I did an experiment this morning.
I Googled “size 12 blue summer dress”.

What would you expect the top five organic (not sponsored) search results to be? 

I was thinking there might be something from Dorothy Perkins or Marks and Spencers or even ASOS – all huge womanswear retailers.

Nope.

In order, the top 5 hits were:

1. Amazon
2. Oxfam
3. Ebay
4. Charity Gifts
5. Shopwiki

Look at the very specific terms in their URLs: 

1 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ladies-Long-Maxi-Summer-Dress/dp/B003K0ZIEU
2 http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/second-hand-clothes/490912
3 http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=summer+dress+size+12
4 http://charitygifts.com/shop/index.php?product=Jane+Norman,+green,+white+and+
   blue+summer+dress,+size+12
5 http://www.shopwiki.co.uk/D81+Ladies+Strapless+Maxi+Long+Blue+Dress+Size+8/10+Uk

Can you see any of my search terms in these three URLs from Dorothy Perkins, Marks & Spencer and ASOS which lead to similar pages?

1 http://www.dorothyperkins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?         beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=20552&storeId=12552&categoryId=
207609&parent_category_rn=49448&productId=1700690&langId=-
 
2 http://www.marksandspencer.com/Cotton-Rich-V-Neck-Stripe-Dress/dp/B002WEEWJ2?   ie=UTF8&qid=1276003371&categoryNodeID=42967030&ref=sr_1_8&page=&node=331139031
&sr=18&mnSBrand=core&_encoding=UTF8&rh= 

3 http://www.asos.com/Yumi/Yumi-Anchor-Print-Tiered-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?     iid=1064000&cid=10860&sh=0&pge=2&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Blue

So what’s my point?

Put succinctly  - think how many customers Dorothy Perkins, M&S and ASOS are not getting
by making their URLs so complicated and so unrelated to the search terms which should
bring a customer to their page.

Now I put my hands up – I know nothing about programming and only the basics of search
engine optimisation – so if I can get my head around this, you can too. There is a piece of
software called URL Tail Rewrite which will, as the name suggests, rewrite a URL
into relevant, search engine-friendly terms.

When I first heard about it I was sceptical. When I had it explained to me I was hopeful.
I am now about to start testing it on my own website. I have also agreed to help the
company which developed it, Eskdale Solutions, to get the word out, so I’m declaring
an interest in its success.

I’ll keep you posted.