Absolute URLs

[andresgmontero]

Hi, this is a very basic question but I want to confirm, as I remembered it was consider a good practice to use the absolute version of your links when linking to other pages of your site, not for any issue related to passing authority or PageRank, but because if someone scraps your content then they would take the links as well (as if they didn't remove them).

Have the practices for internal linking with absolute or realtive URLs changed in any way? Which is the best way? absolute or relative? is there any harm for using the relative version?

Relative: 

Absolute: [](<strong><em>http://www.cheapdomain.com/myfolder/mypage.html)[](<strong><em>http://www.cheapdomain.com/myfolder/mypage.html)

[Thanks!](<strong><em>http://www.cheapdomain.com/myfolder/mypage.html)

[alfredopalconit]

the best way is still absolute, prevents scrapers from inserting their urls also similar with Kate Morris' response on rel canonical absolute url recommendation http://www.seomoz.org/qa/view/32136/canonical-url-absolute-or-relative-paths but there are cases that we use relative urls, but only when absolutely necessary.

[Nemek]

Hi Andre,

Basically you're right - it's still a "best practice" but the main (or even only) advantage of using absolute URLs is when your content gets scraped and published "as is". The problem is that most of the time the scrapers will remove your URLs anyway or at least nofollow them. Even if they don't do that the quality of the links to your site you get from the "transaction" is very poor.

I've had a few situations where I got a couple of good links from authority sites that have quoted parts of my content and have included the links that were there. Even so, I've lately changed to using relative URLs because it makes development for me much easier, and I don't think the few scraper links I would get are really worth the hassle.

Cheers

[AlanMosley]

I think your correct, it is rare that it will actualy help

i like to use relative urls for portability, I think this advatage outweights any slight chance i get scaped, have my links left in, not no-followed and being a link worthwhile

[andresgmontero]

Thanks Alfredo! Preciate it!

[andresgmontero]

Thanks Nemek and Alan, I actually have some issues with between the mobile version of our site and the absolute links, so yes Alfredo is right about being the best practice, but there is a big technical issue for our dev department.