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Should I add the "/"?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by spyder, Jul 13, 2004.

  1. #1
    Hi,

    In SEO, is there a difference between

    <a href=http://www.mydomain.com>
    and
    <a href=http://www.mydomain.com/>

    i.e. Should the / be added or left out?

    Thanks.
     
    spyder, Jul 13, 2004 IP
  2. mxlabs

    mxlabs Peon

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    #2
    I don't think it makes a difference. Of course I don't have the resources myself to test it, so it's just one opinion out of thousands of opinions based on the fact that the backlinks/google PR etc. show exactly the same.
     
    mxlabs, Jul 13, 2004 IP
  3. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #3
    Doesn't matter, but I would put a slash, it's good general practice.
     
    digitalpoint, Jul 13, 2004 IP
  4. TwisterMc

    TwisterMc Mac Guru

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    #4
    good question. i was just wondering that too. Only mine was for after a folder.

    twistermc.com/chatfield
    twistermc.com/chatfield/
     
    TwisterMc, Jul 13, 2004 IP
  5. vord

    vord Peon

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    #5
    In that case definitely include the slash. Otherwise browsers could start looking for file names beginning with chatfield rather than a chatfield folder.
     
    vord, Jul 13, 2004 IP
  6. Owlcroft

    Owlcroft Peon

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    #6
    For the bare domain--meaning that you want visitors to get to your front page (typically index.html or something much like), you should certainlty add the slash to the URL. If you don't, people will get there anyway, but with one extra HTTP transaction needlessly involved--

    request without slash

    301 or 302 returned with slash

    re-request with slash

    page delivered​
    --wasting time and bandwidth. A domain just points to a server--only a directory-and-file specification points to a page. Servers will do you the kindness of auto-supplying a page spec for pages meeting their "index page" definitions if no page spec is given in a requested directory; and, if there is no such page in that directory, giving you either a directory listing or a snotty message, depending on their configuration (which is at least partly under your control via the ever-popular .htaccess file).

    Never forget: the first slash is not a decoration, or a sort of punctuation mark delimiting the domain name: it is a directory specifier, that for your root directory.

    Omitting the trailing slash when specifying a directory is much worse. With a URL something like--

    twistermc.com/chatfield​
    --the server has no way to know that you are not requesting a file named chatfield, and will try to serve you that file, giving the ever-delightful 404 message if it cannot find such a file in the specified directory.
     
    Owlcroft, Jul 13, 2004 IP
  7. TwisterMc

    TwisterMc Mac Guru

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    #7
    Ohh it's a good think i added the / :D
     
    TwisterMc, Jul 14, 2004 IP
  8. schlottke

    schlottke Peon

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    #8
    but lets make sure that everyone knows it doesn't really matter from an SEO or PR standpoint, where / and no / are just fine.
     
    schlottke, Jul 14, 2004 IP
  9. spyder

    spyder Peon

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    #9
    Thanks everyone.
     
    spyder, Jul 19, 2004 IP
  10. ResaleBroker

    ResaleBroker Active Member

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    #10
    So for instance with reciprocal links, you ask them to link back to http://www.mydomain.com/ ?
     
    ResaleBroker, Aug 31, 2004 IP
  11. Owlcroft

    Owlcroft Peon

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    #11
    Yes.

    (And you should link out that way, too, if it is to a site's front page.)
     
    Owlcroft, Aug 31, 2004 IP
  12. hulkster

    hulkster Peon

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    #12
    As implied by others, the web server will do the redirect for you in almost all cases if you don't put the trailing / - even for stuff with pathname components. Again, this is MOST cases - but you are better off doing it "right" and using the trailing / IMHO.
     
    hulkster, Sep 1, 2004 IP