If you’re running a website, then it’s important to make sure that your URLs are SEO-friendly. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the best practices for URL structures. So, if you’re looking to improve your website’s search engine rankings, keep reading!
What Is URL
A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is the address of a website or web page on the internet. Every website has its own unique URL. The URL is composed of several parts, including the domain name, subdomain, path, and file name.
There are a variety of different URL structures, but the most common are domain names, directories and file paths. Domain names are the addresses of websites, while file paths indicate the location of a specific file on a server.
Domain Names
Domain names are composed of two parts: the top-level domain (TLD) and the second-level domain (SLD). The TLD is the category of the website (e.g., .com, .net, .org), while the SLD is the specific name of the website. For example, the URL for Google’s website is google.com. The TLD is .com, while the SLD is “google.”
The advantages of domain names are that they are easy to remember and type in, and they can be used to represent multiple websites with different SLDs. The disadvantages of domain names are that they can be expensive to purchase and renew, and they can be difficult to obtain if a company does not have a trademark.
Directories and File Paths
Directories are folder-like structures that can be used to organize files on a web server. URLs that include directories can be used to access specific files or resources, or to navigate to different parts of a website. Directory names are often separated by forward slashes (/), and may also be referred to as “paths” (note, it’s not a file path).
File paths consist of two parts: the filename and the path. The filename is the name of the file, while the path indicates its location on a server. For example, the path to Microsoft Word’s executable file is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\WINWORD.EXE. The filename is WINWORD.EXE, while the path is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\. The advantages of file paths are that they are reliable and always point to the same location on a server. The disadvantages of file paths are that they can be difficult to remember and type in correctly.
URL Structure and Why It Matters for SEO
The structure of a URL is important for SEO because it can affect how Google crawls and indexes your website. The domain name, subdomain, and path are all important ranking factors that Google takes into account when ranking websites. You can optimize your URLs for better SEO by using keywords in the domain name, subdomain, and path, and by keeping the file name short and sweet.
SEO Best Practices for URLs
There are a few key SEO best practices you should keep in mind when creating URL structures.
Use Keywords in the Domain Name, Subdomain, and Path
When creating a URL, it’s important to include keywords in order to help improve your site’s ranking on search engines. You should use keywords in the domain name, subdomain (if applicable), and path of the URL. This will help signal to search engines that your page is relevant to the keywords you’re targeting.
Keep the File Name Short and Sweet
Keep your file name as short and concise as possible. Longer file names can be difficult to remember and are often cut off when shared online. Shorter file names are easier to remember and are more likely to be shared in their entirety, thus improving the user experience.
Avoid Using Special Characters in the URL Structure
Special characters can often cause issues when trying to open a URL. They can also interfere with search engine rankings. It’s best to avoid using special characters in your URLs whenever possible.
Use Hyphens (-) Instead of Underscores (_) to Separate Words
Hyphens are a more user-friendly way to separate words in a URL than underscores. They are also easier for search engines to interpret, which can help improve your site’s ranking on search engines.
URLs and Keywords
One of the most important aspects of SEO is the use of keywords. Keywords are the words and phrases that a person would type into a search engine in order to find a particular website. By incorporating keywords into an article or webpage, a site can improve its chances of being found by potential visitors.
Which Keywords to Include in the URL Structure
There are a number of ways to research which keywords are most relevant for a given topic. The Google Ads Keyword Tool is one such resource. This tool allows users to input specific keywords and see how often they are being searched for on Google. The tool also provides other information such as average monthly searches and competition levels.
Another way to research keywords is by using the Google search engine itself. Simply type in a keyword or phrase and see what pops up. Chances are, if that keyword or phrase is being searched for often, it will be included in one of the websites that show up in the search results.
Once keywords have been identified, they should be included throughout the website content. Some places where keywords can be included are in the title, in the body of the text, and in the tags of the webpage. It’s important not to overuse keywords, however, as this can lead to spammy content and decreased website traffic. A good rule of thumb is to use keywords 3-5% of the time on a webpage.
How to Include Keywords in the URL Structure
The best way to do this is by using a hyphen (-) between each word in the URL string. For example, if your website is about dogs, then your URL should be something like www.dogs-are-great.com rather than www.dogsaregreat.com. You should also avoid stuffing them, so that your URL structure remains legible. Including relevant keywords in your URLs will make you look trustworthy, and can help your site rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).