Search engine listings

Franco · September 2, 2008

I couldn't find this issue listed, so here I go. I set up my custom domain via GoDaddy from the instructions on SmugMug site. Then, I submitted my website to Google (and I think Yahoo) awhile ago to get my pages bumped up on the search engine listings. I've notice recently that when I search using variations of my name or my name with Photography that I'm getting links to pages that should be listed under my www.stephenjfrancophotography.com site, but are not. I'm finding odd pages, for instance, that are starting with www.smugmug.com and then listing a gallery page that have my photos for one of my specific galleries. Is there any way that SmugMug can fix this issue? Otherwise, I have to find every odd instance that one of my pages is listed incorrectly under Google, Yahoo, etc. and submit all those specific pages to be removed. That would only work if I can find them all. I especially don't like finding these pages that have the "SmugMug" style format, when I custom set up my gallery pages under my smugmug account to avoid this style. Kind of defeats the purpose... Thanks in advance for your help. :wink

Montec · September 3, 2008

I was just about to post a message with the same request so I will add my support to yours. Is there something simple we can do to prevent search results like this?

denisegoldberg · September 3, 2008

Montec wrote:

I was just about to post a message with the same request so I will add my support to yours. Is there something simple we can do to prevent search results like this?

Yes - you need to add a div to your bio that contains the descriptive information that you want to show in search results. That div is usually set to display: none;.

See info in http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Flash+Slideshow. Scroll down to the Gotcha titled Add Text To Your Bio So Your Search Results Look Better.

--- Denise

Montec · September 3, 2008

denisegoldberg wrote:

Yes - you need to add a div to your bio that contains the descriptive information that you want to show in search results. That div is usually set to display: none;.

See info in http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Flash+Slideshow. Scroll down to the Gotcha titled Add Text To Your Bio So Your Search Results Look Better.

--- Denise

Thank you....I really do appreciate it...seems like when ever I make a change I need to make another change to counteract that change.

Franco · September 3, 2008

denisegoldberg wrote:

Yes - you need to add a div to your bio that contains the descriptive information that you want to show in search results. That div is usually set to display: none;.

See info in http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Flash+Slideshow. Scroll down to the Gotcha titled Add Text To Your Bio So Your Search Results Look Better.

--- Denise

Thanks Denise - I tried following the instructions and placed the information where indicated, but I still don't see anything different in my Google search (haven't tried Yahoo yet). Does it take time for the changes to filter on down to Google? And one of the searches does come up with my home page listed, but under the description I'm gettting this - "var ssConfig = { AlbumID: '2293770', newWindow: 'false', transparent: 'true', ...". Is there any way to get rid of this? I tried placing the "few lines of text" under the bio above my slide show to indicate what I would like it to state as a description, but I don't see it so far in my Google searches. Thanks again for all your help.

denisegoldberg · September 3, 2008

Franco wrote:

Thanks Denise - I tried following the instructions and placed the information where indicated, but I still don't see anything different in my Google search (haven't tried Yahoo yet). Does it take time for the changes to filter on down to Google? And one of the searches does come up with my home page listed, but under the description I'm gettting this - "var ssConfig = { AlbumID: '2293770', newWindow: 'false', transparent: 'true', ...". Is there any way to get rid of this? I tried placing the "few lines of text" under the bio above my slide show to indicate what I would like it to state as a description, but I don't see it so far in my Google searches. Thanks again for all your help.

We have no control over when Google (and the other search engines) wander through the pages to pick up changes. It could take days (or longer).

I just did a view source on your page, and I'd recommend removing the "rest of slideshow code." comment in your bio. I believe that's within the lines that the search engines will pick up.

--- Denise

denisegoldberg · September 3, 2008

Montec wrote:

...seems like when ever I make a change I need to make another change to counteract that change.

I hate to say this, but I'll say it anyhow... the recommendation to include information like this in your bio so that the search engines will pick it up has been in that slideshow document for a long time.

It is also in this page in the wiki - http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Maximize+Search+Engine+Findability.

--- Denise

Franco · September 3, 2008

denisegoldberg wrote:

We have no control over when Google (and the other search engines) wander through the pages to pick up changes. It could take days (or longer).

I just did a view source on your page, and I'd recommend removing the "rest of slideshow code." comment in your bio. I believe that's within the lines that the search engines will pick up.

--- Denise

Thanks again Denise - Yeah, I figured that probably was the case with Google. Good to have it verified. And as far as the code, sorry, I didn't notice that I forgot to remove some of the "instructions" versus the needed coding. Got it changed. Thanks for catching that mistake. I'll keep on searching in the coming weeks and see what happens. Do you recommend that I go ahead and submit those pages that shouldn't be coming up to Google or just wait and see what happens on future searches?

Montec · September 3, 2008

denisegoldberg wrote:

I hate to say this, but I'll say it anyhow... the recommendation to include information like this in your bio so that the search engines will pick it up has been in that slideshow document for a long time.

It is also in this page in the wiki - http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Maximize+Search+Engine+Findability.

--- Denise

I agree with you Denise that all the information is here if you have the time to go through it all and know what you are looking for once you do find it. SM help is extensive and thorough, if you are familiar with CSS and HTML etc. it really helps, along with you and others who have saved the day many times for several of us who are not web site designers.

Having said that I just proved my point...I included this code in my BIO

[php]ADD A FEW LINES OF TEXT HERE. REMEMBER, WHATEVER YOU ADD HERE WILL PARTLY SHOW IN THE SEARCH RESULTS.
[/php]

and now the edit BIO button no longer works

. So I will need to do something else and search for an answer or ask here for help.

And after adding the

#bioText {display: none;}

My Slideshow completely dissapears.

So i do realize and I am grateful that all this info is here to be found and that many people spend a lot of time assisting others... but things happen!

denisegoldberg · September 3, 2008

Montec wrote:
Having said that I just proved my point...I included this code in my BIO
ADD A FEW LINES OF TEXT HERE. REMEMBER, WHATEVER YOU ADD HERE WILL PARTLY SHOW IN THE SEARCH RESULTS.
and now the edit BIO button no longer works. So I will need to do something else and search for an answer or ask here for help.

I don't see any code, just a comment that you pasted in here.

If you can't get to your bio using the usual edit button, you should be able to get in via your control panel. Go to Control Panel, Settings tab, and look in the middle. You should see Bio: change. Click on change.

I suspect there is an unclosed tag in there that is causing the problem.

Also - I noticed that you have removed the smugmug footer from your screens with this CSS:

/* turn off the text on the minifooter */
.text {
display: none;
}

Keeping the mini-footer is one of the requirements of smugmug. See # 17 in http://www.smugmug.com/help/customize-faq to see the requirement for keeping the the powered by smugmug and portions copyright by smug. So you'll need to pull that code out.

--- Denise

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