Advantage for Wordpress Websites in Google?

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I have a client who has a standard website that I built for her. She also has a couple of Wordpress blogs, one of which I created. She reckons that changes to one of her blogs are indexed by Google virtually immediately. She says she has tested it. Is this likely?

Also, she was considering changing her main website, which does extremely well in the SERPS at present, to Wordpress because someone told her that Wordpress websites were better for SEO. I managed to talk her out of this by warning her of the dangers of making radical changes like this. To do so would be a nightmare for me with regard to layout, etc. as I don't know much about WP.

Do any of you think that there are any advantages of using WordPress websites as opposed to building in HTML?

[mrmobility]

WP pings google when you make a new post, hence the speedy crawling. I don't see what WP could do that you couldn't do bespoke, but that comes down to the quality of the bespoke development.

[underglass]

I have a WP e-commerce site. When I create a new category page, Google does not immediately index the category page. When I create a blog post, Google immediately indexes the post.

I would try to talk her out of making the drastic change - in the end, a "normal" WP platform website is treated like other websites when it comes to SEO, indexing, and such. When I went from a Yahoo platform to the WP platform, it took around six months before Google began ranking the new pages. And I have really not seen a difference in ranking because of WP after almost 2 years on the WP platform.

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I don't see what WP could do that you couldn't do bespoke, but that comes down to the quality of the bespoke development.

Yes, but this would apply to WP and bespoke. ;)

[indyank]

I would say that there isn't any specific advantage in using WP. In fact, WP has some issue with URLs (permalinks) and you can access the same content using two or more URLs. Moreover, google can easily detect the underlying platform when it is WP and this will be a disadvantage if at all google decides to downgrade certain platforms.

The big advantage with bespoke product is yours will be a unique site and since google tends to apply certain algorithms by observing similarities, a platform like WP will be more a disadvantage.

[underglass]

In fact, WP has some issue with URLs (permalinks) and you can access the same content using two or more URLs.

very true!

[MrSavage]

I would only say that using Wordpress is foward thinking. You can still use vinyl when the rest of the world is using these things called mp3's. My only regret is having so many non Wordpress sites. A hassle to change over? Sure. Worth changing over? Yes. I essentially would not launch a non Wordpress site at this point. Two years ago I would rant to you how much blogs suck. The advantage is versatility. As I've been using Wordpress, I am always amazed that it can do whatever changes or additions that I need to do. Additionally you can make Wordpress look like anything else. I would only add one concern and that's server speed. Be darn careful especially if it's a very popular site with traffic. If you have a crap server (think host with alligators) then you may find lousy page loads etc. Be cautious in that regard. But overall, I would suggest Wordpress is better for Google because if you haven't noticed, blogs tend to be favored. Perhaps easier on their spider resources?

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I would only say that using Wordpress is foward thinking. You can still use vinyl when the rest of the world is using these things called mp3's.

Actually I would suggest that for those who can build websites using CSS/HTML Wordpress is the vinyl version and I don't think I would have any trouble finding others to agree with me. ;)

[Simsi]

I have both in my network and both have their advantages. What I do see though is that pages on WP sites seem to slip further with age. So the way I see it is that WP has short term advantages and bespoke sites longer-term stability.

[netmeg]

As I just got finished saying in the WP forum, every site I've thus far put into WordPress (both for myself and for clients - maybe 25-30 sites) is doing better traffic-wise, earnings-wise and maintenance-wise than it was before. But it wasn't necessarily immediate - some took a few months.

If the site is doing pretty well now, I don't know why you'd need to change it. It's true that Google does pick up new WordPress posts pretty quickly - my record is about three minutes after I hit "publish" - but if the existing site is spidered pretty frequently, it should get that content quickly too. I have ecommerce sites that pick up new products in 24 hours.

One thing you might try, just as a lark, is next time she adds something to the static site, put a date on it. See if that gets it indexed faster. (You can always remove the date later)

[emmab21]

We are currently in the process of migrating out website over to WP from Umbraco (which I hate). But I find this point by indyank interesting:

In fact, WP has some issue with URLs (permalinks) and you can access the same content using two or more URLs.

How would you suggest combating this? Is it to include a canonical tag in every page?

It would be good for me to be able to pre-empt issues before we go live than afterwards.

[tedster]

Is it to include a canonical tag in every page?

That's a good way to go - just get the plug-in configured accurately and you have an insurance policy in place.

[netmeg]

Use the canonical tag, and make sure you have a good robots.txt and you should be good to go.

[indyank]

But overall, I would suggest Wordpress is better for Google because if you haven't noticed, blogs tend to be favored. Perhaps easier on their spider resources?

You seem to be living in the past.It is 2011 and things change very quickly with google.

[MrSavage]

@BeeDee - With respect, "who can build websites" says it all really. Give me Wordpress and I will be creating content faster that those deciding to build their websites. If you want to create more content, faster and easier, then Wordpress is your best option. I think my point was the "building" a website = waste of my time. That's me. Rankings, money etc come from content not fancy code.

I would also add that like the world of apps, Wordpress has the world of plugins. Need something that doesn't come with WP? I can guarantee you there is a plugin for it. It's simply amazing once you get into it.

@netmeg, perhaps a newb question, but what is "use the canonical tag" mean exactly?

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

If you want to create more content, faster and easier, then Wordpress is your best option. I think my point was the "building" a website = waste of my time. That's me. Rankings, money etc come from content not fancy code.

Wordpress is built on "fancy code" as you put it. The code for standard HTML websites is anything but fancy and AFAIK the search engines will index a straight, validated HTML website better than any other.

You say Wordpress is your best option, how many other systems have you used to create websites?

[netmeg]

@netmeg, perhaps a newb question, but what is "use the canonical tag" mean exactly?

Because WordPress can very easily create duplicate content due to categories, tags, however you set your permalinks, you want to indicate what the canonical (i.e. the *source*) URL is. So you use a tag in the header like: <link rel="canonical" href="http://example.com/this-page-name/" />, so that in theory, search engines know that example.com/this-page-name/ is the same as example.com/category/this-page-name/ and so on. Some theme frameworks have this option built in, or you can use a good SEO plugin and that will pretty much take care of everything for you.

You say Wordpress is your best option, how many other systems have you used to create websites?

See, nothing against you, BeeDee, but this is where any code evangelists always lose me. Not everyone WANTS to be a programmer or a designer. Not everyone WANTS to take the time to learn HTML or PHP or how to write a function. Not everyone WANTS to test out half a dozen CMS systems (let alone roll their own) They just want to get something up that reasonably represents their business (and/or allows them to DO business) People just want something that works, and if it works for them, who are you (generic you) to say it's not their best option?