Google requests on CGI product links

[funmotion]

Hello Forum,

Can anyone help. Google has spidered our site, and now lists pages which it found via CGI product links we used on the site. When the search listings appear (e.g on petrol scooter) we rank well, but these CGI product links do not work from within Google, even though the link can be "copy shortcut" to a new browser window and it will run fine. Google gave us the below explanation which points at the actinic cgi script being run, as it is nothing we have set up.

"Thank you for your email. We have investigated this problem and it seems that your site is configured to redirect anyone visiting from Google. If google.com is in the referring URL, then your site redirects the person to http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...oter.html#a102

As far as we can tell, this seems like a mis-configuration on your end, which your webmaster should be able to fix. "

Can anyone shed any light on this issue, any help or comments appreciated - FYI we have now removed all the CGI product links and now use absolute paths to the static pages. We have implemented robots.txt to disallow access to the CGI-BIN which we hope will help.

The site is http://www.funmotion.com

[cdicken]

There was a problem with our links in early v5 and v6 whereby if you linked to a product/section via the Actinic search script (ss00000x.pl) from a page without a file extension (e.g. a search results page from Google) the link would not work.

It looks as if this has been fixed in the latest v5 (v5.1.6). You are on quite an old one at the moment so I suggest you upgrade to the latest release.

[Rey Felek]

Google requests on CGI product links

I also have a number of direct product links directing customers from one area of my site directly to products, using the following code

<a href="http://www.TOYSBYMAILORDER.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?PRODREF=TE0065">NETQUOTEVAR:SECTIONIMAGE</a>

within Section Link Layout files
e.g.
Act_SectionLineImage_FS00065.html

These links are being indexed well within Google, however when you click on these links within Google the link code changes to the following;

http://www.google.co.uk/acatalog/Pos...s.html#aTE0065

(Google Search Text = e.g. Toys By Mail Order TE0065)

We also use direct poduct link code with Information Link Text in the General Tab within Product Details.

e.g.
http://www.TOYSBYMAILORDER.co.uk/cgi...PRODREF=FS0103

This again is not working - I have been using this code for the last six months with no problems. Is this a CGI script issue. I host my site with 123-reg and hosteurope - I have not expereinced these problems before.

I currently have Catalog version 6.1.2 - Please can anyone help with this one!

[Mike Hughes]

It sounds like the problem is because google identifies itself as the referrer for links from it's pages (so that stats packages know where the traffic is coming from) and that your cgi-links are somehow using the google referrer info inside the link.

I don't know why it's doing that, but you could try putting "&ACTINIC_REFERRER="http://www.toysbymailorder.co.uk" at the end of your link code. (It might not work try it first).

The other thing is that if your not using customer accounts then you can send customers directly to the products using plain html links.

Mike

[Rey Felek]

Google requests on CGI product links

Thanks for such a fast reponse.

I have tried the first suggestion with no effect.

Please can you explain how I can set up a plain html product link? from within the Act_SectionLineImage code and also in the Information Link Text in the General Tab within Product Details.

Will I need to wait to be reindexed before this is picked up by Google?

[Mike Hughes]

The first alternative should probably have been:

"&ACTINIC_REFERRER="http://www.toysbymailorder.co.uk/acatalog/"

But you can link straight to the product using a link of the form:

http://www.toysbymailorder.co.uk/aca...e.html#aTE0065

Which is much more search engine friendly anyway.

You have to put the page name in, which I would have done but couldn't access your web site.

Mike

[Rey Felek]

Google requests on CGI product links

I did try the first solution and it still didn't work.

However, I have tried the plain HTML link and this is perfect and all is working well - just need to update all my links now!!

Can I suggest that this solution is detailed in the user guide rather than using the CGI script.

I would of thought that Google would also rank the direct HTML link higher (if the page filename is descriptive) rather than the CGI script.

Thanks again.