Folders? Or Not Folders?

[btreloar]

I've understood that web pages that are removed by the home page by several sub folders are considered less important than web pages in the root. Thus, this URL:

www.domain.com/productA.htm

is likely to be ranked more highly than the same page at this URL:

www.domain.com/pages/products/commercial/productA.htm

Lately I've seen some posts recommending the use of folders. What's the consensus here?

Thanks!
Bill

[g1smd]

It's the not the URL, but the site navigation that is important here.

It is more about the number of clicks that a page is away from the root.

Breadcrumb navigation and such like can also help a lot.

[btreloar]

Thanks! That's very helpful!

Bill

[Dave Hawley]

If the SE spider can access the page it's ranked by the same algorithm as any other page.

[btreloar]

Hi, Dave,

Are you saying ,then, that even the click distance from the home page isn't a factor in the algorithms?

I have understood in the past that both click distance and folder depth were ranking factors. G1smd tells me folder depth is not a significant factor. Are you saying that click distance is also unimportant?

Thanks,
Bill

[chrishirst]

Not for ranking, but it is for crawling.

[btreloar]

Thanks! That helps.
Bill

[Dave Hawley]

Are you saying ,then, that even the click distance from the home page isn't a factor in the algorithms? Yep. As Chris has re-iterated, navigation is ONLY a factor to crawling and humans I should add.

For ranking purposes, ALL pages are subject to the same algorithm AFAIK.

[btreloar]

Cool. Thanks!
Bill