how to prevent google from picking up a shop?

I recently started keeping a test shop on my site. Obviously, I don't want it to be picked up by google...how can I prevent this from happening?

Thanks.

mzimmers:

I recently started keeping a test shop on my site. Obviously, I don't want it to be picked up by google...how can I prevent this from happening?

Thanks.

If there are no links to your test site google won't find it anyway. However, the best, quickest and easiest way way to protect a test site is to password protect the entire site via an .htaccess file.

Just my opinion.

Cheers
Rod

Using .htpasswd in conjunction with .htaccess is the best method.

Using robots.txt is fraught with various dangers.

Hmm...htpasswd, eh?

Do we have a tutorial for that around here anywhere?

mzimmers:

Hmm...htpasswd, eh?

Do we have a tutorial for that around here anywhere?
With your host providing cPanel as the manager...
Just password the site or the dir that your shop in development is in through cPanel....

I personally suggest that you DO NOT do this for the following reason...

Many go live and then are impatient about being indexed

If you do not hide your shop, even while in development - -
Remember the bots can not see design
They will return often as you add content/products
They like to crawl sites that have change...
So even if development take 20, 30, 60, 90 days or more, as long as you are actively adding/changing things you will be that much ahead once you actually are open for business
JMO

I see your point, Kobra. My approach is to try out new stuff on the test site, and once I have it working, to migrate it into the production shop. I'm still not comfortable with my ZC skills to the point where I want to try new stuff out on a live site.

All I really want to do is avoid google to pick up my test site and direct traffic there. If there's a better way to avoid this, I'll do it.

mzimmers:

All I really want to do is avoid google to pick up my test site and direct traffic there. If there's a better way to avoid this, I'll do it.
With cPanel - - you find in the security block - "Password protect Directories" and do this for your test site dir
It adds to .htacess for you

RodG:

If there are no links to your test site google won't find it anyway. However, the best, quickest and easiest way way to protect a test site is to password protect the entire site via an .htaccess file.

Just my opinion.

Cheers
Rod

Rod,

Do you think if the google analystics mod is on his test site with all the account populated... (or maybe even without his account populated) that google will end up seeing it because of this?

Shrimp

I'm not using google analytics (never heard of it before just now). I'll take a look at it and see if it's something I should incorporate into my main site.

shrimp-gumbo-mmmhhh:

Rod,

Do you think if the google analystics mod is on his test site with all the account populated... (or maybe even without his account populated) that google will end up seeing it because of this?

Shrimp

The inner workings of Google are a mystery.
However, I would assume that google analystics would be no different than having a link to your site on google itself. How much 'weight' would be placed on such a solitary link is pretty much anyones guess.

Cheers
Rod

Never presume that because you have a dir. without any links to its files that it will not be eventually found, but bots or others. If you want to prevent access to a dir. then you need to password protect it. It's the only way to be sure.

Seconded. Password protect any test site.

It keeps everything out: bots, hackers, and customers straying where they shouldn't.

Take all analytics code off the test site OR set up an filter in analytics so that off-domain pageviews are not included in the main analytics profile.