Google search engine showing/home page instead of index page

[jacklondon]

Hi guys!

I did a website for a restaurant at Chili Hamburgerbar The problem: when I search my website in google it appears on the first page, but instead of showing me the index(like when you just type in the website name), it bring me to Chili Hamburgerbar instead of Chili Hamburgerbar, two weeks ago it was working fine and the link on google was for the index, but now its bring me to the home page(wich is not the first page)

Thanks for your help

Jack

 

[dtravis7]

Is this using Safari? You might try going to the Safari Menu and clicking on Empty Cache. If it's not safari or that does not work, let us know.

 

[jacklondon]

Yeah I use safari but I already did empty cache and reset safari and its still bring me to the home page instead of the index. I've also tried with other browser and i get the same result. I don't know if there a way to resolve this with google webmaster tools or a similar application?

Thanks

 

[kbOx]

It's because the index page has very little content google rather sends people to the page with information on it.

I'd assume people searching from a french speaking part of the world would be shown the frech language page as the higher result.

It doesn't matter though. I makes no difference which page gets shown higher, especially if it means your users don't have to do an extra click and have the correct page selected for them by google.

If people searching for a business get shown the correct page in google it doesn't matter what the URL is.

 

[xstep]

This has nothing to do with the browser. Google is pointing to the home.html page. I don't know that there is anything you can do about that. At least you are on the first page, although several spots below a bad review.

In your home page of each language, perhaps you could detect for a cookie and if it does not exist, redirect to the index.html page for the customer to select their language.

P.S. A side note. Your events page is in French even though I'v entered the English site.

 

[jacklondon]

Thanks for your help guys!

I think I'm just gonna add another link on the home page and accueil to select french or english (Fr/Eng), so people can at least get the language they want. I read somewhere to you could use a meta tag in dreamweaver to stop browser from indexing your pages:
<meta name="robots" content="noindex" />
I'm gonna see if it work when google recache my page

Thanks
Jack

 

[xstep]

I wouldn't add the no robots thing. You have a first page hit on Google you want to keep. I followed through a few more pages through on the search an the site did not appear. Why give up on something you already have?

 

[kbOx]

Why would you want your visitors to do an extra click selecting a language instead of being taken directly to your content?

 

[xstep]

Because in Montreal, the population is heavily split between French and English. It is good and polite practice to offer the choice. There are even French language laws in Quebec for street front business signs. I don't know if that extends to internet web pages. Things are complicated in Quebec.

 

[kbOx]

The law regarding duel languages on street signs wont apply to web pages.

I'm assuming most people in montreal can speak English, even if they chose not to. So to make the website more user friendly id have personally made the default site (domain index) in English and have a french flag which users can click if they want to see the french one. Similar to how amazon do when you go to another countries domain "Vous voulez voir ce site en français?"

As an experiment it might be worth taking a months web stats and seeing how many don't bother selecting a language and just close the page. People generally don't like taking part in a questionnaire just to see a webpage and even if the people don't speak English you'd be better off showing them an English page with an option for a french one rather than a page with no information and just a language selection.

Remember, your home page is the first impression, it needs to grab their attention, even if they can't actually read what it says, and the domain name is what will go on promotional material.

 

[xstep]

The law regarding duel languages on street signs wont apply to web pages.

It is Quebec and they say otherwise on their FAQ.

1. Is there a law requiring the use of French on a business Web page?

Commercial advertising, as a whole, is dealt with in the Charter of the French language, whichever medium may be used. The law does not mention the word "Internet", nor does it mention the word "fax" or the expression "electronic mail". Those advertising media nevertheless fall under the general provisions of the Charter.

In concrete terms, the Office québécois de la langue française considers that commercial advertising posted on a Web site is subject to section 52 which provides that French is compulsory, but may be accompanied with a text drafted in any other language. This applies to advertising material made available to the public by a Québec-based company.

 

[kbOx]

wow, that is the most cretinous law i have ever seen.

As an Englishman, and subsequently a part owner of canadia, i'm shocked that we allow this.

The Australians don't give us this kind of hassle, walking around demanding everyone says flibbyjingo and kwakabongo, or whatever made up words they have for things.

It's bad enough with the welsh trying to hold on to their funny little language, a language nobody actually speaks, but i expected more from the canadinians.

 

[jacklondon]

Thanks guys for your response on this thread!

I didn't know that part of loi 101 apply to website, but anyway I think its nice to have a website in Quebec in both french an english so I decide to erase the meta robot tag of noindex and only add another link to french or english since the page is in the first page on google. My first language is french and since montreal is a very bilingual place I'm gonna let the user decide which language to use.
Thanks a lot for your comment, problem solve!!

Jack