HTML: How to get my subpages listed on a google search

Question

When you go to Google and perform a search, it will return either one of two type of results:

1. just the title of your webpage, or
2. the title of your web-page plus, lists subpages it found on that web site

Here is an example of option #2: http://37assets.s3.amazonaws.com/svn/grub-ellis-googlelisting.png

My website on a google.com search only lists my web page title (option #1), how do I get google to list my subpages on the search results (option #2)?

Is is an HTML issue? How do I get Google to know what my subpages are so that it can also list those on a google search.

Lundberg

I think you may have to pay for that, don't quote me on that though. ;) – Budweis

It's a Google issue. It's up to them if your site is showing with sitelinks or not. – Leninist

Interesting question, looking forward to the answers! :) – Kentish

Can you embed the external image or - add it as text? (reason: external image may at some point not be available). What I would do is simplify what can be seen in external image and add it as text. Makes it much easier to understand what question is about. – Hyams

Answer 1

Those are called "sitelinks" and are automated but you can partially configure them in Google's webmaster's tools. In webmaster's tools, click "sitelinks" in the navigation menu on the left. From the sitelinks page:

Sitelinks are links to a site's interior pages. Not all sites have sitelinks. Google generates these links automatically, but you can remove sitelinks you don't want.

Here is another Google page explaining sitelinks.

Bastien

could you please explain a bit more :)? – Grindlay

Per the link you provided from google ... "At the moment, sitelinks are completely automated. We're always working to improve our sitelinks algorithms, and we may incorporate webmaster input in the future." ----- So, how do I force google to display sitelinks since it's "automated". – Lundberg

@Teddy: You can't force Google to do anything :( They only thing they allow is removal of sitelinks. So ultimately, you might be out of luck on this one. I'm sorry. But at least now you know these things are called "sitelinks" and you know how they work. – Bastien

Note: Sitelinks have been removed from Google Search Console (formerly Google Webmaster Toosl) on October 13, 2016. See plus.google.com/+GoogleWebmasters/posts/b4WcMeLgbAL – Kerb

Answer 2

You should add a site-map using the Google webmaster tools site, or by maintaining your own. For explanation check out Sitelinks page.

Pyne

Answer 3

Google has not generated any sitelinks for your site. Sitelinks are completely automated, and we show them only if we think they'll be useful to the user. If your site's structure doesn't allow our algorithms to find good sitelinks, or we don't think that the sitelinks are relevant to the user's query, we won't show them. However, we are always working to improve how we find and display sitelinks.

Cafard

Answer 4

You can also directly enable sitelinks (you don’t have to get lucky) in Google’s Pay-Per-Click platform (AdWords), and it will have a similar very positive impact on your clickthrough rate.

Africah

Answer 5

You need to create XML sitemap. Here is all you need to know. Check if your open-source CMS has plugin/add-on/module to do this automatically, there must be generators somewhere too.

• http://www.google.lv/search?q=XML+sitemap
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitemaps
• http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=156184

Ryanryann

An XML sitemap is no guarantee of sitelinks appearing. – Leninist

Answer 6

You are describing "Search Engine Optimization" with your question. If you have a small site, the best thing you can hope for is to ensure every page has a unique title, links back to your home page, you have a good "site map" so search engines can easily discover ALL of your pages, and most important, your pages are THE definitive place for information about whatever you're selling.

Content is king and once you become the authority, your page will pop up in the 1st 1-2 links.

Contact some local SEO folks in your area and ask for a site evaluation. Many will do it for free with their automated tools. You can use the webmaster tools from bing or google if you're on a tight budget.

Retention

I really love the trolls that downvote answers that are nearing adulthood and the trolls are to shy to justify their random act of reputation sabotage by leaving a comment. – Retention