Hi Tecsup ~
You're quite correct, a check of Google's data centers all show your
Bizland site when I search for www.computer-help.com .
This means that Google is presenting a cached version of your site and
hasn't updated it yet. Google explains this in its Webmaster
Information, "Multiple indices":
"We update our index about every four weeks. If you happen
to enter the same query repeatedly while we are in the
process of posting the index at our various data centers
around the country, it might seem like you are seeing
inconsistent results from Google. What is actually happening
is that you are seeing a result from an 'old' version of our
index one time and a result from a 'new' version the next.
Due to the size of our index, we can not simultaneously post
a new index at all of our data centers, which may result in
this behavior for a short period of time."
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/2.html#B2
While this explanation is more an answer for why a site isn't
appearing at all, it also holds true for moving your site to the new
host.
Although it's no consolation, you aren't the first to notice - for
whatever reason - that Google is presenting cached version of their
site in a search. There are several discussion threads with recent
postings on Webmaster World where others have observed and remarked
the same phenomenon.
- http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/
Just one example "...the pages listed are those that Google has cached
and can bring up in search results." [From "Google not showing all
indexed pages for site" ]
- http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/17861.htm
and
"I noticed today that both sites have old URLs that no longer exist
listed in Google. They just show the URL and nothing else."
- http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/17803.htm
and included in other noticed oddities in the thread "What's afoot at
google? Something strange at the moment"
- http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/17852.htm
===============
Robots.txt
===============
Make sure your new host doesn't have a robots.txt file which prohibits
search engine crawlers from crawling your site. There was one thread
where the host had blocked search engine crawlers because they crashed
the server.
Information about correct formatting for robots.txt file, can be found
on "The Web Robots FAQ" here:
- http://www.robotstxt.org/wc/faq.html
At this point, it wouldn't hurt to resubmit your site to Google using
its Add URL tool. You won't be penalized, and it should bring Google's
freshbot to your site. The Add URL tool is here:
- ://www.google.com/addurl.html
Please note their advisory, "Only the top-level page from a host is
necessary; you do not need to submit each individual page. Our
crawler, Googlebot, will be able to find the rest. Google updates its
index on a regular basis, so updated or outdated link submissions are
not necessary."
This should help Google update your listing so it is no longer
pointing at your old host, but please remember it could take a few
weeks.
Please remember that Google Answers Researchers are independent
contractors and not employees of Google. We have no indider
information about Google's well-guarded algorithms. When we answer
questions like yours, we are relying on the best information available
at the time.
In this case, I relied on my knowledge of Google's Webmaster
Information and anecdotal accounts of similar recent experiences as
well as the obvious fact that Google is presenting a cached version of
your site as it appeared on your old host.
Barring any unseen blocks (such as robots.txt preventing crawlers from
indexing your site), I think submitting your site will help take care
of the problem.
Best of luck and warm regards,
Serenata
Google Answers Researcher |
