Oliver Baltzer wrote: > Maybe someone can fill me in or point me to relevant documents. Why is a > "flat" URL namespace so much better for search engines than a > hierarchical? From an algorithmic point of view I don't seem to see the > difference except that a hierarchical space gives you the benefit of a > context, which certainly some spiders (should) use.
Actually, from my research it doesn't seem all that clear that a flat URL tree is better for SEO. It should be obvious to most that some of the best ranking, sites don't put all their pages in the root. That said, I have read several authors who have supposedly tested and seen benefits for smaller sites if all the pages were in the root. What isn't clear, however, is just how old those tests are. Some seem to think that older algorithms simply tracked the depth of the page and made assumptions from that as to how "important" the content must be (I even read one author who seemed to think that page names that were too long would trigger this effect). Anyway, those algorithms also seem to have changed as the search engines have grown up. Most site developers favor the organization that folders bring over the "potential" boost that a flat tree could give. It also seems clear that, if your site has more than one theme, grouping the content into an appropriate folder structure will help the spiders organize your content and can strengthen your rankings for pages. Short Answer - don't bet the farm on any "magic techniques" if they don't make good common development sense. Over time, the engines adapt to eliminate the sneaksters and ensure that those who aren't, aren't penalized. -Chris -- Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/. _______________________________________________ Radiant mailing list Post: [email protected] Search: http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/ Site: http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant
