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I have a problem with the way one of my pages, an ASP page searching a MS Access database is going to get spidered by potential search spiders
The current situation is
1. the dictionary.asp loads up with the first 10 terms, with in-built buttons moving to results after 10 terms, which I believe cannot be followed by spiders
2. the dictionary can be searched, but also, cannot be spidered as its a form
I have attempted to remedy this by making the following
1. hyperlinks at the right hand side of the dictionary.asp page that leads to 5 pages containing all the dictionary terms
2. the hyperlinks in these pages point to one specific dictionary term
e.g. dictionary.asp?Term="Absolute Refractory Period" (a term in the dictionary)
3. So hopefully now, search spiders can follow the link to these pages which searches individual terms, i.e. searches the whole of the dictionary
The reason I do this is because there is as much content within that database as there is in the rest of my site. I cant see why a search engine could penalise this in any way
I write this post to ask if anyone has any opinions in my method of getting the dictionary searched
One other things....taking the ? out of the URL's, info on this would be appreciated!
Richard
First, you are right in that most engines have trouble with the "?" and they cannot follow forms. So, as you say, the challenge is to set up your dictionary so it can be spidered effectively.
The first challenge I see is that people don't find words the want in a dictionary by starting at page 1 and then thumbing through until they find what they are looking for, rather they will jump through the dictionary alphabetically and then fins tune their search.
So that would be my first suggestion, set up 27 pages, one for each letter of the alphabet and one for numbers, that automatically list words starting with each letter. The criteria for these can be hard coded in each page and automatically select the first, say, 20 terms, with subsequent terms being picked up in additional interactions of the same page. EG, a.asp = "A" terms 1-20, a.asp?page=2 = "A" terms 21-40, and so on.
At least then you will have lists 540 terms to be easily picked up by the SEs, and Google "may" also pick up some of the subsequent versions of the pages depending on your sites PR and popularity.
The second suggestion would be to start to target some of the sub-disciplines within biology by categorising your words and creating a page listing discipline specific words. Some of the obvious sub-disciplines would be Biomechanics, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and so on. Some of the less obvious ones would be Biodiversity, Genetics, Bacteriology, Biomedicine, Anatomy, Endocrinology, and so on. You could go on categorising the dictionary till the cows come home and all the time you would be creating additional pages that list topic specific terms.
The benefits are two fold: -
Firstly, by having additional pages you will be listing more terms giving the engines more food to chew on. Importantly, with Google, as it indexes the whole text of the page, you will get additional hits by someone looking up a particular word or definition that happens to be on one of those pages.
Secondly, you will start to target those sub-disciplines more effectively, so someone looking for a Genetics Dictionary will find your page of Genetics terms and probably roam around your whole site as a result.
I hope that gives you some ideas,
Onya
Woz
PS, check your sticky mail.
