Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title?

trentonlaura · 09-05-2011, 11:42 AM

Quick question about SEO in WordPress. I know that I can change the URL of my post title so I was wondering if I should leave it as the full post title, or cut it down so that it's just my keyword?

Mark Hess · 09-05-2011, 11:47 AM

If you're using the custom: /%postname%/ permalink structure, and you're looking to gain most of your traffic from the search engines, use just the keywords.

There's a Wordpress plugin that will do this automatically for each post (SEO Slugs): WordPress › SEO Slugs « WordPress Plugins

dave_hermansen · 09-05-2011, 11:48 AM

I personally use the entire post name & have good success with that.. To me it looks kind of unnatural to use just a single keyword as a page name. Although, the tags usually get their own URLs with just the keyword and seem to rank okay, so maybe it's kind of a wash!!

Although, I'm not really a WordPress guy, I just use WP blogs in association to my ecommerce stores.

johnben1444 · 09-05-2011, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Hess

If you're using the custom: /%postname%/ permalink structure, and you're looking to gain most of your traffic from the search engines, use just the keywords.

There's a Wordpress plugin that will do this automatically for each post (SEO Slugs): WordPress › SEO Slugs « WordPress Plugins

Mark is right, you should use your keyword as your page name if it correspond with your service/product. Alternatively, you can still have all-one-seo plugin installed and optimize your web pages individually for various keywords of your choice.

However, it all boils down to who have the most valuable link, you or your competitor.

John

HarryPothead · 09-05-2011, 12:04 PM

If your post contains the keyword in one flow..for instance if your keyword is "easy niche sites" and your post tiltle reads something like " how to create easy niche sites in 5 simple steps" I don't think there should be any prob in keeping the title as it is.
But if it reads "Niche sites that you can create easy in 5 steps" then I'd stick with the keyword only.
The only prob with keywords is that for one keyword you can have only 1 page in the latter case. In the first option you can have multiple pages..all you got to do is write the title correctly.
Hope it helps..

JohnMcCabe · 09-05-2011, 12:18 PM

I usually set things up to compromise. I use the post title minus the easy stop words like 'the', 'it' etc.

Keeps the keywords in the title, opens up longtail possibilities, and still makes sense if a human sees it.

Edit:

Using Harry's example above,

"Niche sites that you can create easy in 5 steps"

becomes

Niche-sites-you-create-easy-5-steps

Michael Nguyen · 09-05-2011, 01:02 PM

keyword in url because it provides semantic value to the search engines

Terry Hatfield · 09-05-2011, 01:52 PM

A good example is if you go look at some Amazon links. They always have really long titles on their pages, but when you look at their url it is almost always a short keyword phrase.

Also take note that that use hyphens between each of the words in their url.

09-05-2011, 11:42 AM	#1
trentonlaura HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 158 Thanks: 17 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title? Quick question about SEO in WordPress. I know that I can change the URL of my post title so I was wondering if I should leave it as the full post title, or cut it down so that it's just my keyword?

09-05-2011, 11:47 AM	#2
Mark Hess MarketingInUnderwear.com War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,410 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 1,067 Thanked 1,947 Times in 390 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title? If you're using the custom: /%postname%/ permalink structure, and you're looking to gain most of your traffic from the search engines, use just the keywords. There's a Wordpress plugin that will do this automatically for each post (SEO Slugs): WordPress › SEO Slugs « WordPress Plugins

09-05-2011, 11:48 AM	#3
dave_hermansen Ecommerce Dude Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 233 Thanks: 15 Thanked 42 Times in 38 Posts Social Networking	Re: Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title? I personally use the entire post name & have good success with that.. To me it looks kind of unnatural to use just a single keyword as a page name. Although, the tags usually get their own URLs with just the keyword and seem to rank okay, so maybe it's kind of a wash!! Although, I'm not really a WordPress guy, I just use WP blogs in association to my ecommerce stores.
	StoreCoach.com - Free Ecommerce Training ZuluCart.com - World's Best Cart For Dropship Sites My insanely simple SEO plan that anyone can follow!

09-05-2011, 12:04 PM	#5
HarryPothead Adsense & Affiliate Junki Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 110 Thanks: 3 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts Contact Info	Re: Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title? If your post contains the keyword in one flow..for instance if your keyword is "easy niche sites" and your post tiltle reads something like " how to create easy niche sites in 5 simple steps" I don't think there should be any prob in keeping the title as it is. But if it reads "Niche sites that you can create easy in 5 steps" then I'd stick with the keyword only. The only prob with keywords is that for one keyword you can have only 1 page in the latter case. In the first option you can have multiple pages..all you got to do is write the title correctly. Hope it helps..
	Offering my 2 cents to the IM Community

09-05-2011, 12:18 PM	#6
JohnMcCabe Happy Hooker War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North of the Peace River, Southwest Florida, USA. Posts: 8,041 Thanks: 2,936 Thanked 4,903 Times in 2,617 Posts Social Networking	Re: Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title? I usually set things up to compromise. I use the post title minus the easy stop words like 'the', 'it' etc. Keeps the keywords in the title, opens up longtail possibilities, and still makes sense if a human sees it. Edit: Using Harry's example above, "Niche sites that you can create easy in 5 steps" becomes Niche-sites-you-create-easy-5-steps
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09-05-2011, 01:02 PM	#7
Michael Nguyen Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London Posts: 1,055 Thanks: 63 Thanked 151 Times in 106 Posts	Re: Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title? keyword in url because it provides semantic value to the search engines
	> FREE 43 Page Amazon Report Reveals How to CRUSH and DOMINATE Amazon Niche Markets < DFY Keyword Research Service - Technical SEO Audit to Dominate your competition

09-05-2011, 01:52 PM	#8
Terry Hatfield You People Think Too Much War Room Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 526 Thanks: 11 Thanked 94 Times in 62 Posts	Re: Should I Make My URL Just My Keyword... or the full post Title? A good example is if you go look at some Amazon links. They always have really long titles on their pages, but when you look at their url it is almost always a short keyword phrase. Also take note that that use hyphens between each of the words in their url.