Strategies in Renaming URLs

[JustinStupid]

We're renaming all of our Product URLs (because we're changing eCommerce Platforms), and I'm trying to determine the best strategy to take.

Currently, they are all based on product SKUs. For example, Bacon Dental Floss is:

http://www.stupid.com/fun/**BFLS**.html

Right now, I'm thinking of just using the Product name. For example, Bacon Dental Floss would become:

http://www.stupid.com/fun/**bacon-dental-floss**.html

Is this strategy the best for SEO? Any better ideas?

Thanks!

[lmsybiatb]

You want keywords in the url.  Use whatever the keywords are best for bacon dental floss.

[RyanKent]

Bacon Dental Floss? That's actually a product? Wow.

I guess if Clamato juice is out there then why not Bacon Dental Floss.

I apologize but I needed to get that out of my system. As for your question, you desire readable URLs with keywords in them. So your second example is preferred.

The next step of improvement would be to use friendly URLs which strip the html extension. It would shorten your URLs by 5 characters and make them even more readable:  www.stupid.com/fun/bacon-dental-floss

[dignan99]

I agree with Ryan.

The best practice would be to include the full name and/or description of the product.  It is doubtful that the Bacon Dental Floss competition is extremely fierce, so the first link with proper title tags and content will most likely end up as a top result, but why not do things correctly for maximum impact over time.

I do not expect any free bacon dental floss for my participation in this thread.

[RyanKent]

Well dignan, you will probably be as surprised as I am right now. Go ahead and Google Bacon Dental floss.

In our ignorance, we assumed it was not a competitive market. Justin's site is ranked 3rd for the term behind amazon.com and another listing. I checked the first 50 results and it is filled with various sites all specifically titled "Bacon Dental Floss".

I have to go. A friend of mine has a hot tip on a new product, Flounder Apple juice and I need to catch the IPO.

[dignan99]

Classic.  Well maybe he shouldn't change anything if he is currently ranked #3, but I assume that is due to the strength of his domain, stupid.com.

All of this talk about bacon reminded me of a couple of fellows here in Seattle who come out with a new bacon product every year, and to promote they also come out with some type of bacon art.

May I present to you, Bacon Kevin Bacon:

Bacon Kevin Bacon