Google Website Optimizer

[tylerfraser]

So if you are AB testing two pages:

index.html

and indexB.html

Shouldn't I nofollow indexB.html? It has all the same content, just a different design.

[itrogers]

Check out this thread on Google: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/websiteoptimizer/thread?tid=2462d6ad54512b96&hl=en

It basically says that if you are using GWO for testing purposes, SEO will not be affected. Google can see that you are using their site optimizer and won't discount any of your rankings or penalize your site for duplicate content.

[tylerfraser]

Cloaking isn't the issue, duplicate content and caching is the issue. I guess the real issue is if these test pages get crawled and entered into the index.

[itrogers]

Since it is the same content then I guess it wouldn't hurt you to no follow and no index at all. And even if you didn't I'm sure it wouldn't matter since Google knows you are just testing using their scripts.

[tylerfraser]

that sounds good. thanks!