SEO and html URL extensions

twopoint0

Hi. I am currently rebuilding a website for a company, it has a nice few pages with different catergories etc. I am a little confused about how I should organise layouts directories etc. as regards what would be best for SEO. The template and css style sheets have been designed and the content is currently being prepared.

Firstly I have created a directory for the new site to use for uploading files to build the new site and used the robots.txt file to block the directory from the search engines while it is under construction and then I’ll move everything into the root of the domain when the site is complete and remove the old site files and allow the search engines to access it. I’ll also set up redirects to new site pages which have had a high pagerank on my old site.


I am a litte confused as to what I should do as regards not having .html or .php at the end of the url of every page. From reading blogs and the likes it seems that I have two options, one would be to create a new directory or folder for each page and name each of them index.html, but I don’t like the idea of this or the other would be to modify the .hta access file to eliminate the .html or .php file extensions.

I could pick one or the other,, BUT what I am wondering is that if I was to put internal links from page to page or in my template or throughout my content with Dreamweaver, dreamweaver would link me to the file names which would have the .html extension. I’m assuming that these link would still work but would the search engines like it if some links go to the url without the .html or .php extension and some links are pointed at the url with it.? or if I was to have some files in directories and some links were pointed at /sample/index.html and some were pointed at just /sample/ ??


I would be grateful if people could help me out on this and give suggestions and advice.

CCSL

Whether you use php or html is not a really big issue it depends on which content is easier to update for you or the company.

If you are worried about the search engines finding the content of your site then all you need is a good sitemap there are lots on the net that will generate both the xml and html version of the map.
Then just make sure to link to it on your home page.
Set yourself up on Google webmaster tools - www.google.com/webmasters and also submit your map there. this will also allow you to check on any problems.

On the Page titles and file names it helps if you have the following

a domain called inflatabledartboards.ie
a Page called Inflatable-dartboards.htm
a Page title - For all your Inflatable Dart Board needs
and a H1 Tag Inflatable Dartboards - Common Questions.
and text relating to inflatable dart board repair kits etc.

That is what Google looks for as well as inbound links from other sites.
eg on inflatables.com a link - Irish inflatable Dart Boards - Leading to your site.

The 30 second guide to SEO was brought to you by Inflatable dart boards Limited - NOT! im off to bed!:D

Derek B

twopoint0 wrote: »

I am a litte confused as to what I should do as regards not having .html or .php at the end of the url of every page.

I wouldn't worry too much about leaving the extensions in to be honest.

twopoint0 wrote: »

From reading blogs and the likes it seems that I have two options, one would be to create a new directory or folder for each page and name each of them index.html, but I don’t like the idea of this or the other would be to modify the .hta access file to eliminate the .html or .php file extensions.

I would steer clear of that first option, if it's a choice of one or other I would personally go with the second option. With the first option, you're adding unnecessary sub-folders (better to keep pages as close to the root as possible), and also 'index.html' is not a meaningful filename, it's better to use descriptive filenames eg blue-widgets.html

twopoint0 wrote: »

what I am wondering is that if I was to put internal links from page to page or in my template or throughout my content with Dreamweaver, dreamweaver would link me to the file names which would have the .html extension. I’m assuming that these link would still work but would the search engines like it if some links go to the url without the .html or .php extension and some links are pointed at the url with it.? or if I was to have some files in directories and some links were pointed at /sample/index.html and some were pointed at just /sample/ ??

What could possibly happen here is that the search engines see the 2 different URLs as distinct pages, even if they serve the same content to the user. You don't want this to happen as not only could they decide to not index one as duplicate content, but also you're essentially building "strength" on 2 pages, when it should all be concentrated be on one.

What you would need to do is use 301 permanent redirects from
http://www.inflatabledartboards.ie/sample/xyz.html
to
http://www.inflatabledartboards.ie/sample/
(or alternatively use the rel=canonical tag, but 301 is preferred)

With a 301, you're telling the search engine that http://www.inflatabledartboards.ie/sample/ is the canonical/preferred URL. Any links to http://www.inflatabledartboards.ie/sample/xyz.html will build pagerank on that page, but since it's 301 redirected, the "link juice" would be passed to http://www.inflatabledartboards.ie/sample/.

I'd also recommend to use absolute rather than relative links internally.

Also, you said "I’ll also set up redirects to new site pages which have had a high pagerank on my old site". Do this for all pages that have a 1-to-1 relationship with pages on the new site, not just the 'high pagerank' pages as you say. Just because a page doesn't have a high PR, doesn't mean it can't rank for a relevant search term. You want to give all your new pages as good a chance to rank as possible.