registering on site stops spiders - any php code fix this?

php alowing spiders in?

[Lady_Lea]

Hi there

I just had a site analised for monetising and they suggested I made it so that people had to register to see the free information, so that I could gather email addreses.

However - this would mean that if I block the content - spiders would not be able to read the site, and it would loose ranking.

Does anyone have a php solution to this (I am using mysql and dweaver - if that means anything or helps)

[mincklerstraat]

There are a lot of sites that let google in, but make others register. You can do this by using a script that requires registration, but checks to see if the value $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] is set to the googlebot's id string (check your server logs for it). I don't use DW, and I really doubt it'd have this option in it - you'd probably have to get some professional help for this one (unless you want to learn PHP, and why not?).

One disadvantage is that, theoretically speaking, this is 'cloaking' - returning different content to users (people who haven't registered) and SE's. It could get you a SE punishing.

The user registration / SE exposure dilemma is a tough one; unless you have a site with lots of users who are real enthusiastic, enthusiastic enough to actually register, probably a lot will simply click on to another site.

You could try to find other means to get users register - like having a forum board, and make them register to post. That, of course, is a lot of extra work.

[Lady_Lea]

Thankyou

There is already a forum on the site - and it is very active site. I am working from a good base. I am not really worried about people leaving my site, because they would only go there if they were looking for what it does, and it is very niche so there is nowhere else for them to go really.

I see what you mean about cloaking - and is not really something I want to risk if it could cause me problems with the SE.

I am happy to learn php myself - but for now a little pointer would be fab.

Anyone else have any thoughts. I have had it suggested that I keep the current pages live in the SE's and make some other pages with more on them in the register section.

Cheers

Lea

[mincklerstraat]

I really like this last idea. That way you can float to your users that you're 'building a member section' and 'membership will be free to current users' or whatever, without needing to explain why they now have to register to see the stuff they had previously been reading without registration. You won't be cloaking, and you won't be keeping current content away from spiders. Probably, though, you'll want to take this to the Webmaster General forum, since you'll be able to get input there from people who aren't strictly php nerds like ourselves.

There are plenty of user membership login scripts out there - but it sounds like DW might be helping you with this.