Simple SEO URL (OLD version) [support thread]

[Guido Rossel]

I too was working with SSU. I wasn't even able to install the module manager thats needed to install SSU. I tried to install Model Manager rev 16 because thats the only version working with 1.3.8 (thats the version my site was working on. After the updat to 1.5 all my installed mods stopped working. I also would like my sitemap creater to work...

I read this thread

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=183643

keeping that thread up to date is verry important

and it has only a few mods working unfortunaly ssu is not one of them so far maybe the yellow person who made it can make the adjustments ?

I was made to upgrade to 1.5 by my hostingcompany

[tesefoti]

There was a suggestion to pool funds to find someone to update it. I pledge 10$ to this update, if we get 20 people to do it it will be 200$.

[DivaVocals]

Yah, Sure would have been nice if the SSU mod was working on 1.5 out-of-the-box.

Anyone know why it doesn't seem to work? I have been trying, but any SSU modified link 404's me now, so I've disabled it. Perhaps all it needs is a simple modification.

Short answer nearly EVERY mod will have to have some level of re-working to work with v1.5.. There is NO short answer to this question..

I've been looking into switching to CEON, since it says it supports 1.5, but I don't want to have to manually enter URIs for everything. The automatic way SSU did was much easier!

there is a paid add-on that works with Ceon URI to ensure you don't have to do this if you are converting your store with existing products and categories.. On a go forward basis, the system auto-generates URIs when you create new products, categories, and EZ Pages.. and in contrast to SSU, in addition to auto generating URI's, you can enter custom URI's on a product by product, category by category and EZ Page by EZ Page basis..

I read this thread

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=183643

keeping that thread up to date is verry important

and it has only a few mods working unfortunaly ssu is not one of them so far maybe the yellow person who made it can make the adjustments ?

I was made to upgrade to 1.5 by my hostingcompany

This list is not EVERYTHING v1.5, only everything reported in that thread.. There are mods which v1.5 ready that have not been reported in that thread..

As I said already the author of SSU does not support SSU anymore, hasn't made updates to it, and probably WILL NOT update it for v1.5 compatibility..

If it's important to your business, you may have to invest in paying a developer to convert this mod for you..

[fairestcape]

Ironically, these "SEO URL" modules are a waste of time. They make NO DIFFERENCE to SEO.

In fact, they can do more harm than good.

The search engines PREFER native dynamic URL's and zencart generates very clean dynamic URL's.

[DivaVocals]

Ironically, these "SEO URL" modules are a waste of time. They make NO DIFFERENCE to SEO.

In fact, they can do more harm than good.

The search engines PREFER native dynamic URL's and zencart generates very clean dynamic URL's.

Ironically not everyone installs these mods for SEO purposes.. Nicer URLs do make a difference in marketing and sales materials/etc.

I do find these regular PSA posting's on the "non-value" of these mods in the various SEO support threads interesting.. (equally interesting is that I never see these kinds of PSAs posted in the Ceon URI thread, just this support thread and the Ultimate SEO support thread)

Anyway, just wanted to add that there is another side/reason to use one of these mods.. I personally found SSU to be difficult to use and setup. (and this support thread bears out a lot of my experience in that regard) The support has ALWAYS been lacking IMHO, and now it is non-existent. So I prefer the Ceon URI mod for generating nice URIs. It's better supported, easier to setup/use, and it's got LOADS more flexibility than SSU and other similar add-ons..

anyway.. back to mostly lurking in this thread..

[cheaperbyfar]

Ironically, these "SEO URL" modules are a waste of time. They make NO DIFFERENCE to SEO.

In fact, they can do more harm than good.

The search engines PREFER native dynamic URL's and zencart generates very clean dynamic URL's.

Then why is it that when I use a program like IBP to optimize my site for specific keywords, it includes a part for 'keyword in url'? I've actually gotten this mod to work, and I have definitely noticed an increase in ranking for my keywords. Just my $.02

[schoolboy]

We have never used these modules - not even the esteemed Ceon's URI Mapping - because even this mod serves no useful purpose. There are very few (if any) situations, where a generated URI makes for a better user experience. In search engine results, the returned URI is not even a clickable link, and even in situations where a hyperlink needs to be created, the link title can be far better crafted using a more meaningful keyword.

We have one client who has 375 products on his site, and ALL 375 products enjoy search rankings of 1 to 5 on Google UK (his prime market). For more generic keywords, more than 80% of the desired seach words and phrases generate a top 10 result.

We have had to "rescue" several sites from these problematic modules over the years, and all of them experience either better, or identical search rankings when reverted to core ZC behaviour. True... one needs to do a full 301 re-direct for a while, but within a very short space of time, the search engines re-build their indexes.

I have no objection to people using these modules, and in fact, if your business is in competition with one of our clients' sites I actually urge you to install a SEO URL module... It means one less competitor to worry about in the SERP stakes.

[DivaVocals]

We have never used these modules - not even the esteemed Ceon's URI Mapping - because even this mod serves no useful purpose. There are very few (if any) situations, where a generated URI makes for a better user experience.

So what do you suggest to folks who want/need nicer looking URLS for say.. marketing materials.. those long URLS don't really work on marketing and sales materials.. Because for my customers who use these tools, THAT's what they are after..

I have no objection to people using these modules, and in fact, if your business is in competition with one of our clients' sites I actually urge you to install a SEO URL module... It means one less competitor to worry about in the SERP stakes.

No offense, but the anti-SEO mod PSA's you post in these various support threads (except t"he esteemed Ceon's URI Mapping") would tend to indicate otherwise..

[schoolboy]

So what do you suggest to folks who want/need nicer looking URLS for say.. marketing materials.. those long URLS don't really work on marketing and sales materials.. Because for my customers who use these tools, THAT's what they are after..

That's a valid point. Rendering a product-specific URL in a printed document might have an advantage if the URL is more "understandable" to a human. Interestingly, back in 2008 we produced a printed catalogue for a company selling educational resources and teaching aids. In this catalogue, we referenced the URL for every product as its standard dynamic URL.

We had user tracking module installed on the webshop, and within days of the printed catalogue reaching the 35,000 UK schools to which it was sent, we saw many (scores, in fact) visitors come into the site via the product-specific url referenced in the printed catalogue.

At the time, we had considered the "value" of static URL's, but came to the conclusion that either way, the customer would still have to READ (visually absorb) the URL before typing it into a browser, and it actually made no difference if the URL was in a dynamic format or static format. They would just READ what was printed in the catalogue, and type that into the browser address bar.

We did a focus group on the usage of the catalogue a few weeks before printing it. Afterall, printing a 300-page catalogue and mailing it to nearly 40,000 people was going to cost us about £500,000 - so we needed to make sure people could use it effectively.

While the people in the focus group were not specifically asked if they found the URL confusing (we did not think it mattered much), their collective report on the catalogue was very positive and on the question: "Were you easily able to find the product on the website?" the resounding answer was "Yes".

The focus group result ALSO showed that most people would simply navigate to the site's home page and use the SEARCH function to find the product - mainly because they were after SEVERAL items - not just one, and once inside the site, the search feature would be used to return a result on the Product Code (Model) in more than 75% of cases, and the Product Title was used in about 20% of cases - with more "generic" searches used in the remaining 5% of cases.

As a result of this focus group's input, the PRODUCT CODE was made more prominent in the catalogue, with advice on how to use the site's search feature.

The dynamic URL was still referenced - and as indicated, was used MANY times to reach the product.

Over 700,000 UK teachers have access to this catalogue - and to date no complaints have ever been received about "confusing" web links.

The site attracts about 4,500 teachers a day, and generates about 250 - 500 orders a day (more at peak purchase times in the academic year).

No offense, but the anti-SEO mod PSA's you post in these various support threads (except t"he esteemed Ceon's URI Mapping") would tend to indicate otherwise..

I don't actually care if people use SEO URL modules or not. All I am indicating is that they are not necessary, and (in many cases) do more harm than good. MOST people apply them because they have a (desperate) hope that they are going to be advantageous for SEO... and THIS is the myth that needs addressing. In Zencart's case they do nothing for "SEO", and (judging by the length of this thread) cause big problems...

If people want to use them, that's absolutely fine.

We have strong evidence that they do nothing advantageous - even when referencing URL's in printed marketing materials.