Linking/Pages for Forum Categories?

[EGS]

Hello.

I was wondering your input on this...

Should I have a separate page for forum categories or do what this forum does and have forum category URLs like #forum-category on the main index page, as anchor text?

I am questioning why this was done at this forum and what are the benefits etc?

Please help.
Thanks.

[Michael Biddle]

I would not know if their are really any true benefits. I use the category icons on my website simply for the fact that I do not allow posts in those main forums, and I find it redundant to take you to a whole new page just to see the other subforums.

[EGS]

I would not know if their are really any true benefits. I use the category icons on my website simply for the fact that I do not allow posts in those main forums, and I find it redundant to take you to a whole new page just to see the other subforums.

Man though I'd really like to know!

[EGS]

Anyone else's opinion..?

[briansol]

I don't use subforums much... i find them annoying.
so, i don't use the #bookmarks. i show the real forumdisplay page.

[Joe Ward]

Hello.

I was wondering your input on this...

Should I have a separate page for forum categories or do what this forum does and have forum category URLs like #forum-category on the main index page, as anchor text?

I am questioning why this was done at this forum and what are the benefits etc?

Please help.
Thanks.

It helps build better link consistency, converging link value to the forum homepage, rather than have it point out to separate pages, resulting in link value dilution.

[EGS]

It helps build better link consistency, converging link value to the forum homepage, rather than have it point out to separate pages, resulting in link value dilution.

So in simple terms, it's better (for SEO) to have #category-name ?

[Joe Ward]

So in simple terms, it's better (for SEO) to have #category-name ?

Correct.

[EGS]

Correct.

Erm, why, since bots don't crawl them ?
Or does it build keyword density?

[Joe Ward]

It builds link value by focusing it on your forum homepage, instead of a bunch of forum category pages.