Features / Usability

Posted by Rick Sapir / Tiki for Smarties 01 Feb 2006 18:49 GMT-0000 posts: 3665

This is because TIKI uses tables as a layout mechanism. When the search engine reads your page, the table is loaded in order: Column 1, 2, 3.

If you have your site menu in the left-most column (i.e., column 1) it is the first text that your site returns to the search engine.

Some alternatives:

• Use the meta description in your site. Notice how the [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=tikiwiki.org&btnG=Google+Search|Google result for tw.o returns the desription instead of the first 50 words from the page.
• Move your menu to the last column (right side) so it is read last by the search engine.
• Get rid of the tables and use DIVs instead. You can even change the layout so that your main body content is the first DIV read by the search engine (before the left column and even before the top bar). See http://www.positioniseverything.net/articles/onetruelayout/anyorder for a real good discussion of excellent techniques.

HTH,

Rick

> I am getting some weird search engine results for my site. Instead of saying:
>
> http://www.widgets.com
> We sell widgets!
>
> It says:
>
> http://www.widgets.com
> We sell widgets! Menu Home Contact
> Us - Wiki Articles + Wiki Home ...
>
> Why is there more than just a description?
>
> Thanks for the help,
>
> Quinn Spicker