Sitemap errors (domain name verification)

[The Baby Studio]

Sorry another basic question - I did search for an answer first

My sitemap reports url errors because it does not find the www. in front of the site name on the actinic site.

Line Status Details
10 Paths don't match
We've detected that you submitted your Sitemap using a URL path that includes the www prefix (for instance, http://www.example.com/sitemap.xml). However, the URLs listed inside your Sitemap don't use the www prefix (for instance, http://example.com/myfile.htm).

URL: http://thebabystudio.co.uk/
Problem detected on: Oct 2, 2010

URL: http://thebabystudio.co.uk/acatalog/sitemap.html
Problem detected on: Oct 3, 2010

URL: http://thebabystudio.co.uk/acatalog/search.html
Problem detected on: Oct 3, 2010

URL: http://thebabystudio.co.uk/acatalog/Special_Offer.html
Problem detected on: Oct 3, 2010

(the above are just a few examples from the report)

My setting in Google is to "Don't set a preferred domain" I thought this would allow Google to accept either format of url.

The sitemap report shows 145 url's submitted - url's in web index 0

should I worry about this - we certainly dont have much traffic and although our prices are competative we are not getting many orders, people are not finding the site.

[Duncan Rounding]

I recommend always using the www prefix. You will notice that if you vist your site with a non www URL then if you add to cart and return to a product page your cart looks empty in the cart summary on the RHS. To fix this change your network settings to be consistant - all with www and if need be configure a redirect from the non www URLs to www URLs in your hosting.

[The Baby Studio]

Thanks Duncan,

I dont know how it is as it is, I thought Actinic creates it that way?

Where do I look to set it to be www.

Thanks

D

[Duncan Rounding]

Go to Web | Network Setup and you will see the network settings.

[The Baby Studio]

I did look in there, the references to the site name include www first.

http://www.thebabystudio.co.uk/acatalog/

http://www.thebabystudio.co.uk/cgi-bin/

I must be missing something obvious?

[Duncan Rounding]

Ok then the issue must be do to some links picked up from elsewhere.
You should look into creating a redirect for the non www links to go to the www links. This can be done in htccess or sometimes in your hosting panel. There were some recent posts similar to this not too long ago - try searching for www and non www and htaccess.

[The Baby Studio]

I logged into the Actinic hosting panel and sure enough the site is listed without the www prefix. I found a setting in Preferences to add the www prefix but it says access denied.

I dont know where or how to set a redirect, I have put a support question in to actinic, they must have created it like this!

[The Baby Studio]

How long should I wait for Actinic to answer a support question, its been over a week now.

I know they dont like to answer questions about Google, but this is about their dashboard not letting me set up the www prefix. Surely I am entitled to an answer on that?

[pinbrook]

I think the hosting control panel is a red herring.

Go to google webmaster and set up your preference, then do the htaccess solution - job done

[The Baby Studio]

The hosting control panel does have an option but its access denied. I don't know what htaccess is so will have to do a bit of reseach.

Thanks for your advice.

D