XF 1.4 Index by Google - not the whole page?

[flowerpot132]

Our forum is private. You have to be a member to login and read anything.

At the moment google indexes about 12 pages, eg homepage, terms an conditions, FAQs page etc. All the pages that anyone can read.

Can i open it up so google indexed all pages, but still be behind a login wall? So can you feed google just the meta title and a description that maybe takes the first 160 characters from the OP? Might this be enough for it to get indexed, then a user clicks on it and they then have to join the forum.

Or is this a bit sneaky and google just won't index it as it's not great for the user as there is no content on the actual page, unless they join the forum.

 

[Martok]

What guests can see, Google can see and vice versa. To attempt to show content to Google but not guests is called cloaking and is a big no-no to Google.

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66355?hl=en

 

[flowerpot132]

Ah ok, I thought it didn't make sense. Won't do that then. Cheers.

 

[flowerpot132]

Our forum isn't noindex, google just doesn't index it because it's behind a login wall. That's fine right? Not cloaking, as we are showing both the user and google the same page.

 

[Paul B]

That's fine.

 

[flowerpot132]

Would this be ok?
https://xenforo.com/community/resources/show-first-post-only.4637/

 

[flowerpot132]

Because it is only showing the first post, and not hiding anything right?

 

[Mike]

As long as you show the same things to guests and Google itself, you'll be fine.