Anchor link SEO, better with or without "www."?

[Sapphiro]

I know abit of SEO (meta tags etc), but still learning now and as I just developed EastAsianMusic.com, I'm now more concerned about all the little details which affects SEO.

For my links on affiliating sites..

Is it better to have "www" in the <a> tag?

Also, as I just made a link exchange with another party yesterday, he told me to add a blackslash at the URL for his link.. this helps for SEO as well??

[Gerry]

I don't think adding the "www" will do a thing for SEO and ranking. Especially with today's browsers.

[Sapphiro]

hmmm.. so do more people hyperlink with or without the "www"?

[Gerry]

hmmm.. so do more people hyperlink with or without the "www"?

Honestly, I can not remember the last time I added "www" after "http://".

[Sapphiro]

Ok thanks, thats all I needed to know.. so I guess it makes no difference in SEO ya?

[south]

Keep in mind that google usually indexes them without the www. Check your webmaster tools account. Don't know if it matters...

[18493]

I don't think it matters. I put the "www" in but realize many people don't. I also don't put in the "/" after the tld - as most sites are automatically appearing with the forward-slash.

[AbsoluteKC]

The most important thing here is to make sure that you link it consistently. If you use www version, stick to it with every sites. I usually standardise all my site link building version to the www. one. Having siad that, I think there is no difference in both linking format.

[18493]

The most important thing here is to make sure that you link it consistently. If you use www version, stick to it with every sites. I usually standardise all my site link building version to the www. one. Having siad that, I think there is no difference in both linking format.

I agree. I think it's valuable to mix the backlinks to include internal page backlinks within the linking regiment.

[BGray]

OK. It doesn't matter how you link to your site. www or non www

What does matter is how you handle it on the site.

I suggest using your htaccess file to redirect all pages to one or the other. I prefer www in most cases. If you don't do this your page rank is being spread over twice as many pages (non www and www).

Also, save yourself some time and don't do link exchanges. Work on getting 1 way incoming links.

[Sapphiro]

Oyeah. Thanks for the valuable feedbacks although I made this post a year ago. Right now I'm developing a new site and all these will be useful tips for me. ☺

[dcristo]

If you redirect one version to the other you want lose any link juice.

[rush123456]

It is always better to have www included. If you ask me why, all I can say is that reflects a very good Programming Practice. As few members suggested above, it affects the link juice.

Suggestion: Your site EastAsianMusic.com responds to the query www.EastAsianMusic.com as well. Make sure you use a 301 redirect and make it www.EastAsianMusic.com as a universal one.

[dejanlesi]

It does not matter which one you use as long as you redirect one version to another.. Read the post BGray made above you..

It is always better to have www included. If you ask me why, all I can say is that reflects a very good Programming Practice. As few members suggested above, it affects the link juice.

Suggestion: Your site EastAsianMusic.com responds to the query www.EastAsianMusic.com as well. Make sure you use a 301 redirect and make it www.EastAsianMusic.com as a universal one.