Learn about the 20 URL best practices for URL structure to improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) that ranks higher in the SERPs
By following these tips, you can create clear, organized, and keyword-rich URLs that are easier for search engines to crawl and understand, and improve your website’s navigation and user experience.
From using descriptive and consistent URLs to avoiding stop words and special characters, these best practices will help you optimize your website’s URL structure for better search engine rankings and increased traffic.
The 20 URL Best Practices Tips and Definitions
1. Keep URLs short and descriptive [1]
Keeping URLs short and descriptive is an essential best practice for URL structure in SEO. Short and descriptive URLs not only make it easier for users to remember and share your website but also help search engines understand the content of the page.
A short URL is also easier to read and share on social media platforms, which can help drive more traffic to your website. Using relevant keywords in the URL can also improve the page’s ranking for those keywords, making it more visible to potential visitors.
Therefore, it’s important to keep URLs short and descriptive while including relevant keywords to optimize your website’s SEO.
2. Use hyphens to separate words in the URL
Using hyphens to separate words in the URL is another important best practice for URL structure in SEO. Hyphens help search engines understand the different words in the URL, making it easier to crawl and index the page.
Additionally, hyphens make URLs more readable and understandable for users, improving their overall experience on your website. Using hyphens instead of underscores or spaces in the URL is also recommended, as these can cause issues with URL encoding and create confusion for search engines.
3. Use lowercase letters in URLs
The use of lowercase letters in URLs is another crucial best practice for URL structure in SEO. Search engines are case-sensitive, meaning that using uppercase letters in the URL can create duplicate content issues, resulting in decreased search engine rankings.
Using lowercase letters in the URL is an easy and effective way to avoid these issues and keep your URLs consistent throughout the website. Additionally, lowercase letters make URLs more readable and user-friendly, improving the overall user experience on your website.
4. Include relevant keywords in the URL
Including relevant keywords in the URL is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. Including relevant keywords in the URL can help search engines understand the content of the page, making it more likely to appear in search results for relevant queries.
Using relevant keywords in the URL also helps users understand the content of the page before they even click on the link. However, it’s important to avoid keyword stuffing in the URL, as this can negatively impact search engine rankings and user experience.
Include relevant keywords in the URL to effectively optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience, as long as it’s done in a natural and relevant manner.
5. Avoid using URL parameters like “?id=123”
Avoiding using URL parameters like “?id=123” is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. URL parameters are variables that are added to the end of a URL, which can be used to track user behavior or identify specific content.
However, URL parameters can create duplicate content issues and confuse search engines, resulting in decreased search engine rankings. Therefore, it’s important to avoid using URL parameters as much as possible and instead use a clear and descriptive URL structure.
If URL parameters must be used, it’s essential to use the rel=canonical tag to avoid duplicate content issues and to provide a clear hierarchy of URLs to help search engines understand the content of the page.
By avoiding URL parameters and using a clear URL structure, you can optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
6. Use a consistent URL structure throughout the website
7. Avoid using stop words like “the”, “and”, “of” in URLs
Avoiding using stop words like “the”, “and”, “of” in URLs is another important best practice for URL structure in SEO. Stop words are common words that search engines often ignore, as they don’t provide any value to the content of the page.
Including stop words in the URL can make it longer and harder to read, decreasing the overall user experience on your website. Therefore, it’s important to avoid using stop words in URLs as much as possible and instead use a concise and relevant URL structure.
This not only makes the URL more readable but also makes it easier for search engines to understand the content of the page, resulting in improved search engine rankings. By avoiding stop words in URLs, you can optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
8. Avoid using special characters like “&”, “@”, “#”, etc. in URLs
Avoiding the use of special characters like “&”, “@”, “#”, etc. in URLs is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. Special characters have a specific meaning in URL syntax, and using them incorrectly can cause issues with URL encoding, resulting in broken or incorrect URLs.
Additionally, using special characters in URLs can make them harder to read and understand, decreasing the overall user experience on your website. Therefore, it’s important to avoid using special characters in URLs as much as possible and instead use hyphens to separate words.
This makes the URL more readable and user-friendly, improving the overall user experience on your website. By avoiding special characters in URLs, you can optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
9. Use a canonical tag
Using canonical tags is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. A canonical tag is a piece of code added to a webpage that tells search engines which version of a URL to index.
This is important when there are multiple versions of the same content on different URLs, as it can cause duplicate content issues and negatively impact search engine rankings.
By using a canonical tag, you can tell search engines which URL to consider as the “official” version of the content, consolidating link equity and avoiding duplicate content issues.
Additionally, using canonical tags can improve website navigation and user experience by directing users to the correct version of the content. Therefore, using canonical tags is an effective way to optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
10. Use a 301 redirect for outdated or broken URLs
Using a 301 redirect for outdated or broken URLs is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. A 301 redirect is a code that informs search engines that a webpage has been permanently moved to a new URL.
This is important when a webpage has been moved or deleted, as it can cause broken links and negatively impact user experience and search engine rankings.
By using a 301 redirect, you can redirect traffic to the new URL and preserve link equity, avoiding broken links and maintaining search engine rankings.
Additionally, using a 301 redirect can improve website navigation and user experience by directing users to the correct version of the content. Using a 301 redirect is an effective way to optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
11. Use a unique URL for each page
Using a unique URL for each page is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. A unique URL helps search engines understand the content of the page, avoiding duplicate content issues and improving search engine rankings.
Additionally, using a unique URL for each page makes it easier for users to navigate your website, as they can quickly identify the content they are looking for. Using a unique URL for each page also makes it easier to track user behavior and measure the success of individual pages.
12. Keep URLs static instead of using dynamic URLs with multiple parameters
Keeping URLs static instead of using dynamic URLs with multiple parameters is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO.
Static URLs are URLs that do not change, while dynamic URLs are generated on the fly based on user input or other factors. Dynamic URLs with multiple parameters can make it difficult for search engines to crawl and understand the content of the page, resulting in decreased search engine rankings.
Static URLs, on the other hand, are more readable and understandable for both users and search engines, making it easier to crawl and index the page. Therefore, keeping URLs static instead of using dynamic URLs with multiple parameters is an effective way to optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
13. Use a hierarchy of directories to organize content
Using a hierarchy of directories to organize content is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. A hierarchy of directories is a system of organizing web pages into different levels of subdirectories or categories.
For example, a website might have a top-level directory for “Products”, with subdirectories for “Shoes”, “Clothing”, and “Accessories”. Within each of these subdirectories, there might be further subdirectories for different styles, sizes, or colors.
Here’s an example of how you could organize your content using a hierarchy of directories:
In this example, the top-level directory is “outdoor-gear.” Underneath that, there are several subdirectories for categories of products, such as “tents,” “sleeping-bags,” and “backpacks.” Each subdirectory can have additional subdirectories for more specific categories of products, such as “4-season-tents,” “family-tents,” and “backpacking-tents” under the “tents” directory.
This hierarchy of directories can help search engines understand the organization and hierarchy of the content on your website, making it easier to crawl and index the pages. It can also improve user experience by making it easier for users to find the products they’re looking for and navigate to other pages on the website.
This hierarchy of directories helps search engines understand the organization and hierarchy of the content on your website, making it easier to crawl and index the pages. Additionally, using a hierarchy of directories can improve user experience by providing a clear and organized structure for users to navigate.
14. Use breadcrumbs to show the user’s path to the current page
Using breadcrumbs to show the user’s path to the current page is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. Breadcrumbs are a type of navigational aid that helps users understand their location on a website and how they got there.
Breadcrumbs typically appear at the top of a webpage and show the user’s path to the current page, starting with the homepage and ending with the current page.
For example, a breadcrumb trail for a product page on a website might look like this: Home > Products > Shoes > Running Shoes > Men’s Running Shoes.
Using breadcrumbs helps users understand the structure of your website and how to navigate to other pages, improving user experience and reducing bounce rates.
Additionally, breadcrumbs can help search engines understand the content and hierarchy of the pages on your website, resulting in improved search engine rankings.
So, using breadcrumbs to show the user’s path to the current page is an effective way to optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
15. Avoid changing URLs unless necessary
Avoiding changing URLs unless necessary is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. Changing URLs can cause broken links, create duplicate content issues, and negatively impact search engine rankings.
When a URL changes, search engines have to recrawl and reindex the page, which can take time and potentially result in lost traffic and rankings. Additionally, changing URLs can confuse users who have bookmarked the page or shared the URL on social media.
Therefore, it’s important to avoid changing URLs unless necessary, such as when a webpage has been permanently moved or deleted.
Here’s an example of why you should avoid changing URLs unless necessary:
Let’s say you have a product page on your website that has been live for several months and has started to gain traction in search engine rankings. However, you decide to change the URL structure for the page because you want to make it more descriptive or to match a new category structure on your website.
While it may seem like a good idea to change the URL structure for the page, it can actually have negative consequences for your SEO efforts. Changing the URL can cause broken links, create duplicate content issues, and negatively impact search engine rankings.
Search engines have already crawled and indexed the old URL, so if you change it, search engines will treat it as a new page and may not give it the same weight and authority as the old URL.
Instead of changing the URL, it’s better to keep the URL structure static unless it’s absolutely necessary to change it. If you need to change the URL, use a 301 redirect to redirect traffic from the old URL to the new URL.
This will preserve link equity and maintain search engine rankings for the page. By avoiding unnecessary changes to URLs, you can maintain the authority and trust that you’ve built with search engines and users, and ensure that your SEO efforts continue to yield positive results.
16. Use descriptive page titles that match the URL structure
Using descriptive page titles that match the URL structure is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. A page title is a text that appears in the tab or title bar of a web browser when a webpage is opened.
Page titles provide a brief and concise summary of the content of the page and help users understand what the page is about.
Matching the page title with the URL structure can improve the relevance and clarity of the page, making it easier for search engines to understand the content and improve search engine rankings.
Additionally, using descriptive page titles that match the URL structure can improve user experience by providing a clear and consistent structure for users to navigate. Therefore, using descriptive page titles that match the URL structure is an effective way to optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
17. Use a robots.txt file to block search engines from indexing non-essential pages or content.
Let’s say you have a website with a blog section, and you want to block search engines from indexing your author archive pages, as they’re not essential for search engine indexing. To do this, you would create a robots.txt file in the root directory of your website, and add the following code:
This code tells search engine crawlers to not index any pages that have “/author/” in the URL. By doing this, you can ensure that search engines focus on indexing the essential pages of your website and improve search engine rankings for those pages.
It’s important to note that the robots.txt file only blocks search engines from indexing pages, but it does not prevent users from accessing those pages directly. If you want to block access to certain pages for users as well, you would need to use additional methods such as password protection or redirects.
Here’s an example of how you would use robots.txt to allow content:
Let’s say you have a directory on your website that you want to allow search engines to crawl and index. To do this, you would create a robots.txt file in the root directory of your website and add the following code:
The third line “User-agent: Googlebot” specifies that the following rule applies only to the Googlebot crawler. The fourth line “Allow: /example-directory/” allows the Googlebot crawler to crawl and index pages in the “example-directory” directory.
By using the Allow directive, you can give search engine crawlers permission to crawl and index specific pages or directories on your website. This can be useful when you have certain content that you want to make sure gets indexed by search engines.
However, it’s important to use the robots.txt file carefully and to make sure that you’re not accidentally blocking essential pages or directories.
18. Use a sitemap to help search engines crawl and index pages on your website.
Using a sitemap to help search engines crawl and index pages on your website is an important best practice for SEO.
A sitemap is a file that contains a list of all the pages on your website, organized in a hierarchical structure. Sitemaps help search engine crawlers to quickly and easily navigate and understand the content of your website, making it easier to crawl and index pages.
By providing a sitemap, you can ensure that search engines can find and crawl all of the pages on your website, even if they’re not linked from your main navigation or other pages. This is particularly important for large websites with complex structures or for websites that are regularly updated with new content.
Additionally, using a sitemap can help search engines prioritize pages for indexing, as it provides information about the importance and frequency of updates for each page. This can help improve search engine rankings and visibility for your website.
Overall, using a sitemap is an effective way to optimize your website’s SEO by helping search engines crawl and index pages more efficiently and effectively.
19. Make sure URLs are mobile-friendly and responsive
Making sure URLs are mobile-friendly and responsive is an important best practice for URL structure in SEO. With the rise of mobile devices, it’s important to ensure that your website and URL structure are optimized for mobile users.
This includes ensuring that URLs are easy to read and navigate on smaller screens, and that they are responsive and adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions.
Mobile-friendly URLs can improve user experience and engagement by providing a consistent and seamless experience across different devices. This can lead to higher conversion rates, as users are more likely to engage with your website if it’s easy to navigate and use.
Additionally, mobile-friendly URLs can also improve search engine rankings, as search engines prioritize mobile-friendly websites and URL structures in their algorithms. Therefore, making sure URLs are mobile-friendly and responsive is an effective way to optimize your website’s SEO and improve user experience.
20. Monitor website analytics
Monitoring website analytics is an important best practice for SEO. Website analytics provide insights into how users interact with your website, including which pages they visit, how long they stay on each page, and where they came from.
By monitoring website analytics, you can identify trends and patterns in user behavior, and make informed decisions about how to optimize your website for improved user experience and search engine rankings.
Analytics can also help you measure the effectiveness of your SEO efforts, by tracking metrics such as organic search traffic, bounce rates, and conversion rates. This information can help you identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions about how to optimize your website for better results.
Overall, monitoring website analytics is an essential part of optimizing your website for SEO. By tracking user behavior and measuring the effectiveness of your SEO efforts, you can make informed decisions about how to improve your website and achieve better search engine rankings and user experience.
Conclusion:
We have discussed 20 important URL best practices for SEO. By following these best practices, you can optimize your website’s URL structure for improved search engine rankings, user experience, and overall SEO performance.
Some of the key takeaways include keeping URLs short and descriptive, using hyphens to separate words, using lowercase letters, and including relevant keywords in the URL.
It’s also important to avoid using special characters, stop words, and URL parameters, and to use a hierarchy of directories to organize content and breadcrumbs to improve website navigation.
Other important best practices include using canonical tags to consolidate link equity, using a 301 redirect for outdated or broken URLs, and using a unique URL for each page to avoid duplicate content issues.
It’s also important to keep URLs static instead of using dynamic URLs, and to make sure URLs are mobile-friendly and responsive.
By monitoring website analytics, you can track user behavior and measure the effectiveness of your SEO efforts, and use this information to make informed decisions about how to optimize your website for better results.
Overall, by following these URL best practices, you can improve your website’s URL structure, and in turn, improve your search engine rankings, user experience, and overall SEO performance.
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