instead of the first SS image ) - I believe this may be do to the time lag when the page comes up and the first splash slideshow image posting.

I've played with the splash delay to no avail and am out of options at this point.

Also note I checked some other smug pro accounts and the problem is the same - on pretty much all homepages that utilize a slideshow. Please check your own accounts too.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rich

Here's a direct link:
http://www.google.com/search?q=hooliganunderground&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

What I'm hoping is there any slideshow settings I can alter (or code to add) that will cause the SS splash image to show when the page comes up - ironically the old 'Bigwebguy SS' that is no longer available NEVER had such issues!!

Hikin' Mike

My slideshow "works" because my show uses a default image. If Javascript is disabled, I still get one image to display. That's probably why your preview images (on Google) doesn't display, but mine do.

rich56k

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

My slideshow "works" because my show uses a default image. If Javascript is disabled, I still get one image to display. That's probably why your preview images (on Google) doesn't display, but mine do.

Sounds logical - the problem I have is I don't have any code writing skills.

If you or someone can furnish specific cut and paste (and where to paste it) instructions on correcting this challenge, would be excellent, otherwise I'm dead in the water. I need to know exactly what steps to follow to set a 'default' image (since the 'spash' image offered is so slow).

On another note even Andy's site exhibits the same issue (at least I'm not alone).

Since SEO has been a big issue here on smug it's suprising this has seemingly slipped thru the cracks - re: what good is a high ranking when what we show on google isn't worth showing (or as good as we could be showing - pardon my rant).

Hikin' Mike

The only way that somebody can see the thumbnails is if somebody downloads that plug-in. The average user won't see that extra information (images). I never saw it until you posted this. I would lose any sleep...!

If you were to use a different slideshow today, I doubt Google will re-index it and switch the current thumbnail any time soon. Look my regular site. It still shows thumbnails from 12 months ago and my regular site has WAY more traffic then my Smugmug site.

rich56k

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

The only way that somebody can see the thumbnails is if somebody downloads that plug-in. The average user won't see that extra information (images). I never saw it until you posted this. I would lose any sleep...!

If you were to use a different slideshow today, I doubt Google will re-index it and switch the current thumbnail any time soon. Look my regular site. It still shows thumbnails from 12 months ago and my regular site has WAY more traffic then my Smugmug site.

All good points Mike!


It's a case of my google search has shown the thumbs as long as I remember - so no reason (until now) for me to think that others don't too.

Thanks for bringing me back to reality!

-Rich

SamirD

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

The only way that somebody can see the thumbnails is if somebody downloads that plug-in. The average user won't see that extra information (images). I never saw it until you posted this. I would lose any sleep...!

I can actually see the proper screenshot of your site on portable ff 3.6. If that's a plugin for ff, I'd contact the author of the plugin as it's missing a lot of sites that will have flash on them including big ones like youtube, hulu, and cnn. As far as SM, I wouldn't be concerned.

rich56k

Issue solved and corrected!!

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

The only way that somebody can see the thumbnails is if somebody downloads that plug-in. The average user won't see that extra information (images). I never saw it until you posted this. I would lose any sleep...!

If you were to use a different slideshow today, I doubt Google will re-index it and switch the current thumbnail any time soon. Look my regular site. It still shows thumbnails from 12 months ago and my regular site has WAY more traffic then my Smugmug site.

So anyway I went to the FF plugin site and turns out if you control click on said thumbnail preview one of many options is "Request update of this SearchPreview image " once you do that it tells you may take a couple days to update...then I went into my smugmugPro homepage options and disabled my SS and placed a single image in the same position and wha-la 2 days later I've achieved my hoped for result!!

Thanks for the plugin info - that got me to go the step further and get this issue straightened out - I hope others can benefit from this also.

-Rich