Google webmaster Tools

Should i add or not my doamin with and without www. in GWT

[pradeepkhutale]

Hello Everyone, In GWT i have added my sitename in both way like:
sitename.com
and
www.sitename.com
and i have verified both domain and also set preferred domain and selected "Display URLs as www.sitename.com"

But one seo my frnd told me we should add one sitename no need to add both domain with and without www.

SO frnds pls suggest me i m right or wrong.

if i m wrong pls suggest me what should i do.

thx in advance

[lammert]

Hi pradeepkhutale, first of all Welcome to WebmasterWorld!

There shouldn't be any negative effect of adding both domains to GWT. Adding both and using the option "Display URLs as ..." is an extra signal to Google that both domain names are in effect pointing to the same content and one of those is the preferred display version. It may help to prevent erroneous behavior while indexing your site.

I would leave the situation as it is now.

[pradeepkhutale]

hello lammert, thax for your reply.
Is my frnd right coz he was forcing me to dont add domain without www ex sitename.com

he told me u r confusing google told dat these are two diff sites. then i confused dats y asking qus in this forum

Pls suggest me

[lammert]

Google knows that sitename.com and www.sitename.com exist. In the past the algorithm tried to determine on its own which was the preferred domain and that didn't always went right. Some sites were indexed with half of the content as www.sitename.com and the other half as sitename.com. Actually one of the measures they took to prevent that problem to happen was to ask webmasters to add both domains to GWT and use the preferred domain display setting. You should be safe having both domain versions in GWT, as long as you make sure you use the preferred display setting.

[pradeepkhutale]

Hello again thx, as per your explanation i think i doing right things. what do you say?

I m doing right or wrong

[lammert]

Yes, in my opinion you are doing things right now.

[lancebachmann]

Not any issue, it is good if you variated on GWT both URLs, and set one prefer domain whatever it is www or non www.

[pradeepkhutale]

Thx lammert & lancebachmann

[lammert]

Hi lancebachmann,

thanks for joining the discussion and giving your input, and also thanks for joining WebmasterWorld. It's a good place to hang out.