Change to complete URLs on menu links

Will it cause a problem with Google?

[kapow]

Will it affect my Google rank if I change a sites menu links to complete URLs (all in the same domain)?

Currently my menu links are like page.htm.
Is it ok for the menu links to use complete URLs e.g. http://www.example.com/page.htm

The site has good PR and has been doing well for about 3 years. I get scared of changing things like this.
(I havn't explained why I want to do this as its probably not important, its to do with making the menus into php includes).

[edited by: ciml at 10:52 am (utc) on July 13, 2005]
[edit reason] Examplified [/edit]

[macdave]

Shouldn't hurt. And if your site has experienced canonicalization problems (e.g. www. vs. non-www.), providing absolute links to the proper URLs should help Google to sort it out.

[kapow]

The site has never had any problems, its popularity has grown and grown since launch. It is a standard online store.

The site is developing, adding new products etc, hence the need to manage the menus better, which means
changing internal menu links to absolute links.

The prospect of accidently tripping some filter/penalty keeps me awake at night!

I would really appreciate experience from anyone else who has done this.

[kapow]

I get the feeling no one knows or has had a problem with this?

[steveb]

There is no reason not to do it.

[DaveAtIFG]

It will have an impact. A better question might be, "How big an impact will it have?"

If your domain name is www.my-keyword-stuffed-domain-name.com it will certainly affect each page's keyword density so it's difficult to say how much impact it will have on your rankings. (It IS a good practice, to avoid page jacking and "canonical page" problems!) If your rankings depend more on strong linking than on exceptional on-page optimization, it shouldn't have significant impact... but that too may be difficult to gauge...

If your domain name is fairly short and/or generic, the impact should be minimal.

[kapow]

Thanks DaveAtIFG
Some VERY useful points!

If your domain name is www.my-keyword-stuffed-domain-name.com it will certainly affect each page's keyword density... If your domain name is fairly short and/or generic, the impact should be minimal.

Excellent point! Fortunately the domain is short.

It IS a good practice, to avoid page jacking and "canonical page" problems!

That is very useful. The site doesn't suffer from this but it is something I fear could happen in future.

If your rankings depend more on strong linking than on exceptional on-page optimization, it shouldn't have significant impact...

The site has some good links and helpful key words in the right places (ie not spammy).

SO: if your domain isn't keyword stuffed menu links with absolute urls will not mess with a sites google rank, AND can prevent page jacking :)

[JonPick]

I'm sure I read somewhere (or maybe it came out of the google session at N.O.) that google recommend using fully qualified addresses in links - which is what you are intending to do.
Should be fine.