SEOenthusiast

Mod_Rewrite through htaccess
Although search engines now index URL's with database or query parameters, they still give greater weight to static URL's. Lose the query parameters and use mod_rewrite to show static URL's for faster, better search engine recognition and indexing. As recently as 2005, search engines didn't go past a question mark in a URL. Now they do, although there are still many that persist in requiring static URL's. They'll come up to speed in time. The main one's are no longer stumped by a query parameter on the end of a URL as long as there are no more than two parameters - they were missing out on much content when a query parameter stumped them. But the fact remains that the SE's are more impressed with URL's that are free of untidy endings, free of parameters. Use mod_rewrite to make your URL's easy to index and retrieve information.
It's not just the search engines. Growingly savvy users look at the URL's as they surf. If our URL is more than one line deep and looks complicated, they'll be less likely to click. And what of the directories? We can submit sub pages to directories as well as our home page, but if the URL is cluttered by query parameters the directories are less likely to accept their submission.
Exactly how to write the syntax for the mod rewrite function is beyond the scope of this missive and can easily be found in many web resources by searching for the mod_rewrite function (with or without the underscore). But you'll need to ensure that your host supports the use of the mod_rewrite function. Since the function is written in the htaccess file, the host also has to support this file - some don't. If not (some hosts have never heard of the htaccess file), you may have to make the difficult decision to move your site to a host that has this capacity, since it is very important in terms of SEO. Each product can be broken down to it's atomic levels and have it's own page through the mod_rewrite function. Whilst providing a categorised list of products or services, you can have each individual item link to it's own page through having it's URL dealt with through a script fiel and churned out to the browser as it's own URL as contained int the hyperlink name. It's elegant and effective in search engine optimisation, directoru submissions and for users to see, like and click through to.
Further Reading: Technical Recommendations for Mod Rewrite | Forum Discussion on Mod Rewrite for SEO


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