My products don't show up in Google search.

[colorsguy]

I've been using Zen Cart for at least 8 years now. I'm still using v1.3.9h which was installed by my hosting service Go Daddy. I have not added any additional plugins that I can recall. Here is a link to my store: https://thecolorsofbagleys.com/PROFISHCO/. For some reason my products have never shown up in Google search. This is strange because the website the store is associated with https://thecolorsofbagleys.com/ always shows up on the first or second page for any query related to Bagley lures, which is all I sell in the store. I'm wondering if the problem has something to do with a robots.txt file. Here is what I have in the file now:

User-agent: *
Allow: /
Allow: /cgi-bin/
Allow: /images

I'm not sure if the content of this file is correct, or if I have it in the correct location. Any help would be helpful!

Thanks,
Mike Metzler
https://thecolorsofbagleys.com/

[mc12345678]

Can't really speak to why some 8 years ago that the site didn't otherwise appear in Google search, but Zen Cart 1.3.9h was already some 3 years replaced by 1.5.0/1.5.1. Currently released version is 1.5.8 and that was just a few months ago.

I don't see anything wrong with the provided robots.txt file. It doesn't prohibit search engines from accessing folders that may be important and it doesn't expose the designation of folders that shouldn't be publicized.

Site content and the quality of that content predominantly will help place product. I say that from the perspective that any major page issues are corrected. Ideally pages will pass html validation. I haven't really put the site through such a validation or reviewed the source code of pages. Use your favorite internet search tool to search on html validation tool or some similar wording and should find some that would help address anything.

Again though really should consider upgrading because there are a number of issues that are corrected. Oh and it is not suggested to use the service providers auto install without first making each a file and a database backup. Auto installers of complete Zen Cart versions have historically not been developed or tested by Zen Cart.

[swguy]

- upgrade to make the site mobile friendly and get it up to date.
- build a Google Sitemap and submit it, so Google knows what pages you have.

[colorsguy]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to advise me on my issue. My store doesn't, nor never will, generate enough revenue for me to pay for an upgrade. I reverse engineered other websites in order to learn how to code .html and .css, and built my site from scratch. I had Go Daddy install Zen Cart for me, then again, taught myself enough .php to make the necessary changes to get Zen Cart to seamlessly integrate with my main website. I then used Cho from Zucando to help with any problems I had after the initial install. He no longer answers my emails so I can only assume he's moved on to working on other platforms.
I generated, and submitted, XML Sitemaps to Google and Bing back in 2014. I put the sitemap.xml file in https://thecolorsofbagleys.com/ main folder. Since that hasn't gotten the intended results I've now generated another sitemap.xml file and located it in the https://thecolorsofbagleys.com/ProFishCo sub folder. I will update this thread in a week or two if I see any results.
Mike

[swguy]

> My store doesn't, nor never will, generate enough revenue for me to pay for an upgrade.

The quickie option is available for DIY'ers:
https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/upgra..._only_upgrade/

[johns4y]

I'm no fisherman so have no idea about lures. I popped onto your website and and found a lure you have for sale then searched for Bagley DKB2-TLBG in Google and your website item was the second result after eBay. So, it seems to be working okay.

[schoolboy]

...I had Go Daddy install Zen Cart for me...

Probably the root of your problems...
GoDaddy is arguably the worst crowd both host and configure ZC.
That said, much depends on your "relationship" with Google. You should have a Google account, and within it there are various "business tools" such as Search Console, Analytics, etc.
Google will penalise sites that are archaic, and which don't measure up to their performance standards. This is a detailed subject and requires a lot of reading on Google itself, where there is a ton of info and advice on how websites need to be configured to comply with their standards.
Unfortunately, there's no quick-fix - your site will need upgrading/re-building if you want it to satisfy contemporary web compliances.