Search Engine Optimisation – Catalogue / Database Driven Sites

A catalogue site is also referred to as a database driven website. More and more site owners are requesting to manage their own website, edit / add the content, add the pictures and actively maintain their products. As a developer the easiest way to deliver this solution is to use a query string. A query string is the method of passing important data from page to page at the end of the url (eg: attaindigital.co.uk?q=query&s=string&id=123).

The more experienced developer will know how to avoid using a query string and can manipulate a website structure accordingly to transform a database driven website into what appears to have static web pages which are indexed a lot easier from search engines. In addition to this, the end user will find it easier to remember the url if it was something like attaindigital.co.uk/website-consultancy.html rather than attaindigital.co.uk?pageid=56&content=334&qry=example.

A Shopping trolley to resemble a catalogue / database driven website

There are a number of ways to alter a websites structure to avoid query strings; one method is to integrate the apache 'multiviews' module. This gives you the ability to rewrite specific urls to the relevant script for the developer to produce the page content.

We would also recommend removing the scripting extension from your website and either don't have an extension or use .html to give the impression the page or website is static, which will make search engines want to crawl it more often.

Contact us today so we can assist you with your catalogue or database driven website to make it as effective as possible with search engine optimization in mind.

• Search engine optimisation (SEO), search engine marketing, display and consultancy - Attain Digital