URL structure for SEO

[A_Q]

Hi Mozzers,

I have a site which is a combination of product pages, and news and advice pages that relate to the products. How would you approach the URL structure for this, following SEO best practice?

Approach 1

Product pages:
www.website.com/product-category/product-page

News and advice pages:
www.website.com/product-category/product-page/news-and-advice-story-1
www.website.com/product-category/product-page/news-and-advice-story-2
etc

or Approach 2

Product pages:
www.website.com/product-category/product-page

News and advice pages:
www.website.com/news/product-category/news-and advice-story-1 (with internal linking to relevant product page)
www.website.com/news/product-category/news-and advice-story-2 (with internal linking to relevant product page)
etc

Or would a different approach be better?

[Bigb06]

Hello,

I think I should choose the second one. But be careful with that solution, and put IDs in URL with automatic redirect.
For example www.website.com/product-category/product-page => www.website.com/phone/iphone-1234.html

If you change product-category name (phone => smartphone or apple phone) or product-page name (iphone => iphone 5), old URLs can be automatically redirected with simple conditionnal code at the beginning of your server code (load name with ID and the compare with URL)

[Alick300]

Hi,

IMO approach 2 would be the best because fewer folders is generally better.

Thanks

[Andy.Drinkwater]

The answer is whichever one works best for your particular situation.

Yes, while fewer folders is a benefit, it might not make sense to do this if you need to separate products, for example.

Try to keep URL's short, sensible and straight to the point - don't add keyword bloat and never stuff the URL's.

-Andy

[ITsoldSEO]

Totally agree with Andy.

Products or news pages, makes no difference in my opinion.

Keeping them focused and relevant will help not only the bots but more importantly, your customers.

I like to use the "how would you file this doc for someone to find in 1 years time?" question.

Simple but accurate.

HTH

Regards

Daren

[vcj]

Why not:

www.website.com/news/news-and advice-story-1 (with internal linking to relevant product page)
www.website.com/news/news-and advice-story-2 (with internal linking to relevant product page)

Or is there a need to have product-category in the path for some reason?
Can a product be in more than one category? How are you handling that?