regional content

[RonA]

When users request our product_page.html, we return a page that requires them to "select their state" so that we can customize the content of the page based on their state. We set a cookie with their selected state so that they don't need to select for evey product page or on return visits.

Naturally, Search Engines crawling the site don't get past the "select state" page.

How can we get our product pages indexed? If we detect a spider and serve a default page, won't this be considered cloaking?

Any ideas?

RonA

[euro]

Put a sitemap on your site, make sure your urls are html and not dynamic....mod_rewrite on server. Only applies if every person in a state receives the same page and not customised pages for every individual in a single state.

[A.N.Onym]

I'd reconsider your site structure. While you can do IP detection both for the visitors and the bots (and it'll be legal), you may be better off without another page and a form to click through.