www or not? Search engines duplicating results

Hi everyone,

Do you recommend using www or not? Right now, our .htaccess file redirects all www traffic to without www. Should we switch it?

Also, when Google searching, we often come across both versions (one with www, one without). How can I make the unused one not be indexed?

Thanks!

 

It doesn't matter which one you use. I sometimes use "without www" because it's shorter, and sometimes I use "www" because I want to.

If it's being 301 redirected, it'll eventually be changed to the one you use. I think there's also an option to set it in Webmaster Tools,

 

Thanks! Do you know where I can find Webmaster Tools?

 

https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/

I generally go with non-www but it doesn't really matter which you use, just be consistent with one or the other.

 

You guys rock - thanks Brandon!

 

I usually go with the www extension and use the redirection to redirect the other one.

 

I prefer to keep my Domains with the www. at the start then Redirect non www. to it to keep it all set as the same domain prefix.

I don't think it really matters which way you have it as long as you have it set to one or the other and no both.

 

I use www, because I think it looks better when it's included. If a user types in my site without the www then they're just redirected.