SEO tips for Apache-hosted sites

01/09/2008

Businesses running websites hosted on an Apache web server can utilise the .htaccess directory-level configuration file to boost search engine optimisation (SEO).

This is according to Patrick Oak of E-consultancy, who explained that configuration settings contained in the file are used by the server for the directory in which it is placed, as well as the relevant sub-categories.

Webmasters could insert code to create 301 redirects that help to move web users from old pages to newer ones, as well as to make 404 redirects that automatically refer those seeing a 404 error page to another section of the website, he stated.

There is also code that allows website owners to turn dynamic URLs into more SEO-friendly addresses, as well as code that prevents users from accessing images through websites other than the original host.

According to Brian Getting of Practical eCommerce, it is not necessarily a bad thing to let users see 404 error pages when moving to a new website as such pages tell both web users and search engine bots that the content in question is no longer available.