SEO and include files

[needtheheat]

I've been reading a lot about SEO lately, as I'm developing my website.

I've been using include pages for my header, footer, and left nav. The left nav is what I'm concerned with, as it contains a lot of information that is formatted properly.

How does a spider crawl my pages? Does it virtually pull the entire page, therefore seeing the include files? Or does it just get the content that is on the actual page, passing by the include files?

Thanks, and love the site, lots of great info on it. I'll be a regular.

[scoutabout]

Includes are usually performed on the server side prior to presenting the page to the requesting client. So the spider sees the complete page after the includes have been made. It shouldn't be a problem.

[ToddW]

php includes and requires are done server side and processed by PHP and the visitor sees the whole page... SSI.. = Server Side Include so i`d imagine it's performed server side as well.

[MagicYoyo]

Originally Posted by needtheheat

I've been using include pages for my header, footer, and left nav.

Do you talk about PHP include or frameset ?

If you're meaning PHP include, there no problems. Both users and search engines receive the interpreted code, i.e. the whole page with all part pages integrated.
If you're meaning frameset, there is some work to do for a proper indexing. Althought, PHP includes are easy to settle and to index.

[needtheheat]

Actually, they are coldfusion include templates. another "concern" is that there is some dynamic data as well.

[WorldwideTrading]

Originally Posted by needtheheat

Actually, they are coldfusion include templates. another "concern" is that there is some dynamic data as well.

Hi with pages done using middleware like coldfusion, search engines see the fully generated pages not the includes.

[GeorgeB]

I think we're all in agreement

[needtheheat]

Great. I wanted to stay away from Dreamweaver templates, so I'm glad the includes won't be an issue