Replacing URL with automatically with anchor text - how does it help?

[TheBigK]

I remember vBSEO would automatically replace links like http://xenforo.com/community/forums/general-xenforo-discussion-and-feedback.45/ with General XenForo Discussion and Feedback.

Xenforo doesn't do that - and I want to know if there are any advantages associated?

 

[Jeremy]

It'll get keywords into your site; but personally I don't see the benefit.

 

[TheBigK]

I think it improves readability as well. But any other advantages apart from the obvious ones? Say SEO wise?

 

[Khaleal]

This will benefit the owner of the link not the owner of the forum. The only benefit the forum owner can get is making URLs user-friendly.

 

[Code Monkey]

It makes the posts on your forum look so much better than some long url. Some of which can get quite wrong. I do miss that feature.

 

[Paul B]

I hate.

If I want to make the URL pretty, I am perfectly capable of doing so myself.

 

[Code Monkey]

Yes but most members won't so it's nice to have the option to get it done yourself for everyone else.

 

[Eoj Nawoh]

I personally like to know the links I'm going to, so not too a big fan of anchor text.

And while I can also hover over the link, my site deals with a lot of item trading and money trading across various games and some of these kids will just click without noticing it's a phishing site or etc.