Search Engine Listing

A few months ago I changed my navigation from the Fly Out Menu to the top navigation bar with subcategories in the left hand sidebox. I did it so that the navigation would be easier on phones and/or tablet computers.

While that has made the navigation easier it has had an undesirable effect on Google search.

Now, Google seems to be pulling the top navigation headings for the search result description. See Below

Predator Cues : Pool Cues Express, Pool Is Our Game
www.poolcuesexpress.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3...‎
Products 1 - 16 of 16 - Pool Cues Express : Predator Cues - Pool Cues Pool Cue Shafts Cue Cases Cue Tips Cue Care Products Cue Accessories Gift Certificates ...

In the includes/languages/english/your template/meta_tags.php file, the define keywords section is empty.

I don't understand how or why Google does this and how I can stop it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

"Google seems to be pulling the top navigation headings for the search result description"

When i search for Pool Cues Express, it comes up with home page and correct description, which description are you refering to. Can you attach a screen shot.

On the main page the description is the one in the meta_tags file. If you search a particular product you get the categories headings as the description.

Dave

P.S. I'm just out the door on the way to work. I can try to post a screen shot later if you need it.

Google is - as we know - a "law unto itself".

It alone will make decisions about what content it uses in its search result descriptions. It can (and often does) completely ignore <meta headers>.

Upon further review I found this string in the includes/modules/meta_tags.php file.

<?php /** * meta_tags module * * @package modules * @copyright Copyright 2003-2008 Zen Cart Development Team * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce * @license <http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt> GNU Public License V2.0 * @version $Id: meta_tags.php 11202 2008-11-23 09:18:34Z drbyte $ */ if (!defined('IS_ADMIN_FLAG')) { die('Illegal Access'); } // This should be first line of the script: $zco_notifier->notify('NOTIFY_MODULE_START_META_TAGS'); // Add tertiary section to site tagline if (strlen(SITE_TAGLINE) > 1) { define('TAGLINE', TERTIARY_SECTION . SITE_TAGLINE); } else { define('TAGLINE', ''); } $review_on = ""; $keywords_string_metatags = ""; $meta_tags_over_ride = false; if (!defined('METATAGS_DIVIDER')) define('METATAGS_DIVIDER', ', '); // Get all top category names for use with web site keywords $sql = "select cd.categories_name from " . TABLE_CATEGORIES . " c, " . TABLE_CATEGORIES_DESCRIPTION . " cd where c.parent_id = 0 and c.categories_id = cd.categories_id and cd.language_id='" . (int)$_SESSION['languages_id'] . "' and c.categories_status=1"; $keywords_metatags = $db->Execute($sql); while (!$keywords_metatags->EOF) { $keywords_string_metatags .= zen_clean_html($keywords_metatags->fields['categories_name']) . METATAGS_DIVIDER; $keywords_metatags->MoveNext(); } define('KEYWORDS', str_replace('"','',zen_clean_html($keywords_string_metatags) . CUSTOM_KEYWORDS)); // if per-page metatags overrides have been defined, use those, otherwise use usual defaults: if ($current_page_base != 'index') { if (defined('META_TAG_TITLE_' . strtoupper($current_page_base))) define('META_TAG_TITLE', constant('META_TAG_TITLE_' . strtoupper($current_page_base))); if (defined('META_TAG_DESCRIPTION_' . strtoupper($current_page_base))) define('META_TAG_DESCRIPTION', constant('META_TAG_DESCRIPTION_' . strtoupper($current_page_base))); if (defined('META_TAG_KEYWORDS_' . strtoupper($current_page_base))) define('META_TAG_KEYWORDS', constant('META_TAG_KEYWORDS_' . strtoupper($current_page_base))); } Does this mean what I think it means. That it will use the main categories headings as keywords? If that's the case, how do I stop it from doing that? If I define some keywords in the includes/languages/english/your template/meta_tags.php does that make it stop doing using the categories? Any help on this would be appreciated. Dave

top hatt:

Does this mean what I think it means. That it will use the main categories headings as keywords?

Yes, that's what I think it means too.

top hatt:

If that's the case, how do I stop it from doing that?

Several ways. One being
Change:
define('KEYWORDS', str_replace('"','',zen_clean_html($keywords_string_metatags) . CUSTOM_KEYWORDS));
To
define('KEYWORDS', str_replace('"','', CUSTOM_KEYWORDS));

top hatt:

If I define some keywords in the includes/languages/english/your template/meta_tags.php does that make it stop doing using the categories?

I can't see anything in that code that would suggest this would make a difference.

Cheers
Rod

Rod:

Thanks for the response. I will try that as soon as I have some time to get back into the code.

Thanks again. I will post my results.

Dave

Had time to make the change that you recommended.

I just commented out the original line and added the new line just in case.

Put it in an override file (includes/modules/custom template/meta_tags.php) so upgrading won't be a problem.

Now it's just wait and see with Google. I just hate the waiting!

Dave