Dynamic URLs vs. static URLs - Google Webmaster Central Blog

[ccraciun]

And finally, for newbie users like me, two questions:

- i guess it's better to start with SMF's standard URLs and later change, if needed, to more complex ones (like those from Danii's mod);
my case: right after launching my forum, i enabled SMF's option SEF URLs (Admin | Features & Options | Basic); after a few days, i noticed in the analytics logs that my site was found by searching after a pretty popular expression (useful freeware programs, spelled in romanian) and i had the first two links in SERP!! Unfortunately, both linking to the same subject, description etc. After a few more days, only the dynamic link remained and the other vanished; now i disabled SEF URLs option, in order to prevent duplicate content, but both of them still work: programe freeware utile, and the same result also, with "index.php/topic,7.0.html". Is this normal? I should add a disallow line in robots.txt, to prevent the indexing of SEF URLs or Dynamic URLs? (if needed, an example would be great).
Now, the statement related to Pretty URLs mod: i would use this mod after getting familiar with the proper configuration of robots.txt, for instance. I noticed that most important for google is the content that give you a good position in SERP and not how the link is spelled; maybe linking, pretty URLs and other SEO workarounds are good in achieving high PR and/or good impression to visitors.

- if i choose to use Pretty URLs mod, the other two types of linking (dynamic and SEF) will still work? Would that be ok, or i should disallow them in robots.txt?

I asked these two questions here, because for experimented users like you (Motoko-chan, Danii, Nao etc) maybe taking a decision would be simple, but for those like me  who are reading this topic, the answers may banish some of the fog. 

Thanks

[青山 素子]

- i guess it's better to start with SMF's standard URLs and later change, if needed, to more complex ones (like those from Danii's mod);

Generally a bad idea. Pick one thing and work with it. Otherwise, you have to manage redirects so the old URLs will redirect to the correct ones and you'll still get proper handling for search engines and stuff. If you do change, be prepared for it to be a bit of a pain,

After a few more days, only the dynamic link remained and the other vanished; now i disabled SEF URLs option, in order to prevent duplicate content, but both of them still work: programe freeware utile, and the same result also, with "index.php/topic,7.0.html". Is this normal? I should add a disallow line in robots.txt, to prevent the indexing of SEF URLs or Dynamic URLs? (if needed, an example would be great).

Remove the rewrite rules in the htaccess that the option inserted. Be prepared to lose credit from those links then.

- if i choose to use Pretty URLs mod, the other two types of linking (dynamic and SEF) will still work? Would that be ok, or i should disallow them in robots.txt?

I believe Pretty URLs redirects the dynamic defaults to the new style, so you won't need to worry. Of course, best to confirm with the author in the support topic for that mod.

[ccraciun]

Thanks Motoko-chan!

Three more questions though:
- i looked for .htaccess file on my site and it's empty (has 0 bytes); mine is located in /public_html, the root of SMF installation; i should look somewhere else?
- serching for duplicate content problem i guess i found the issue that mess things up; i used "index,follow", as i saw in some popular sites (not SMF...). I will modify this to default "noindex", should i modify something else?
- if i choose dynamic URLs and "noindex" in index.template.php, the SEF URLs will get the "noindex" tag automatically or i should use some robots.txt "disallow" line for those "index.php/topic,x.0.html" links?