Moonfruit Lounge - Sitemaps and Google Verify - Comments

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Walt

Walt — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:56:21 +0100

Hi,

While Bing might be a Microsoft product and a replacement for Live Search, it has only 'recently' been unveiled. We will monitor its popularity and look at support for the webmaster tools if the market penetration reaches a suitable adoption level. This is just to ensure our resources are channelled into the right developments. While we have only had a few requests for Bing support, we will watch it's pick-up closely.

Thanks for the request though.

- Walt

Sitemaps and Google Verify - MF SEO

MF SEO — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:55:53 +0100

Hi, could somebody from moonfruit please respond, Bing now have web master tools which work quite well with the ecommerce sites I manage, however this does require a Meta Tag just as google webmaster tools is there any way of adding this tag to MF/Sitemaker sites at the moment?

Thanks in advance

John

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Walt

Walt — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:07:28 +0100

Hi Andy,

I checked the URL you supplied in your post versus what you have on your account and they differ slightly. It may just be a typo in the URL on your post above - an extra 's' but it may be worth just checking what you have registered with Google.

If that checks out OK, can you please submit a ticket and give us more detail on the error message. Was it actually a XX4 error or a 4XX error - there is a difference and any additional info will help. For example a full error description, the list of URLs it applies to and any other details about your site or pages on it will help. As we have no access to your Analytics account, nor control over what Google do, we are running blind to some degree and need your help in establishing the facts so we can resolve this quickly.

Thanks

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Andy

Andy — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:37:06 +0100

I am getting a xx4 HTTP crawl error. What does this mean, and what should I do to correct it. I am still not getting indexed with google which is preventing my web site from operating.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Barry

Barry — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:04:31 +0000

Hello
I've just set up AdSense for content on my site. I want to do the same for AdSense for search. However, I cant see any feature supporting it. Does this exist?

Thanks
Barry

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Walt

Walt — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:55:47 +0000

Hi Dave,

This was covered in the UPDATE 08/02/08 above. But to reiterate this, we do block specific directories for technical reasons and this will have no impact on your site being crawled. All other pages on your site are free to be indexed by the web crawlers.

UPDATE (08/02/08):

We have now modified the 'robots.txt' file to stop the web crawlers reading our application directories and throwing up 'errors'. However, now that we have blocked these directories you will probably see a report from Google that says: "URL restricted by robots.txt " and listing the same '.../_app/...' directories (as mentioned above). Google themselves recognise that some directories can be restricted for a logical reason and then simply continue crawling your site for valid content and links.

Just to reiterate, seeing a 'restricted' message is not a cause for alarm and this will not affect your site being indexed or impact your page rankings.

Sitemaps and Google Verify - dave

dave — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:21:29 +0000

Hi Folks

I've recived this from Google-any ideas.Thanks and apologies if already covered!
Google was unable to crawl the URL due to a robots.txt restriction. This can happen for a number of reasons. For instance, your robots.txt file might prohibit the Googlebot entirely; it might prohibit access to the directory in which this URL is located; or it might prohibit access to the URL specifically. Often, this is not an error. You may have specifically set up a robots.txt file to prevent us from crawling this URL. If that is the case, there's no need to fix this; we will continue to respect robots.txt for this file.

If a URL redirects to a URL that is blocked by a robots.txt file, the first URL will be reported as being blocked by robots.txt (even if the URL is listed as Allowed in the robots.txt analysis tool).

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Walt

Walt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:40:50 +0000

Hi Dave,

Go to (Edit > Manage your site >) Admin > Site Information and if you haven't set this up you will see Sign up for Google Webmaster tools. Once signed up you can drop the code block into the field on the Google Webmaster Tools panel and save.

If you get stuck please contact Support and we will send you more details.

Thanks

Sitemaps and Google Verify - dave

dave — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:38:19 +0000

Return to your website and paste the code string into the blank field in the "Webmaster Tools" panel

I cant find the above - aplogies for my presumed stupidity but I just dont see where this would go!

Thanks

Dave

Sitemaps and Google Verify - jems

jems — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:01:55 +0000

I have submitted my sitemap ...with all the information as suggested by you guys ... but when i try to verify it in from webmaster tools in google ... i get a
"We've detected that your verification file returns a status of 404 (Not found) in the header"- message saying verification is "NOT VERIFIED" i have had a number of these.... in the past ... please advise

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Warth Publishing Inc

Warth Publishing Inc — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:24:39 +0000

I don't have any beef with 1and1's web hosting. However, I curse the day I ever listed any domains with them. Check out Red Flag for some customer comments.
It should be a warning that when their phone is answered by a recording that tells you if you have gotten a notice from NCO, a collection agency, to press a certain number. If they are a reputable business, why do they have to send so many accounts to a collection agency?
The Eastern Pennsylvania /Washington DC Better Business Bureau have given 1and1 an “unsatisfactory” rating. It is my understanding that 1and1 gets a complaint almost every day. An investigative journalist, Kelli Jack has written a series of articles about them and has a pending law suit. She says: “1and1 Should Be Shut Down.”

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Jon B

Jon B — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:15:11 +0000

Hi Walt,
Firstly, 'Moonfruit' - what a fantastic setup you guys are running. I've only been a member for a couple of weeks but I can safely say that the software, the service and the end results are far beyond anything I've used in the past.
Secondly, I really hope you can help me. I'm having huge problems getting indexed by google and its absolutely paramount to my business that I get it done soon.
I have fr the pst couple of days followed all of the excellent past advice you and your colleagues have given to my fellow subscribers and I think I have followed it all correctly. However, I think I have made a booboo some where along the line. Just to summarise where I am:

My domain name is from 1&1.co.uk.
Last week I used their control panel to point the A-record to the address you give and the site worked.

A few days ago I went through the procedure as instructed on google. ie. verification via meta tag; site map upload.
I added all the necessary keywords and descriptions on my website.
I don't hve any external links yet but I thought at least typing my website into google would yield a result. None.
Googlewebmaster shows no errors so wonder if Ihave done something wrong at the moonfruit end. Is there anything you can point me at to look at or check?
Also checking http://www.freewebsubmission.com/cg...
gives a couple of red errors.
Hope you can help!
Many thanks,
Jon

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Walt

Walt — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:33:56 +0100

Hi Wing,

Yes you can submit your sitemap to different search engines but not by using a code block. We automatically generate an XML file called "sitemap.xml" which is picked up by web crawlers.

For sites built using SiteMaker software, you should only be adding your site address to the search engine sitemap section not code of any sort.

You can check your site map by adding "/sitemap.xml" to the end of your site address e.g. mysitename.moonfruit.com/sitemap.xml. This like the meta data you would have added will be read by the web crawlers from each search engine. And please note that only pages that you have marked as public will show up.

As for MSN you could have a read of http://www.seo-expert-services.co.u... which has useful information.

Basically you just need to insert your site address (replace the 'yoursite' bit) into the following link: http://api.moreover.com/ping?u=http...
So click on the link then change the site address bit in the browser window and hit enter and it should check your sitemap.

Give that a try and see how you get on.

Walt

Sitemaps and Google Verify - wing

wing — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:38:29 +0100

Are we able to submit our sitemap to multiple search engines?
I've submitted to google without a problem but now trying to submit to MSN too but there doesn't seem to be anyway to do this.
Pasting the code into the box for the google code doesn't work as the meta name stays as verify 1.

Is it impossible?

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Walt

Walt — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:18:16 +0100

Hi,

The problem you are highlighting is a common mistake. Your domain names are using masked forwarding, which is like a frame around your site. There is little content in this frame and certainly no site content, no META DATA, and no sitemap.xml. All the content is in the site and the only way to ensure that search engines like Google pick up the essential content including the sitemap is to using DNS A-record pointing.

This means that your domain name provider 'points' your A-record towards our web servers (146.101.249.107) so that anyone using one of your domain names actually visits the site not a frame containing the site.

We do provide FAQ on how to do this as well as details within the Site Addresses tab of Admin. The only thing to be wary of is if your domain name provider asks about 'nameservers'. This is a different process entirely. They only need to know that you require the A-record (or Zone file) to point to our web servers using the IP address given above.

Once set up this will ensure that you, or the search engines, will not have problems seeing the sitemap file.

If you have any other questions about this process it's probably best if you use the Submit a Query form so that we can give you more specific answers and much quicker.

Walt

Sitemaps and Google Verify - White Wolf

White Wolf — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:43:46 +0100

Can you help someone with chronic stupidy?

I'm trying to sort out Google analytics for which this forum is proving extremely helpful. The latest problem I've encountered however relates to sitemaps. When I enter my site address/sitemap.xml in the browser window nothing appears but it does when I enter mysite.moonfruit.com/sitemap.xml. Unfortunately Google Webmaster Tools only allows me to suffix www.bailang.co.uk and not bailang.moonfruit.com.

I suppose that I could create new accounts for bailang.moonfruit.com but this would be a pain changing dozens of pages and I run around 9 sites. Plus I dont want the SE's to list me as bailang.moonfruit.com just bailang.co.uk

Any help please guys. Please bear in mind that I'm an idiot!

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Walt

Walt — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:29:58 +0100

Hi Katti,

You won't be able to verify your site unless you 'point' your A-record. At present you are using 'masked forwarding' which means your site sits within an HTML frame so Google is actually indexing the frame not your site. This is important as your site content which includes your meta data, verification code, sitemap etc are being ignored.

To correct this you will need to contact your domain name provider and ask them, unless you can do this yourself, to point your 'DNS A-record' to our web servers at 146.101.249.107. More on this is available in our FAQs.

Thanks

Sitemaps and Google Verify - Katti

Katti — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:14:54 +0100

Hi, I'm having difficulty verifying my website. I think the meta tag keeps ending up in the wrong place. I've tried them on the 'site information' panel & the page settings in sitemaker. I just get the message, 'we couldn't find the verification meta tag.' The site map I submitted has been accepted but unless I can verify I'm the official owner of my site Google's robots won't be able to index my site & consequently it won't get properly ranked. I'm working to promote an artist & raise their public profile so rankings are particularly important. Any help at all with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Katti

Sitemaps and Google Verify - dan

dan — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:57:34 +0100

Hi James,

At present we don't have a facility for users to indicate page priority so we've flagged all pages as having the same priority. While this isn't ideal it shouldn't be a massive hindrance to your SEO efforts (if any at all).

Priority is just a guide to google and it only counts internally to the site (you can't for example say that your site is more important than another). If you have 2 pages that return with the same ranking on a particular term then the higher priority one would be considered first.

Ultimately it'll work things out on it's own.

I'm not sure if there are plans to add user set priority, at the moment we have some exciting new features that are taking up a lot of our development time.

cheers,
Dan
web developer

Sitemaps and Google Verify - James

James — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:01:55 +0100

Just an update on the sitemaps for Moonfruit staff:

If you login to Google Webmasters you will notice all sites created with Sitemaker are showing a warning for the Sitemaps submitted.

The warning states the following:

Sitemap errors and warnings
Line Status Details
- All the URLs in your Sitemap have the same priority.
All the URLs in your Sitemap are set to the same priority (not the default priority). Priority indicates the importance of a particular URL relative to other URLs on your site and doesn't impact your site's performance in search results. If all URLs have the same priority, Google can't tell which are more important.

Can Moonfruit please advise.

Thanks.