URL Structure for webpages

[SEOPants]

An important part of your webpage’s is its URL structure.
Placing keywords in the URL is important if you want your webpage to rank in the SERPs (search engine results page).


When it comes to creating your webpage’s URL structure, its best to follow the following rulesL

1. Describe the content of the webpage (or use the title of the article or webpage)
2. Keep URLs short
3. Don't use nested folders
4. Use Hyphens as separators where there are spaces in your keywords
5. Use lower case for directories and filename, don't be case sensitive


So if your website is called http://www.seopants.com
And you have written a review / webpage about an "online casino" called "underworld casino"


Your structure should look something like this

1. Describe the content of the webpage (or use the title of the article or webpage)
-> "online casino review of underworld casino"

2. Keep URLs short


3. Don't use nested folders
-> don't do: http://www.seopants.com/online/casino/underworld/casino.html
-> This is better: http://www.seopants.com/online casino/underworld casino.html


4. Use Hyphens as separators where there are spaces in your keywords
-> This is better: http://www.seopants.com/online-casino/underworld-casino.html


5. Use lower case for directories and filename, don't be case sensitive
-> Directories and filenames are lowercase: http://www.seopants.com/online-casino/underworld-casino.html



If you choose the "online-casino" directory as your location to place your casino reviews, you should always place them there.
This will help you in maintaining a descriptive and confirmative layout of your website.





Variations which would be considered acceptable

http://www.seopants.com/online-casino/underworld-casino.html
http://www.seopants.com/online-casino/underworld-review.html

http://www.seopants.com/casino-reviews/underworld.html
http://www.seopants.com/casino-reviews/underworld-casino.html

http://www.seopants.com/underworld-casino-review.html



;D

 

[Guard Dog]

I certainly try to use the URL methodology like you suggest on the majority of my sites.

What I find useful for my php/MySQL sites is .htaccess and the mod rewrite rules which will allow you to take an URL like:

http://www.mysite.com/casino.php?ClubHollywood

and transform it to something more SEO-Friendly like:

http://www.mysite.com/ClubHollywood.html

 

[bonusgeek]

I didn't realize nested folders were bad. Just so I understand, lets say I have a site that covers all sections of online gambling. Sports, Poker, Casino, Bingo ect.. Naturally I would have a main folder for each section IE www.site.com/casino/ www.site.com/poker/ ect... But lets say I wanted to review each casino, are you recommending instead of having a reviews folder like this www.site.com/casino/reviews/clubusa-casino.html that I should do www.site.com/casino/clubusa-review.html?

I have always wondered about this and when you have a big portal covering so many different topics in each section I actually thought it would make sense to have a folder inside the /casino/ for each respective category you want to have content on. In this scenario I figured going 2 folders deep would be ok, and anything more might be pushing it.

 

[sipka]

I have read that going 4 folders deep could be hard for the big G, so I think 2 directories deep might be OK but Pantsie can tell if it's true or not

 

[SEOPants]

I have always wondered about this and when you have a big portal covering so many different topics in each section I actually thought it would make sense to have a folder inside the /casino/ for each respective category you want to have content on. In this scenario I figured going 2 folders deep would be ok, and anything more might be pushing it.

Nested folders aren't bad. They have their place. It definitely does make sense to use multiple directories when you have a big portal. I'd have to agree with you that doing 2 folders deep is ok, but anything more would be pushing it.

By pushing it, I mean, you can go 3, 4 levels, but you will find you will have better success in the SERPs if you were to only go 1-2 levels.


You will find that blogs will have a URL structure like this :
http://www.seopants.com/online-casino/2009-01-21/underworld-casino.html
-> this is fine, and accepted. Accepted in the sense that the URL gives the user information what the article is about, doesn't look like spam.

Saying that, I do still think that the fewer directories you have, the better... you only need to look at the results in the SERPs.

32red online casino - Google Search

Notice that most of the urls have the words "32red online casino" in the url and directory structure, as well as in the - they are also in the title tags (the main big bold description... but thats for another thread of discussion)

And the majority of the sites have fewer then 2 directories. The ones that do have more 2-3 directories have a lot more traffic going to them, better PR, good number of incoming links.


New site, small site = fewer directory depth
Established site, lots of traffic, good PR, good number of incoming links = directory depth can be increased. Although I wouldn't go past 3 deep.

 

[SEOPants]

I have read that going 4 folders deep could be hard for the big G, so I think 2 directories deep might be OK but Pantsie can tell if it's true or not

Got to agree with you there!
4 folders deep and Google has issues.

Pantsie!

 

[greek39]

Non of my sites uses folder structure not for reasons one might think. When I first started promoting Online Gambling I did not know how to create a folder URL. Plus I lacked the understanding how some se's could possible index it.

Well anyway I never use folders but will start to. A far better way of organizing stuff.

greek39

 

[bonustreak]

Good advice!

 

[WCD Admin]

I hadn't seen those horrible pants for a year! PANTS MAN where are you ? ? ? Something about those pants man. My mom dressed me in plaid pants when I was in elementary school. I was completely humiliated for it. (I had to burn them or something... can't remember)