Correct site localization

A

Anton Medvedev2012-11-19 19:58:26

Search Engine Optimization

Anton Medvedev, 2012-11-19 19:58:26

Interested in which method of localization is more preferable for search engines?
For example:

domain.com/ ru /path/to/page
domain.com/path/to/page?lang=ru _
en .domain.com/path/to/page
or storage in cookies?

Also, what to do with user pages that are desirable to be located at this address: domain.com/username

Which of the localization options is better?

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4 answer(s)

W

Wott, 2012-11-19
@Wott

It is correct to specify lang as a property of the html tag:

<html lang="ru">

what links look like for SE is not important, anyway they check by context. But it is important to specify the charset and lang correctly, otherwise they may fail.
for the user, IMHO, it would be necessary to look at his Accept-Language and select from the available alternatives, if this is an external link and give the opportunity to change, remembering in cookies. Changing the URL somehow is not good, although it is useful to have a hard modifier in the URL like ?lang=ru, but not to use it.

S

scoff, 2012-11-20
@scoff

If the "cookie" determines the language of the site, but does not change the URL, then search robots will only see the version of the site that is set by default, they do not understand cookies. So I either did not understand the previous advice, or I do not support it (this does not apply to lang / charset).
I am sometimes puzzled by smart sites that automatically detect the language by accept language and give out "localized" content without options, which may be poorer or completely different than the original that I was sent a link to or that I found on Google. If at the same time the URL does not change, it’s generally sad, but this rarely happens.
From the point of view of the PS (and I join) it is good when a unit of content = 1 URL. I would call 2 pages in different languages two units of content. That is, items 1-3 are suitable on your list. Personal preference - point 1, then point 2, with a separate subdomain is technically more difficult, but gives some freedom for the future (it can really be a single host).

K

Kane, 2012-11-19
@Kane

To specify alternative versions of the site, you can use the following construction support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=189077
For links like domain.com/username, I would redirect to the localized version, for example domain.com/en /username

M

max_rip, 2012-11-19
@max_rip

1,2,3 I have the right to life, but which one of them, It all depends on the content.
If it is completely mirrored, then it makes sense to use 1 or 2.
If the content is different, then 3.