Auto Redirecting Techniques For Internet Marketing

A company planning to close down its current website, may also employ auto redirecting tools to take the user to the new site. For many of the sites, the first page that opens up is a quick loading and attractive page, which further directs the user to the appropriate page. This is done so that the appearance of the slow page at the beginning does not deter the user. Site that host content that has to be viewed through subscription, may use the technique to redirect non-registered users to their login and registration pages.

For an ecommerce site that hosts a video regarding the product, a URL can be added into the auto redirect feature of the player to direct the user immediately to the shopping cart and checkout form. However, this method can also be exploited to fool the search engine and increase rankings. Also, sites which are related to malicious software, viruses, terrorist propaganda or pornography may use this method to hook unsuspecting users. Hence, search engines usually look at such techniques with suspicion and penalize the site. However there are techniques that are not identified by the engines as violations.

One of the methods is known as the "Javascript" method. The advantage is that Javascript redirects are not automatically identified by the search engine robots, since these do not identify the sequence of Javascript. The script does not require a fixed location, although the better option s to place it I the "head". This ensures that the script runs simultaneously with the loading process of the page. Also, the URL of the new page is added to the history tab of the back button on the browser toolbar. This enables the user to repeatedly to go directly to the final page without starting all over again.

Another is the Meta Refresh Tag method, which is also very much acceptable to the search engines. Here the tag is incorporated within the "head" of the initial page. This prompts the browser to refresh the page by loading the specific URL. The tag contains the number of seconds after which the new page is to be loaded. This method is acceptable, provided the initial page is showed for appropriate time, so that the user is able to read it. However, if there is nothing worthwhile on the starting page, it is advisable to set the delay at zero seconds. Longer delays can be provided to mask the time taken, when the following page is a heavier and slower one. In such cases, there should be a small interesting piece of content on the initial page to keep the user engrossed.

The third technique is known as the Form Technique. Current search engine spiders are not equipped to identify and submit forms appearing on websites. Hence, such forms can be used for redirecting the user to the appropriate information. The engines cannot identify the URL of a forms action details as the one requested by the browser. The browser at the visitor's end identifies the form differently and proceeds for loading the page. As the page begins to load JavaScript is employed for submitting the form.