What will you do if you want to visit a specific brand’s website? Simple, you will type in that brand’s website in Google and hit enter. For example, if you want to visit Nike’s homepage, you will type Nike.com in the search bar and be taken to Nike’s website. That ‘Nike.com’ is called a URL or Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is a unique address of every website on the internet, just like you have of your home. If you think URL and domain are the same, you are wrong! Although they might look the same, they are entirely different. A domain is a component of a URL. If you are still wondering what URL is and why it is important, here’s a blog for you. In this article, we will explain everything about URLs and their importance in SEO.
What is a URL?
As we mentioned earlier, the URL is a crucial part of any website because that’s what people will search for in the browser to find your site. Further, URL is the thing that Google will use to index the pages of your website for relevance. URLs aren’t just essential to be discovered online and provide information on the page you are directed to. Also, the URL can provide information about the page you are in and its connection with other pages. Additionally, the URLs help interlink and direct the users to other sections of the website you want them to visit. To fully understand the URL, you must know its different parts.
The Anatomy of a URL
→A URL is made up of various components, The first part of a URL is called a scheme, which instructs the browser which protocol it should use to access the page. Generally, a URL starts with HTTP or HTTPS.
→A subdomain is another part of a URL that splits the website into different segments. One of the common subdomains of any website is ‘WWW’.
→Next on the list is the Root Domain or second-level domain, or SLD, which is nothing but your website’s name. The SLD indicates to the users that they are visiting a brand’s website.
→The top-level domain, or TLD, is the final part of the domain that specifies the type of entity your brand is registered on the internet—for instance, .com, .org, .net, .edu, etc.
→Then there’s Path, which specifies the location of the file or resource that the user wants to access.
→In the world of URLs, there are some sites that have page extensions, such as .html. For instance, an image URL will end with a ‘.png’ extension.
→Parameters are a way to add additional information during a search. It could be a number, an encrypted value, a search term or other data found on the website. Generally, a URL parameter will include a key and value separated by an equal (=) sign.
→On the other hand, if a URL contains multiple parameters, each will be separated with an ampersand (&) sign. At the same time, an anchor is a jump link that starts with a ‘#’ sign.
Why is URL Structure Important in SEO?
How do you know if the structure of a URL is SEO-friendly? If that URL offers these three qualities:
→Enhances UX
A proper URL structure will help indicate the destination page for humans and search engines. So, it is crucial to use URLs with appropriate structures and keywords to improve the user experience, thus making it easier for visitors to navigate through websites, especially those with various categories and sub-pages. In SEO competitor analysis we find that most ecommerce websites, and news article websites make multiple categories and subcategories for their pages/products, because such websites have hundreds of pages and keeping URLs unorganized can make an SEO person’s job harder!
→Improves Ranking of Search Engines
A proper URL enables Google search algorithms to determine the relevance and structure of a website’s content. That said, a clear and descriptive web address can boost the website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), providing higher click-through rates, rankings, and growing traffic. That is why SEO agencies consider URLs an important factor when performing technical SEO audit.
Best Practices for Creating SEO-Friendly URLs:
→Keep URLs Short and Simple: Google prefers short and straightforward URLs when showing search results because they are easier to remember and share, making them user-friendly. So, it is better to create URLs that are simple and short.
→Include Relevant Keywords: Include keywords in the URL, as it can improve the website’s SEO by providing information about the page’s content. This will help the search engine understand the importance of that page and help users decide whether to click through the website.
→Consistency and Predictability: Consistency is the key, as it helps maintain a simple SEO-friendly URL structure.
→Use Hyphens to Separate Words: Use hyphens in URL structures to separate the words, making them easy to read and understand.
→Avoid Redundant Words and Parameters: Don’t use filler words in the URLs until and unless it is a part of the keywords that are being targeted.
→User Lowercase: To improve readability and consistency, use lowercase letters in the URL. As some servers are case-sensitive, mixing cases could result in broken links and plagiarized content.
→Tailor URLs for Different Content Types: For added clarity and relevance, adapt the URL structure for blogs and eCommerce products.
→Utilize Categories and Subfolders:Add categories and subfolders to the URL structure to improve navigation and highlight the connections between different pages.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in URL Structure:
→Ignoring HTTPS Protocol: Yes, HTTPS is a ranking factor according to Google. And that is why it is important to follow protocol to protect the data sent between users and websites, ensuring trust and security. Furthermore, obtaining an SSL certificate and implementing HTTPS ensures the website is SEO-friendly and secure.
→Failing to Implement 301 Redirects:If handled properly, the website’s rankings can be protected when changing a URL structure. So, it’s essential to use 301 redirects while linking old URLs to new ones. Doing so notifies the search engines that the specific page is permanently moved, protecting crucial SEO history and authority. Know more about the http status code and different types and purposes.
→Number of Homepages:Multiple homepage versions can create confusion between search engine bots and crawlers. Instead of making numerous homepages, choose one and use 301 redirects to help navigate users and search engines to the preferred URL.
→Improper Handling of Similar Pages:If there are several pages with duplicate content, it can negatively impact the SEO efforts. Instead, redirect those pages to 301 or use canonical tags to avoid diluting the SEO authority.
→Unnecessary Use of Subdomains:Lastly, don’t use subdomains unnecessarily, as it can harm the SEO performance. Instead, subdomains within the main domain should be used to organize the website because search engines often consider subdomains separate websites.- Example of a Properly Optimized URL
www.example.com/blog/p=123?category=gardening&id=spring-2024&article=how-to-grow-tomatoes-in-your-backyard-garden-tips-and-tricks-for-beginners Optimized URL
www.example.com/blog/gardening/grow-tomatoes-backyard-guide