In SEO, a URL is more than just a web address. It’s a digital doorway that communicates your content to search engines and users and plays a role in search engine rankings.
Are you utilizing them to their full potential?
In this guide, we’ll explore the anatomy of an SEO-friendly URL and dive into the best practices for writing a perfect URL structure for SEO in just 7 steps.
In This Article
What Is a URL?
A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is the address of a web page on the Internet.
Like physical addresses, URLs are made up of various elements to help users reach a specific destination.
However, instead of house numbers, street names, and cities, URLs use protocols, domain names, and paths.
Here’s an example of this article’s URL:
https://lowfruits.io/blog/url-structure-for-seo/
Why Does URL Structure Matter for SEO?
While a URL might seem simple, it’s important for SEO. Search engines like Google use URLs to better understand a page’s content and its relevance to user search queries.
Here’s why URL structure matters for SEO:
- Keyword Relevance: Including relevant keywords in your URL can help search engines understand the topic of the page. For example, a URL like https://lowfruits.io/blog/seo-best-practices/ clearly indicates that the page is about SEO best practices.
- User Experience: A clean and concise URL is easier for users to read, remember, and share. It also contributes to a positive page experience, which is a Google ranking factor.
- Crawlability: Search engine crawlers rely on URLs to discover and index your website’s content. A well-structured URL makes it easier for crawlers to navigate your site.
- Clickthrough Rate (CTR): A clear and relevant URL in search results can entice users to click on your link, boosting your website’s organic CTR.
Anatomy of an SEO-Friendly URL
A well-structured URL typically consists of the following components:
1. Protocol: https:// or http:// indicates the communication protocol used to transfer data between the server and the user’s browser. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP and is preferred by both users and search engines.
In 2014, Google confirmed that HTTPS is a minor ranking factor for security reasons.
You may also see protocol referred to as scheme.
2. Subdomain (Optional): A subdomain is an additional domain name used to categorize specific sections of a website. Subdomains help users and search engines easily identify where they are on your website. They should be descriptive and are often a single word.
3. Second-Level Domain: This is the unique identifier of the website. Most people refer to this component as the domain name.
4. Subdirectory: This is a folder structure within your website that further organizes content. It follows the domain name and is considered part of the URL path.
Subdirectories group related content together, making it easier for users and search engines to situate themselves within the site hierarchy.
You may also call a subdirectory a subfolder.
5. Path & URL Slug: This part of the URL specifies the location of a page within the website’s hierarchy. For example, /blog/seo-tips indicates a page about SEO tips located in the blog section. An SEO-friendly URL will feature relevant keywords in the URL slug, which appears at the end of the path.
6. Query String (Optional): This is used to pass additional information to the server, often seen in dynamic URLs.
7. Anchor (Optional): This specifies a specific part of a page, often used in linking to a particular section. You’ll often see this feature in Table of Contents, allowing users to jump to the section that interests them.
7 Best Practices for Creating SEO-Friendly URLs
Now that you understand the various components of a URL, let’s explore best practices for making your URLs SEO-friendly.
1. Follow a Logical URL Structure
A well-structured URL hierarchy makes navigating your website easy for users and search engines.
Create a clear and logical structure that reflects the relationship between different pages.
For example, an athletic apparel eCommerce may organize products on a URL like https://www.example.com/women/shoes/running.
This structure clearly indicates that the page has running shoes for women.
It also follows a logical path that’s easy to read and understand.
2. Keep It Short and Simple
Avoid overly long and complex URLs. Keep your URLs concise and easy to understand.
Shorter URLs are more user-friendly and can improve your website’s clickthrough rate in search engine results pages (SERPs).
3. Include Your SEO Keyword
Incorporating relevant keywords into your URLs can help search engines understand the topic of your page. However, avoid keyword stuffing, as it can negatively impact your SEO.
Instead, aim to include your focus keyword once.
This communicates your page’s main topic most clearly.
✅ Do: https://example.com/blog/niche-keyword-research
❌ Don’t: https://example.com/blog/niche-keyword-research-niche-keywords (keyword stuffing)
Need help finding the right keyword to target?
Check out this beginner-friendly tutorial on keyword research for small businesses.
4. Separate Words With Hyphens
Website owners often ask the following question for URL SEO: “Are hyphens or underscores better for SEO?”
Hyphens are the answer.
Google URL structure guidelines explicitly state a preference for hyphens when creating URLs.
Hyphens (-) improve the readability of URLs for both users and search engines. Use them instead of underscores.
✅ Do: https://example.com/blog/local-seo-keyword-research
❌ Don’t: https://example.com/blog/local_seo_keyword_research (underscores)
5. Use Lowercase Letters
Stick to lowercase letters in your URLs to maintain consistency and prevent potential case sensitivity issues.
Uniformity in letter casing contributes to a cleaner and more organized URL structure.
It’s also advised to avoid camel case, which is the practice of writing words without spaces between them and capitalizing the first letter of each word.
This style can be challenging to read and doesn’t adhere to URL best practices.
✅ Do: https://example.com/locations/orange-county
❌ Don’t: https://example.com/locations/OrangeCounty (camel case)
6. Avoid Including Dates
While including a year in your annual lineup blog post URLs may be tempting, it’s best to avoid it.
A good URL is designed for longevity, meaning it doesn’t require updating.
Try to exclude dates from your URLs so you don’t have to change them down the line and risk losing their SEO value.
✅ Do: https://example.com/blog/best-seo-tools
❌ Don’t: https://example.com/blog/best-seo-tools-2025
7. Use 301 Redirects When Changing URLs
If you do have to change a URL or the location of a specific piece of content, it’s essential to use a 301 redirect.
301 redirects tell search engines you have moved content permanently.
This helps prevent 404 (page not found) errors and ensures that users are directed to the correct page. It also preserves your SEO value and transfers it to the new location.
Need help adding a 301 redirect?
This article shows you how to implement 301 redirects on various popular hosting providers.
Since many of our customers use WordPress, I’d also like to mention that you can easily add permanent redirects using the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin.
It’s as simple as setting the source and target URLs and selecting your desired redirect type (301).
Final Thoughts
By adhering to these best practices, you can create SEO-friendly URLs that are more than just addresses on the web. They become digital signposts, guiding search engines and users to your content.
Remember, the best URL structure for SEO is clear, keyword-rich, and easy to read.
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