Multiple languages - Javascript Redirect

[Dj Morri]

How can I have a SEO friendly home page if I want users from different countries to be redirected to their appropiate language every time they come to my site?

This is the code on my actual home page including some other text with links to their appropiate language:

<script type="text/javascript">
// REDIRECT, IF JAVASCRIPT ENABLED
var r1 = false;
try {
// EXCITE HOSTNAME DETECTION
if (location.host.toLowerCase() == 'website domain') {
location.href = 'other address';
} else {
r1 = true;
}
} catch(e) {
r1 = true;
}

// FAIL-SAFE REDIRECT
if (r1) {
location.href = 'Default.aspx?d=' + Math.round(Math.random()*100000).toString() + '_' + new Date().getTime().toString();
}
</script>

As you can see the homa page is a re-direct and I know this is bad for search engines, How can I use the metholody that IBM applied in order to re-direct my users to their appropiate language based on their country.

[Jazajay]

A JavaScript redirect is really bad for rankings, I would remove it. What you want to do is provide a link if they come from a particular country to your corresponding site, in that language.

Look into Geo-targetting.

http://www.999tutorials.com/tutorial...-visitors.html

Should help.

Jaza

[jimbeetle]

Okay, I like that jaza. But say if the IP targeting is off (possible), or if the visitor actually prefers a different language/country. How would you handle that?

Yeah, I know, I'm a pain, that's my job. Plus, I know this is real simple for you.

[Jazajay]

He he
I don't think it matters to be honest as he's probably being penalized for the JavaScript redirect.

Some books will walk you through it if online material sucks.

Sorry, your right Jim.
I'll make my point clearer.
My fault my superior brain and all that, sometimes I just forget

Under no circumstances redirect via Geo-location. As Jim suggests.
Lets say your sites German, and I was a German person living in the UK, I don't understand English that well so want a German website I go to your site and get re-directed to the English version. Not good as I want the German version.

You keep your site as is but at the top provide a flag of the country with Please visit our English site when the Geo-tracking detects they are from the UK/US or any other country. that way they get the German version and a link to your English version of your site if they came from a English country.

It's not actually that hard. Basic Geo-tracking requires a Data Base of country specific IP's, which I think that site provides, and logic to test it. Mines slightly more complicated due to in country languages granted Jim bob buts that's because I'm a special and complex person.

To be honest I copied mine from a book, yes I know sometimes I need help.
Geo-tracking's not something I'm going to need to implement every day hence the link and not an explanation.

Jaz

[AussieWebmaster]

Originally Posted by jimbeetle

Okay, I like that jaza. But say if the IP targeting is off (possible), or if the visitor actually prefers a different language/country. How would you handle that?

Yeah, I know, I'm a pain, that's my job. Plus, I know this is real simple for you.

you use a combination of geo ip recognition and browser language

[Jazajay]

Cheers Aussie.
This is a bad day a SEM beating me at programming.

I know that the people who get my Geo-tracking will speak English
anyway so that for me is not issue.

Jaz

[Dj Morri]

Thanks for your posts. I already have the flags with different languages at the top of our navigation. I will re-direct (301) our home page to our US version of the site and from there if the person wants to change the language their can via the flags. I think this is the best approach to be better treated for search engines, dont you think?

[Jazajay]

Sounds good as long as you have done your home work or that is how you have to have it.

Just for clarification though.

The other versions are in other languages or is the nav just different?
When they click through there flag and link are removed?

Jaza

[Dj Morri]

The other versions is same layout but different languages. URL's are defined dependingon the version, for example:

French: www.example.com/fr
Spanish: www.example.com/es

[Jazajay]

Cool.
Just make sure that any links go to the right countries sub folder now and your will be fine then.

French links to
yoursite.com/fr/home.php
Spanish links to
yoursite.com/es/home.php
etc...

Jaza

[Dj Morri]

What about IP Delivery using this company: ip-delivery.com

[Jazajay]

Most often this software is used to send an optimized version of a web page to a search engine, while at the same time presenting consumers an enhanced version of the same or similar page that is optimized to make sales. This technology will allow you to...

• Optimize pages for search engines without compromising your web sites "looks" resulting in increased sales conversions.

• Repel "Code-Jackers" who practice what the U.S. FTC calls "Pagejacking."
• IP Delivery can prevent your competitors from ripping off the optimized source code of your search engine pages.

That's called cloaking.
Giving the Search engines content that is different from the site users. That's a breach of Googles terms of service and if caught will get your site banned from the engines.

Got to admit I love their marketing spin on it though.

There is 1 way they could pull this off but they wont use that method and as a result you will get banned. What they are doing is looking for IP address that match Google, Yahoo, Live's. When that is found they send them a different page optimized for them.

Now you will have several problems with this -
1. Unless you spend a lot of time writing none spammy text the text to the Search Engine will be spammy and easy to pick up via their other algo's. That will be penalised for that alone.

If you are spending time then writing good text just for the search engines to get around this problem why not just use that on your site.

2. I normal disagree about how advance the Search Engines want us to think their bots are, I'm normally right - I've just been done a few weeks ago over a technique the bots should have seen was nothing bad the fact they didn't, and that they use the same technique I may add, proves my point. Not that I'm still bitter or coarse.

But when it comes to detecting cloaking, in this manor, it's only a matter of time.

Why -
Well G and the others wont release all their IP's. TBH it would be madness for them to as they know it's easy to cloak for. So some of the times they will hit your site and get the other version. They will then detect what you are doing.

Secondly G uses public proxies to index your site. This does have negative side effects which are annoying but again their IP filter wont catch them when they come through them, so will again get the different content and penalize you.

Stay away mate.
Cant believe people still advertise this as a service.
You where right to ask.

Jaza