Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO?

amerigo · 06-24-2009, 04:39 PM

Does it make a difference (note, keyword is in my domain) if i

a: create my links with absolute path (href="http domain path")
or
b: create my links with relative path (href="path")

note: someday i will actually be to 15 posts, and can post this in the SEO section of the forums.

amerigo · 06-24-2009, 08:24 PM

anyone?

I guess i'll just have to try both and see.

timpears · 06-24-2009, 08:39 PM

I am by no means an expert in SEO, but my guess would be that is doesn't matter. The reason for internal links, as I understand it, is so the bot can find its way around your site. So as long as the links will get you to the page you intend to get to, that is what matters.

In a site map, I don't think that the repetition of your full domain name is either productive or looks good. Of course, I have never been accused of having any style sense.

Anyway, hopefully someone that actually knows will stop by and answer, but that is my opinion. For what it is worth.

JohnMcCabe · 06-25-2009, 09:58 AM

I haven't tested using absolute vs. relative links for SEO purposes, so I can't help you there.

One thing I can tell you, should you decide to use absolute links, is to be consistent. Decide whether you will use the www. version or not, and always do it that way for every link, whether it's onsite or off.

As far as the search engines go,

Code:

some-domain-name.com

and

Code:

www.some-domain-name.com

are different animals.

As a practical matter, if I'm going to hand-build pages for a site, I'll use the absolute URLs. That way, if I decide to move a page from, say, the main directory to a subdirectory, I won't break the links or have to remember to recode them...

WritingMadwoman · 06-25-2009, 10:07 AM

I've always been curious about this too. When I hand code pages I always use the full URL. But I notice when I insert links using XSitePro it does the abbreviated version. I don't worry about it too much because they both work, but it would be interesting if anyone has tracked this to know for sure which is preferred by search engines (if either is).

Wendy

Nbordeau · 06-25-2009, 10:39 AM

I would go with the full link, just to be safe. Especially if it has your main keyword in it.

landcentral · 06-25-2009, 01:41 PM

Go full link for the benefit of having your keyword in your URL. If you just link to /index.htm then you lose the on page benefit of having widgets.com/index.htm if your site is about widgets.

askloz · 06-25-2009, 01:43 PM

absolute urls have a greater impact

ie http://yourdomain.com

Amenda Jessera · 06-25-2009, 01:51 PM

I think using full URL is more adviseable.... There will no more risk.....

freelistfool · 06-25-2009, 06:51 PM

It doesn't matter unless someone steals your content and posts it on another site. Just in case I try to use the absolute path wherever possible. Then when my content gets stolen it ends up being links back to my site instead of links back to the domain where the thief posted my content.

06-24-2009, 04:39 PM	#1
amerigo Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 80 Thanks: 2 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts	Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? Does it make a difference (note, keyword is in my domain) if i a: create my links with absolute path (href="http domain path") or b: create my links with relative path (href="path") note: someday i will actually be to 15 posts, and can post this in the SEO section of the forums.

06-24-2009, 08:24 PM	#2
amerigo Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 80 Thanks: 2 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? anyone? I guess i'll just have to try both and see.

06-24-2009, 08:39 PM	#3
timpears Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, WA, USA. Posts: 3,369 Thanks: 288 Thanked 528 Times in 381 Posts	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? I am by no means an expert in SEO, but my guess would be that is doesn't matter. The reason for internal links, as I understand it, is so the bot can find its way around your site. So as long as the links will get you to the page you intend to get to, that is what matters. In a site map, I don't think that the repetition of your full domain name is either productive or looks good. Of course, I have never been accused of having any style sense. Anyway, hopefully someone that actually knows will stop by and answer, but that is my opinion. For what it is worth.
	Tim Pears Niche blog, insurance, for sale. Plr rights. High CPC, plus low competition key words. Check it out here for just $19.

06-25-2009, 09:58 AM	#4
JohnMcCabe Happy Hooker War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North of the Peace River, Southwest Florida, USA. Posts: 7,626 Thanks: 2,687 Thanked 4,399 Times in 2,394 Posts Social Networking	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? I haven't tested using absolute vs. relative links for SEO purposes, so I can't help you there. One thing I can tell you, should you decide to use absolute links, is to be consistent. Decide whether you will use the www. version or not, and always do it that way for every link, whether it's onsite or off. As far as the search engines go, Code: some-domain-name.com and Code: www.some-domain-name.com are different animals. As a practical matter, if I'm going to hand-build pages for a site, I'll use the absolute URLs. That way, if I decide to move a page from, say, the main directory to a subdirectory, I won't break the links or have to remember to recode them...
	Salad is not food. Salad is what food eats... -- The REAL PETA, People for Eating Tasty Animals "I did not fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat tofu!" Last edited by JohnMcCabe; 06-25-2009 at 10:03 AM. Reason: someone actually registered 'www.mydomain.com' and the forum linked to it

06-25-2009, 10:07 AM	#5
WritingMadwoman ... Madly Writing! War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,573 Blog Entries: 16 Thanks: 257 Thanked 162 Times in 110 Posts	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? I've always been curious about this too. When I hand code pages I always use the full URL. But I notice when I insert links using XSitePro it does the abbreviated version. I don't worry about it too much because they both work, but it would be interesting if anyone has tracked this to know for sure which is preferred by search engines (if either is). Wendy
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06-25-2009, 10:39 AM	#6
Nbordeau SEO Advisor Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ballston Spa Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Contact Info	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? I would go with the full link, just to be safe. Especially if it has your main keyword in it.

06-25-2009, 01:41 PM	#7
landcentral Warrior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 1 Post	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? Go full link for the benefit of having your keyword in your URL. If you just link to /index.htm then you lose the on page benefit of having widgets.com/index.htm if your site is about widgets.
	Texas Land for Sale

06-25-2009, 01:43 PM	#8
askloz DailyTradingSystem.com War Room Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: United Kingdom. Posts: 2,766 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 151 Thanked 264 Times in 207 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? absolute urls have a greater impact ie http://yourdomain.com
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06-25-2009, 01:51 PM	#9
Amenda Jessera Theeban-Advanced Warrior Join Date: May 2009 Location: at the edge of the world Posts: 525 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 58 Thanked 21 Times in 21 Posts Contact Info	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? I think using full URL is more adviseable.... There will no more risk.....

06-25-2009, 06:51 PM	#10
freelistfool Warrior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Internal links: full path or relative? Any affect on SEO? It doesn't matter unless someone steals your content and posts it on another site. Just in case I try to use the absolute path wherever possible. Then when my content gets stolen it ends up being links back to my site instead of links back to the domain where the thief posted my content.
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