8 replies to this topic

[crackerjack]

I am getting ready to use zen cart for my website. I am also moving the site to 1 and 1. The previous hosting server had bad tech support and the shopping cart that they offered was pretty limited. I think the term psp was used in reference to the way the products and product descriptions are served up to the viewer. Anyway.....my question has to do with the product descriptions. Are these considered content and is this content indexed by the search engines? I am going to start working on adding keyword content to my website and I am wondering if it is OK to add it to the product descriptions only or should I also have special pages for articles?

Thanks,

Crackerjack

[rolf]

Hi crackerjack,

Do you mean PHP? To over simplify the situation, PHP is just a way of generating standard HTML web pages whilst allowing for changes to be made based on the situation of each individual viewer. For instance, you could have one main product description page called description.php, and the server can put the right description into the page based on which product the viewer wants to see the description for. (hope that makes sense)

Anyway, in most circumstances PHP shopping carts (and most other technologies that could be used) are no problem for search engines. Unfortunately I don't know about the one you mention specifically, but assuming the cart has been coded sympathetically then the descriptions should definitely be considered as searchable content.

It's well worth finding out the SE-friendliness of the cart before you begin using it as you'll be missing a big part of your SE potential if they can't spider your shop.

Hope this helps.

[-=seth=-]

really wouldnt recommend 1and1, i had a lot of problems with then and i know a lot of people who have had similar experience

Product descriptions are considered content so try and write unique descriptions and the thing to watch out for with php shopping carts is = and ? in the url, search engine sometimes have problems with them

the most search engine friendly shopping cart ive found so far is Romancart, on the plus side it doesnt need a database so its cheap, its all coded in xhtml or html so its easy to learn and install, on the downside however it very time consuming

Edited by -=seth=-, 05 March 2007 - 08:18 AM.

[Randy]

my question has to do with the product descriptions. Are these considered content and is this content indexed by the search engines?

Short answer ... Yes !

Remember also though that your product descriptions are going to have a direct and major effect on how many people buy which products from you. So as always write for your users first. Conversions or lack thereof are the most important factor to take into account, especially when you're talking about product descriptions.

[crackerjack]

I think I meant to say the shopping cart uses asp. Does that make sense?

Thanks,

crackerjack

[chrishirst]

I think I meant to say the shopping cart uses asp. Does that make sense?

Yep, but it won't be Zen Cart as that is written in PHP



and welcome to HR

[crackerjack]

well, I am having the site moved to 1 and 1 and the person moving it said that zencart will work. If the old servers shopping cart used asp and the new one uses php will that be a problem?

[Randy]

...will that be a problem?

Yes. In the short term.

You're changing all of the page filenames and likely the structure too, so it's going to take awhile for the engines to catch iup.

The best you can do given the change is to make sure you have a list of the old pages before you make the switch, then set up some 301 redirects from the old pages to the most appropriate new pages. You'll still feel a few months of pain though.

[roxyyo]

You might also consider adding product reviews to your pages. This has a few search engine benefits including:

1. Customers type in their own language, helping you capture long tail traffic for things like "handbag that goes well for daytime and evening"
2. Customers type in their own language including misspellings and synonyms
3. More content for your product page!

Plus reviews build trust and confidence and can help you convert more browsers into buyers