What Is URL Structure in SEO?
Dec 22, 2021
Written by Casey Bjorkdahl
Casey Bjorkdahl is one of the pioneering thought leaders in the SEO community. In 2010, Casey co-founded Vazoola after working for a Digital Marketing Agency for five years in New York City. Vazoola is now one of the fastest growing and most widely recognized SEO marketing firms in the country.
Are you looking for ways to increase your online visibility through search engine optimization? If so, you need to think about your URL structure. If you have a properly optimized URL structure, you can significantly improve your online visibility, driving more traffic to your website. There are lots of parameters you need to think about regarding the best URLs. You need to think about keywords, length, and how accurately the URL reflects the content on your website. There are several best practices you need to follow if you want to get the most out of your URL structure.
What Is URL Structure?
When someone is talking about a URL, they are referring to the string of letters that direct someone to a website. For example, if you take a look at a URL for a piece of Vazoola content, it looks something like this:
http://www.vazoola.com/resources/article-name
There are several important parts that accompany a URL structure. These include:
- Protocol: In this case, the protocol is the HTTPS portion of the URL. In this case, the S stands for secure.
- Sub Domain: The subdomain is the WWW part of the website above. There are lots of subdomains, but you should pick something that is easy for users to remember.
- Root Domain: This is the main portion of your website. Typically, it is closely associated with your brand. It might even be the same as the name of your company.
- Top Level Domain: The top-level domain refers to the COM, ORG, EDU, or any other domain that relates to your content.
- Slug: In this case, the slug is the “category” part. You need to make sure you organize your website appropriately to make it easier for people to follow.
- Article Name: Finally, the last part of the URL should match the name of the exact page. For example, if you have a page that focuses on footballs, the article might want to have “football” in the URL structure.
Make sure each of these URL structures works together to help you generate a strong website.
How To Generate an SEO Friendly URL
If you want to have a URL that is friendly for search engine optimization purposes, there are several points to keep in mind. These include:
- Stay Organized: Your URL structure has to make sense. Make sure people understand why you have laid out the name of your website in that manner.
- HTTPS: You need to protect the confidential information of your users. That is why you need to use a secure sockets layer, which is the S in HTTPS. That way, all information is encrypted, and people do not have to worry about their confidential information being stolen.
- Keywords: You could try to include terms in your URL that people commonly search. This can help you improve your ranking. When possible, try to put them at the front of your URL.
- Short and Sweet: In general, shorter is better. If you keep your website URL structure shorter, your ranking should be higher. It makes it easier for people and search engines to figure out what your website is about.
You might also want to work with a professional team that can help you figure out what URL structure is best for your website. That way, you can get the most out of each individual post.
Why Is an Optimized URL Important?
Now, you may be wondering why you should think about your URL optimization at all. There are several key reasons why this is so important. These include:
- User Experience: User experience is one of the most important parts of search engine optimization. You need to use a logical URL structure that is easy to follow. That way, your users have an easier time figuring out where they are at on your website. If you make it easier for people to follow your website, you should experience better results related to your SEO campaign.
- Improve Your Ranking: Of course, you also want to improve your ranking. If you make it easier for people to navigate your website, Google will realize this. Then, your ranking will rise, driving more traffic to your website. URL SEO also includes using the important page keyword in your URL, helping google rank you better for that term or phrase.
- Easier To Remember: Finally, a shorter URL is also easier to remember. People might think about visiting their website later, but they will have a difficult time doing so if they don't remember your website. If you have an optimized URL, it will be easier for people to remember your website.
Ultimately, optimizing your website name is important because it can drive more people to your website. If you want to increase traffic to your website, you need to have a strong URL.
Go With a Properly Optimized URL
There is a lot you need to think about if you want to increase your online visibility. You should use a URL that has been properly optimized for your website. There are plenty of domains from which to choose, and there are lots of options for URL structures. If you select a good URL, you should have an easier time driving people to your website because you should improve your search rankings. Remember that this is not something you have to do on your own. If you need help figuring out how to improve your URL structure, you may want to reach out to a professional service that can help you.