Url SEO pk format

Question

Which one is better: 1. www.example.com/category/123/books 2. www.example.com/category/123-books

I see stackoverflow uses option 1.

Are there any diferences for search engines on these url formats?

Answer 1

The difference is probably negligible. Many sites use either this or that format. Of course, only search engine insiders can tell the difference.

The first option is however easier for you to disassemble URL to parameters. I'd pick up that one (which I did for my blog).

Answer 2

I would definitely use the first one

• It is a somewhat common convention
• You should make the slug optional. It is unclear it may be optional in the 2nd one.

Answer 3

The reason that stack overflow uses the first method is because it is passing the question ID via that section of the URL path. That is why http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1534623/any-txt-will-do will still direct you to the same URL.

If your goal is to keyword stuff the URL (the main SEO advantage of friendly urls) then the first method is best as you consolidate the keyword into the file name.

For instance site.com/shop/cat/carriers.html is better than suited to rank for the term carriers. However, if your goal is to rank for the term "cat carriers" then site.com/shop/cat-carriers.html is better.

What it comes down to is your keyword parring. Many times when you are trying to rank a page, you have a base keyword and then modifiers. In the example above, cat is the keyword and carriers is the modifier. However, in a case like THAT you would be best to repeat the word cat, site.com/shop/cat/cat-carriers.html (as long as you don't look TO spammy that is).

You should note though, that a file named cat-carriers.html will not rank as well as carriers.html for the term carriers all other things being equal.

Answer 4

URLs don't matter as much as people think they should. The first method is probably slightly better, but I think your site will rank the same with either one.

Answer 5

How to define urlrewritingnet rewrite rule for this, something like:

<add name="ProductDetailsRewrite" virtualUrl="^~/category/(.*)/(.*)" rewriteUrlParameter="ExcludeFromClientQueryString" destinationUrl="~/Category.aspx?CategoryID=$1" ignoreCase="true"/>