I've just noticed something strange which kinda throws a bone into my traffic strategy. Google Images mostly seems to index from or direct my images to the wordpress categories instead of the single posts. With some it refers visitors to the post but for the most it takes people to the category pages. Why does it do that? I dont get it.

The problem is that the category pages take much longer to load since they have 3 posts displayed whereas a single post of course is much faster. Not to mention that a category page updates and thus may not even show that image anymore on category page 1. Surely Google knows these things and wants to support the most pleasant user experience?

Also, I have image redirects in place (via Javascript and htaccess) so actually the images should redirect to the single posts anyway. But apparently not anymore since the remodeling of Google image search.

Does anyone know how I could get Google to index only via the single post pages? Is there a specific google image command one might be able to do in robots.txt or htaccess? Im saying google images because I do need my categories indexed by regular Google as they rank for keywords too.

Google really acts weird. I also do not have an idea why is it happening.

That's where the image code was found, so that's where the link will point.

Does anyone know how I could get Google to index only via the single post pages?

Block the "category pages" in robots.txt

Originally Posted by chrishirst

That's where the image code was found, so that's where the link will point.

Block the "category pages" in robots.txt

I think you are right,thanks for you method

Thanks Christ. That's what I'm doing.

The reason that this happens is likely because the category pages have a higher PR... they are stronger pages... typically than a single post page. Remember EVERY page on a blog typically links to all of the category pages. Once posts roll off your home page, they are only linked to by the category, archives, tags pages.

If the post version of the image is the one indexed, it's likely because a) the post has not yet rolled off the home page AND is linked to by every page on the site (if you have a recent posts widget) and/or b) the post has acquired external links that provide the page with more PR than the category page.

Though PR is only a VERY minor factor in how a URL is ranked for a particular search phrase, PR is VERY important in Google's algorithm which decides which of the crawled pages actually make it into their index and stay there.

Originally Posted by chrishirst

That's where the image code was found, so that's where the link will point.

Block the "category pages" in robots.txt

I guess you didn't read the last paragraph of my post. Quote: Does anyone know how I could get Google to index only via the single post pages? Is there a specific google image command one might be able to do in robots.txt or htaccess? Im saying google images because I do need my categories indexed by regular Google as they rank for keywords too.

So is there or not? Or maybe some sort of nofollow image meta tag I could use for category pages?

Originally Posted by Social-Media

The reason that this happens is likely because the category pages have a higher PR... they are stronger pages... typically than a single post page. Remember EVERY page on a blog typically links to all of the category pages. Once posts roll off your home page, they are only linked to by the category, archives, tags pages.

If the post version of the image is the one indexed, it's likely because a) the post has not yet rolled off the home page AND is linked to by every page on the site (if you have a recent posts widget) and/or b) the post has acquired external links that provide the page with more PR than the category page.

Though PR is only a VERY minor factor in how a URL is ranked for a particular search phrase, PR is VERY important in Google's algorithm which decides which of the crawled pages actually make it into their index and stay there.

Thanks Social Media, that makes a lot of sense. I just did some PR checking on my pages vs categories - and unfortunately the picture is not as clear cut as you painted. I found a couple of incidences where the PR was higher with the page but nonetheless the image was indexed from the category. But with some it was the other way around. Hmm, I dont understand how some of those categories ended up with higher PR than the single pages. Because latter is what I usually link to on my site as well as do backlink campaigns for. Ah well, thats Google for you...