Comments on: SEO-sanitizing a WordPress theme in 5 minutes http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/ If you've read my articles somewhere on the Internet, expect something different here. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:08:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Structural SEO for WordPress Blogs - Gettin' Friendly with the Engines http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-1243 Structural SEO for WordPress Blogs - Gettin' Friendly with the Engines Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:01:41 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-1243 [...] from Andy Beard’s excellent article “Ultimate WordPress Htaccess file” or from Sebastian’s Pamphlet on trailing slash canonicalization . Be careful with your htaccess file though - a mistake there can make a wretched mess of your [...]

[…] from Andy Beard’s excellent article “Ultimate WordPress Htaccess file” or from Sebastian’s Pamphlet on trailing slash canonicalization . Be careful with your htaccess file though - a mistake there can make a wretched mess of your […]

]]> By: Why storing URLs with truncated trailing slashes is an utterly idiocy http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-1129 Why storing URLs with truncated trailing slashes is an utterly idiocy Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:04:11 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-1129 [...] I moved my blog from blogspot to this domain, I’ve enhanced the faulty WordPress URL canonicalization. If any user agent requests http://sebastians-pamphlets.com it gets redirected to [...] […] I moved my blog from blogspot to this domain, I’ve enhanced the faulty WordPress URL canonicalization. If any user agent requests http://sebastians-pamphlets.com it gets redirected to […]

]]> By: Sebastian http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-767 Sebastian Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:43:22 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-767 I didn't look at the new WP software because they screwed the database structure breaking all my scripts. Deleting tables without a well documented path to upgrades --respectively providing the old structures as views on the new tables-- is a no-no, but it seems everybody's darling WP can get away with BS like that. Having said that, I think that categories as well as tags make it into the feed categories, so that's not a reason to upgrade. Also search engines like Technorati get the tags both from category assignments as well as tags. Renaming URIs is always a bad idea. It's doable but you need to be a redirect expert or you'll screw your SE listings. I'm not exactly a fan of link farms in tag clouds and such stuff, because all those cool widgets dilute your topical link juice way too much. If you've tags, make the cats uncrawlable and condomize links to cat pages, otherwise hide the tags in the same way. You'll get away with some intended dupe content, don't be too dupe-paranoid with a blog, but completely hide the monthly archives from search engines. I hope that helps a little. I didn’t look at the new WP software because they screwed the database structure breaking all my scripts. Deleting tables without a well documented path to upgrades –respectively providing the old structures as views on the new tables– is a no-no, but it seems everybody’s darling WP can get away with BS like that. Having said that, I think that categories as well as tags make it into the feed categories, so that’s not a reason to upgrade. Also search engines like Technorati get the tags both from category assignments as well as tags. Renaming URIs is always a bad idea. It’s doable but you need to be a redirect expert or you’ll screw your SE listings. I’m not exactly a fan of link farms in tag clouds and such stuff, because all those cool widgets dilute your topical link juice way too much. If you’ve tags, make the cats uncrawlable and condomize links to cat pages, otherwise hide the tags in the same way. You’ll get away with some intended dupe content, don’t be too dupe-paranoid with a blog, but completely hide the monthly archives from search engines. I hope that helps a little.

]]> By: doctor_claw http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-766 doctor_claw Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:05:38 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-766 Hi Sebastian, Thanks for this great post, it has become a useful point of reference for me lately. Since WordPress now has tags enabled by default, and since people are clamoring at me to implement tagging on a certain blog I work on, two questions: 1. Is there any advantage over using tags vs categories in WP? I am led to believe that tags are necessary for showing up in various blog search engines, etc, but I see no major differences whatsoever between tags and categories aside from the terminology. Please advise. 2. Since I now have tags as well as categories, would it make any sense for me to rename the category url base "/tag/" (or the equivalent) and redirect anything with the string "/category/" to a sitemap page with links to all the "/tag/" URLs? It seems that by doing this I would gain the manageability of a WP category list and lose half of my duplicate content while keeping "tag" functionality, but are there any other factors I am overlooking? I realize this is not a support forum, and you are a busy guy, but if you could comment on these issues I think it may help me greatly. Hi Sebastian,

Thanks for this great post, it has become a useful point of reference for me lately.

Since WordPress now has tags enabled by default, and since people are clamoring at me to implement tagging on a certain blog I work on, two questions:

1. Is there any advantage over using tags vs categories in WP? I am led to believe that tags are necessary for showing up in various blog search engines, etc, but I see no major differences whatsoever between tags and categories aside from the terminology. Please advise.

2. Since I now have tags as well as categories, would it make any sense for me to rename the category url base “/tag/” (or the equivalent) and redirect anything with the string “/category/” to a sitemap page with links to all the “/tag/” URLs? It seems that by doing this I would gain the manageability of a WP category list and lose half of my duplicate content while keeping “tag” functionality, but are there any other factors I am overlooking?

I realize this is not a support forum, and you are a busy guy, but if you could comment on these issues I think it may help me greatly.

]]> By: Spare a thought for the outcasts « The Venture Skills Blog http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-544 Spare a thought for the outcasts « The Venture Skills Blog Sat, 20 Oct 2007 09:38:53 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-544 [...] Write a how to [...] […] Write a how to […]

]]> By: Oliver Smith http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-543 Oliver Smith Sat, 13 Oct 2007 11:04:55 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-543 Hey Sebastian, Many thanks for taking the time to do an in depth guide like this. Its much appreciated and i will use it wisely. :-) Hey Sebastian,
Many thanks for taking the time to do an in depth guide like this. Its much appreciated and i will use it wisely. :-)

]]> By: A Monday’s topic conglomerate http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-511 A Monday’s topic conglomerate Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:24:20 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-511 [...] made a plugin from my WordPress URL canonicalization bugfix. [...] […] made a plugin from my WordPress URL canonicalization bugfix. […]

]]> By: Eliminate Duplicate Content: Canonical URL Fixer Plugin. : Big Bucks Blogger http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-510 Eliminate Duplicate Content: Canonical URL Fixer Plugin. : Big Bucks Blogger Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:38:46 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-510 [...] about the plugin. Make sure you mention they can get the plugin here, and tell them the talented Sebastian identified the problem and came up with the fix. It's just a simple plugin, and one line of code. [...] […] about the plugin. Make sure you mention they can get the plugin here, and tell them the talented Sebastian identified the problem and came up with the fix. It’s just a simple plugin, and one line of code. […]

]]> By: Sebastian http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-396 Sebastian Wed, 19 Sep 2007 06:27:35 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-396 I'm glad it worked for you. I’m glad it worked for you.

]]> By: FiSh http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-393 FiSh Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:54:49 +0000 http://sebastians-pamphlets.com/how-to-seo-sanitize-a-wordpress-theme/#comment-393 I recently implemented most of these policies in my own blog, and my Google hits have steadily increased over the past month or so as a result. Very good information :) I recently implemented most of these policies in my own blog, and my Google hits have steadily increased over the past month or so as a result. Very good information :)

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