The 10 Biggest Search Engine Optimization Mistakes: #7: Wrong URL Names

Many webmasters know that the wording within a website address is important when it comes to getting your keywords right. The website address (also known as URL or file name) is something that search engines ‘read’ among other things to determine the content on the web page. However, just because many webmasters know that something should be done, doesn’t mean that it will be done.

Consider your domain name first

If you haven’t named your website already, it’s worthwhile considering trying to include keywords in your domain name. However, that’s not the purpose of this article.

Your home page has to be called something like index.html to indicate which page should be loaded first. You do however need to create as many other ‘entrance’ pages to your website as possible. This will reduce the reliance on your website being found through search engines solely through a single set of keywords on one page.

Research your keywords

As mentioned in a previous article you need to first of all use the Overture Keyword Selector Tool (http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/) to determine the keyword phrase for your new web page. Again, as mentioned previously, be careful not to aim for a phrase that is too popular.

Name your new web page correctly

Once you’ve chosen your keyword phrase, that’s what you need to name the web page that you’re writing. For example, the page http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/cat/index/55/Sales-Management-Articles.php is aiming to attract the search phrase ‘Sales Management Articles’ in search engines.

Apply the same principle to all your files

Unless for some reason you don’t want search engines to find your files, every file – including PDF’s and images should be named with keyword phrases in mind. Going back to multiple entrances for your website, focusing on optimizing your file names will help you create and increased number of entrance paths to your website for your visitors.

An example of naming images effectively

The logo for the web page DavidBain.biz is called internet-marketing-consultant.gif. This helps to maximise the relevancy of the page in the ‘eyes’ of search engines for the keyword phrase ‘Internet Marketing Consultant’.

A word of warning

As in all areas of Search Engine Optimisation, there is a grey line between under-optimizing and over-optimizing. For example, if each URL contained the same keyword phrase two or three times, then this might mean that some search engines treat the page as being overly artificially inflated in relevance. In this instance, the page may well be ‘demoted’ by a certain percentage in search engine rankings.

Although search engines may be ‘fooled’ for a while from your excessive URL optimizing, your short-term gain may lead to long-term loss. Optimize your URL’s, yes. But don’t overly optimize them. Try and keep them to two or three word phrases.

David Bain is founder of the independent business articles resource, http://www.BuildYourOwnBusiness.biz. BuildYourOwnBusiness offers the latest business news & management advice on how best to build your own business - business articles on Strategy, eBusiness, Change Management & much, much more.





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