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    4. %20 Rewrite in CMS doesn't get picked up by Search Engiens

    %20 Rewrite in CMS doesn't get picked up by Search Engiens

    Intermediate & Advanced SEO
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    • DROIDSTERS
      DROIDSTERS last edited by

      Hi Mozzers I have a little issue on a rewrite that was implemented on a CMS. The CMS was built for my client without the option to put custom slugs in. So it takes the title of a post or page and uses it as a URL, the site was launched with a rewrite so that any space in the title is replaced with a - and that is the permanent URL for that post/page.  This morning when I was busy doing my checkup on the site I found that the URLs are being indexed as %20 and not - however, if you navigate through the site the URLs are displaying correctly. How is it that search engines pick this up as a space in the slug if it has clearly been set as a -

      anyone had this issue before?   Its causing duplicate content issues on the site because both ways display the same post/page. Cheers, Chris Captivate.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • irvingw
        irvingw last edited by

        Google treats - as a space, but that is very strange, the CMS might be rewriting the dash as a space?

        Can you send a URL example, I'd like to see this with my own eyes.

        DROIDSTERS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • DROIDSTERS
          DROIDSTERS @irvingw last edited by

          Hi Irving

          Fully aware of that, but if I am not mistaken a URL with a - in and one with %20 in is still seen as 2 different URLs and is duplicate content if they both have the same content on?

          Here is an example of the SERP, you can check on it is the URL that is indexed with the - but once you click it, it goes off to the %20 version, however, if you navigate through the site to this blog post it shows as the - URL, now comes the interesting part, if you use the site search and search for "Southern Right Whale" this blog post comes up first and it is indexed in the site search as the %20 version.

          Here is the serps

          let me know your thoughts.
          Chris.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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