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Search Engine Optimization 101: URLs: Search Engine Friendly, Canonical, Website Double Vision

Posted on Jan 7, 2011 by Stephen Owens
SEO 101 category
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In this Search Engine Optimization article I will cover Search Engine Optimization for the URL. Including Pretty URLs (SEO Friendly URLs), Canonical Links, and Website Double Vision (multiple versions of your website's URL). While not mission critical they do help with your over all SEO plan.

Search Engine Friendly URL, Search Engine Optimized URL, or Pretty URL

There is some debate about having a Search Engine Friendly URL (a.k.a. Search Engine Optimized URL, or Pretty URL) when using a Content Management System or blogging platform.

Example of a non-SEO-friendly URL:
www.example.com/index.php?pageID=4&categoryID=42&

Example of a friendly URL:
www.example.com/category/title_of_the_page

The general consensus is that using a page's title with either dashes or underscores between the keywords is a good approach to achieve the best possible listings. However, I have seen websites that use “non-SEO-friendly” URLs do just fine with their page rank, showing up in the top 10, if the site uses a good SEO foundation like I have outlined in my first SEO 101 article about Building the SEO Foundation.

Dashes vs. Underscores in Pretty URLs

When choosing between dashes or underscores, that's completely your decision. If you want a reason for one or the other, Shawn from 12 Point Design offers up some advice on Dashes vs. Underscores.

How To Implement Search Engine Optimized URLs

If you use a Content Management System (CMS) then it's usually just a matter of installing a plug-in or turning the feature on. You can ask in the forum of your particular CMS for help on turning on your SEO Friendly URLs.

Popular CMS Pretty URL References

WordPress : Pretty URLs are part of the package as of version 2.3
CMS Made Simple : Pretty URLs and Mod Rewrite

Writing Your Own Pretty URL Mod Rewrites Using .htaccess

If however, you have some kind of home brew CMS running on a Linux Apache server then you can accomplish SEO Friendly URLs using the .htaccess file with some rewrites. You can learn how to use .htaccess and mod rewrite from the following references.

References For .htaccess File Search Engine Optimized URL Rewrites

URL Rewriting Basics from YourHTMLSource.com
Mod Rewrite CheatSheets from AddedBytes.com

WYSIWYG Editors And Pretty URLs

If you are using Dreamweaver or another what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) program. Then just create file names for your pages using the main key words from your page.

Multiple Versions Of The Site URL (Website Double Vision)

On an Apache server this can be fixed using a .htaccess file. You can decide to use a URL with WWW or without the WWW. It's your choice. Having a site that can be addressed by either can trick search engines into thinking that they are two distinct sites and spreads your Google juice too thin.

.htaccess To Force WWW

The code I use on all websites to force it to use WWW is in the .htaccess file, don't remember where I found it, but I've been using it for years:

```
# GENERIC FORCE WWW
```
```
# non empty HTTP_HOST in the request
```
```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^$ [NC]
```
```
# does not start with 'www'
```
```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\. [NC]
```
```
# saves the value of HTTP_HOST in %1
```
```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(.*)$ [NC]
```

# redirects using the saved URI (in RewriteRule)

# and saved hostname (in the last RewriteCond)

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ "http://www.%1/$1" [L,R=301]

# GENERIC FORCE WWW
# non empty HTTP_HOST in the request
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^$ [NC]
# does not start with 'www'
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\. [NC]
# saves the value of HTTP_HOST in %1
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(.*)$ [NC]
# redirects using the saved URI (in RewriteRule) 
# and saved hostname (in the last RewriteCond)
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ "http://www.%1/$1" [L,R=301]

Canonical URL

If your site has identical or vastly similar content that's accessible through multiple URLs, this format provides you with more control over the URL returned in search results. It also helps to make sure that properties such as link popularity are consolidated to your preferred version. One of the biggest violators of duplicate content are eCommerce platforms, where the same product can be found under different categories, creating many links to exactly the same content. Some other blogging platforms also have problems with putting out many URLs that link to the same content. Some analytics programs can cause multiple URLs to the same content for when used for advanced tracking of the website.

The Big Three Search Engines All Use Canonical URLs

Search Engine Land explains that the web is full of duplicate content and all the major search engines, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft (Bing) have united to use Canonical links to help reduce the amount of duplication.

Reference For Canonical URLs

Specify Your Canonical from the Google Webmaster Central Blog

Implementing Canonical URLs

Implementing Canonical URLs is rather easy if you are using a popular CMS. In most cases you just need to turn the feature on.

WordPress : Install the All In One SEO Pack, which has advanced Canonical URLs.
CMS Made Simple : Forum thread on using the CMSMS Canonical Link

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