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There is a report at WebmasterWorld that Google is not showing their root of their domain, the main www.example.com, for a site command search in Google.
So I decided to check if this site had the same issue and it does!
The question is why? Why wouldn't Google show the main root above the rest of the results?
The WebmasterWorld thread has several SEOs saying either it is a Google bug or it is a sign of a problem with the site. Is that what you think? Do I have issues here or is this a Google bug?
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
Comments:
Nick LeRoy
08/05/2011 12:33 pm
This must be something their testing as all my index pages show up when I conduct the site: search.
Stockbridge Truslow
08/05/2011 12:42 pm
Quick glance, though not confirmed... google local search seems to be getting some sort of a "punch" - I tested my sites (and several others) that don't have local pages (or pages that talk about a specific area - especially if there is no map link - and the root showed up. I tried a few sites that use google maps and/or have local search terms and if they have maps/localization info on their home page, then the home page shows. Sites like yours that have a page deep inside that deal with local and or map data in there - then that page seems to be getting a boost. Not sure if it's the map data or local search since I don't have a large set of sites to look at since WMW doesn't give many clues as to the domains in question. Give it a looksee though and see if localization (a mention of a town/state with a link to a map or a link to a query that has localization data in it - like your page).
Trent
08/05/2011 01:49 pm
Checked, my sites are all showing up. Did you repeat the search with omitted results? Note that {flash} links are not contained within initial site:
Michael Martinez
08/05/2011 03:23 pm
Works for me.
Alex
08/06/2011 05:38 am
I think it's a sign of problem to the site.
Craig Broadbent
08/08/2011 08:29 am
Been seeing it for a while on numerous sites. I've never felt it's a problem with the site as there's never been associated traffic/ranking drops, so possibly just a Google bug but not something to get overly worried about in any case.
Ertrere
08/08/2011 10:32 am
How's your traffic been Barry, is it different now that index doesn't show ?
Barry Schwartz
08/08/2011 10:43 am
Seems the same.
Mithul Mistry
08/08/2011 03:55 pm
I have seen this a few times and in "my experience" its normally associated with duplicate content, however as you are mainly a news based site I wouldnt worry about it. If it was say an ecommerce site then yes there is cause for concern and it normally comes down to internally duplicated content. Use the site command and a snippet of your content in Google to see where you have duplicated content or check Google webmaster tools
Ewan Kennedy
09/01/2011 03:14 pm
I'm glad to hear there's no concensus about it being a penalty. I usually see all my clients' roots at the top of a Google site search but recently one has stopped appearing and has had me scratching my head about whether it matters. The content is all indexed and if you search [site:www.domainname.com keyword1], the home page comes up tops. I think it's something to do with duplicate content because news headline teasers, for example, are on all pages of the site in question. If you do a search on the news headline (wrapped in quotes), the Facebook Page comes up tops, the home page 2nd and all the other pages (with the dupe content on) follow. I don't think it's affected traffic so not really sure how concerned to be so will subscribe for following up comments.