Google indexing "login" and "search" pages instead of forum pages on first page

[1BJK903]

Hi all,

I want Google to use my tabs (used as nodes) on the first page where you can find my site and than 8 more links, linking to "search", "contact" etcetera...

But on my main navigation, I see things like "football", "sports" and "rugby" etcetera...
I want that to be shown on the first page instead of contact etc...

How can I force this?

 

[Chris D]

Are you talking about the links below your search result?



If so, the last time I checked, you can't control this.

Google decides what the important links are. It doesn't need no stupid human to tell it what the actual important links are. It's far more capable of making that decision for you

If there is anything to control it then it will be within Google Webmaster Tools.

 

[1BJK903]

Are you talking about the links below your search result?

View attachment 87717

If so, the last time I checked, you can't control this.

Google decides what the important links are. It doesn't need no stupid human to tell it what the actual important links are. It's far more capable of making that decision for you

If there is anything to control it then it will be within Google Webmaster Tools.

I understand that... but this stupid machine does not recognize the most important pages of my site...

How can I change them in GWT?

 

[Martok]

How can I change them in GWT?

Chris said if you could it would be in GWT, not that you definitely can do it from there.

AFAIK you can't, you're just going to have to live with it for now until Google deems other parts of your site more important.

 

[m1ne]

You can indeed manage those links. In Webmaster Tools, go to Search Appearance > Site Links, and demote the url's.

 

[Martok]

You can indeed manage those links. In Webmaster Tools, go to Search Appearance > Site Links, and demote the url's.

Fair enough, you can remove links you don't want as sitelinks by demoting them, but you can't specify the ones you do want, you have to rely on Google to pick them.

 

[Mr Lucky]

I want that to be shown on the first page instead of contact etc...

I can't see how Google would list contact on a xenforo site as it is a popup.

I agree, demote anything you don't want in GWT, or in robots.txt

The big question is what search terms are you using? Do they include the words football, sports, rugby etc.?

 

[Chris D]

I can't see how Google would list contact on a xenforo site as it is a popup.

Whether it's a pop up or not, Google will follow it.

Google will see it like this:

https://xenresources.com/misc/contact

 

[Mr Lucky]

Whether it's a pop up or not, Google will follow it.

Google will see it like this:

https://xenresources.com/misc/contact

Yes, but less likely to be indexed, however very easy enough to noindex.

 

[Chris D]

It is not less likely to be indexed.

Google has no idea that it's a pop up. It just sees it the same as any other page.

 

[Mr Lucky]

It is not less likely to be indexed.

Google has no idea that it's a pop up. It just sees it the same as any other page.

I agree, and I'm sure you have more knowledge on how it all works, but I assumed that a popup like that doesn't have the usual SEO advantages of a title , headers, meaningful text etc. so it surprises me that it would be picked up as more relevant than pages with good and useful content.

I'm always happy to learn, especially the SEO stuff.