URL rewriting with "-" or with a space ?

[nipponx]

Hi

Which url should i use for my web site ? and why ?

1 : http://www.test.com/how-are-you.html

2 : http://www.test.com/how are you.html

thanks

[Dan-Petrovic]

Good point.

[KeriMorgret]

If you try to share "http://www.test.com/how are you.html" in an email or online, it's not going to automatically hyperlink the entire URL, it'll likely break off at the /how part.

I second using hyphens as separators. They present a clean look, and don't break or get translated with weird characters by various systems.

[Dan-Petrovic]

.

[Dan-Petrovic]

SEO advantages and disadvantages are minuscule. If you are already going through trouble of rewriting URLs make them nice and neat with hyphens. Google also recommends to use them as separators so you cannot go wrong.

[Dan-Petrovic]

Not really, though it does extend your URL a fraction which has a minimal impact but also makes your URLs longer and less aesthetic (and shareable).

[nipponx]

hi stephen,

.html is bad for SEO ?

[nipponx]

hi dejan,

well, in firefox i get "how are you.html" in the url

i mean is it bad for SEO ?

[firstconversion]

If your rewriting, chop off the .html bits for style

[Dan-Petrovic]

For best results use: how-are-you.html

Spaces turn out to be how%20are%20you.html