URL Structure Best Practices: How to Write Seo-Friendly URLs

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Wondering about SEO friendly URL structure best practices?

You aren’t alone. Many newbie bloggers are confused about this. But it’s critically important to get it right, especially if you’re starting a blog from scratch.

My partner just started blogging, and I’ve explained this to him several times.

It can be difficult to understand (when “URL” is mentioned, people think it’s confusing; it’s not).

I’ll give examples to make this SEO best practice as straightforward as possible (hopefully, my partner will read this post).

URL structure is one of the most important parts of SEO that needs to be done correctly. Get this down before you hit publish on your first post.

I’ll lay it out for you so that it is clear, and I’ll start with the basics.

What the heck is a URL anyway?

What Is a URL?

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of a web page.

That is it.

There’s a bit more to it after you have the definition under your belt.

The URL of a post specifies the location of a resource and the protocol used to access it.

A URL typically contains keywords and phrases that describe the content on the page.

Example:

• https://lazygirlsguidetoseo.com/seo-friendly-url-structure-best-practices

Which is the URL structure for this article.

This helps users quickly find the information they’re searching for online.

In the above example, the URL is my blog name plus the post’s topic, SEO friendly URL structure best practices. 

When writing a blog post, it’s essential to consider the URL from the jump; it evolves when I’m doing keyword research.

An effective URL should include words that align with your content, so that your post is easily discoverable.

This strategic alignment makes it easier for people to find what they’re looking for online, enhancing the effectiveness of your content’s reach.

What Is a URL Structure?

There are several parts to a URL structure.

The first part of the URL structure is your domain name.

Example:

• https://www.blogname.com

After the blog name comes the permalink or “slug“.

This is the specific address of a webpage.

Example:

• https://www.blogname.com/your-first-blog-post
• https://www.blogname.com/i-love-blogging

Hyphens are used in the permalink because they can’t have spaces.

If your keywords/blog titles have a space between them, they’ll be converted automatically into a hyphen.

The Three Basic of URL Structure

https://www.example.com/index.html

Here’s a breakdown of the components:

1. Protocol: https:// – Indicates the protocol used to access the resource. Common protocols include http, https, ftp, etc.
2. Domain Name: www.example.com – The domain name that identifies the website.
3. Path: /index.html – The specific path to the resource on the server.

URL Structures Differ From Site to Site

No two URL structures are alike; they are unique to every site.

Similar to the address of a house, they represent the address to specific content on a blog. 

Old school blogging used categories to differentiate between pages and posts, but this practice creates a longer URL.

Users and Google prefer shorter URLs.

Example:

• https://www.blogname.com/category/title-of-post

The better version is:

• https://www.blogname.com/title-of-post

Categories aren’t necessary anymore, and they often complicate structure and SEO.

Why Seo-Friendly URLs Are Important for SEO

Implementing best SEO practices, including SEO-friendly URL structure, is the cornerstone of any successful blogger’s strategy for increased traffic and better Google rankings.

These practices are not just rules we follow, but the key to blogging success.

We want to generate traffic to our work we spend so much time producing.

Google reads your URL to understand your content.

Make it clear, concise, and relevant to the keyword you’re targeting.

What is Google looking for in the URL?

• Character length (blog post title length is essential)
• Path (HTTP vs. HTTPS)
• Does it contain your target keyword

Your URL has to make sense to your audience and align with the query they are searching for on Google.

It’s what comes up in Google search results.

Example:

First, as of this writing, I’m ranking #3 on Google for this post because I use the best SEO practices.

That’s the power of SEO.

The reader (and Google) can’t see the blog post’s URL. It should.

Where mine reads https://californiagirltravels.com>Blog>NoCal, this should instead read https://californiagirltravels.com/san-francisco-to-napa-valley-road-trip-itinerary (I need to fix this in my settings).

The searcher needs to clearly see what this post is about: The Best San Francisco to Napa Valley Road Trip.

Readers are likelier to click on something when the intent is clear and concise.

An SEO-friendly URL structure is crucial for ranking well on Google and gaining your readers’ trust.

I much prefer URLs that are targeted to the keyword.

For example, when searching for “how to plan a road trip,” you turn to Google and add the query, “How to plan a road trip,” which of these URLs are you most likely to click on:

• https://www.domainname.com/97q39r83749827398jlsdai143
• https://www.domainname.com/how-to-plan-a-road-trip

This indicates that the author has made a specific effort to ensure I, as a reader, understand the content.

It suggests that the post is likely well-structured and informative, providing a helpful answer.

Google loves this as well.

12 URL Structure Best Practices

Here are the guidelines I follow for my permalink — URL structure.

It is the last step on my SEO checklist before I hit publish. I save it as my last because it’s essential to best SEO practices.

1. Include Your Keyword in the URL

One of the metrics Google uses to rank your blog post for SEO is the permalink.

We need to get this part right.

If you use the RankMath plug-in, as I recommend, it will tell, you at the top, if your URL is not optimized for your keyword:

“Hurray! You’re using Focus Keyword in the SEO Title.”

This is the last step I check before I hit publish, and it’s essential for SEO.

Ensure that your URL contains one or two keywords related to your post’s content. These are the keywords you are targeting.

As in the previous example, they would be “How to plan a road trip,” which is also in the title, but not the entire title, “How to Plan a Road Trip in 19 Steps.”

2. Don’t Include Dates

Please do not include dates. 

You do not want the year, the month, or the day in the URL.

Do not do this:

• https://www.domainname.com/best-tours-los-angeles-2024

If you use the year in your URL, you can’t update the post in the following years to keep the content fresh and continue to rank.

Readers will not click on “The best bike tours in 2024,” when it’s 2027.

Google likes when bloggers update their content anyway, so make sure not to include the date.

Similarly, 

Do not do this:

• https://www.domainname.com/15-best-tours-in-los-angeles

For the same reason, you will likely increase the number of tours when you update this post or decrease it if a tour becomes unavailable.

When you do, the URL will not reflect your content, which is a negative signal to readers and Google. 

3. Leave out Special Characters

Avoid using special characters such as symbols, punctuation, or underscores in your URLs.

This is crucial for maintaining the URL’s functionality and readability for your audience.

We don’t want this!

It’s confusing to the reader’s eye as well.

Only use hyphens to break up words in the URL; keep it simple.

Target keywords and hyphens are best practices for an SEO-optimized URL.

4. Remove Filler Words

Don’t complicate the URL. It’s a place where you need to keep it simple and targeted.

Make it as short as possible.

You don’t need to include words such as “the,” “and,” “a,” “but,” or “to,” they are unnecessary.

Google and its users are smart; they don’t need them, and filler words add unnecessary length to the URL.

5. Use Lowercase

Nearly everyone uses lowercase in URL permalinks.

Follow the same practice.

Search engines prefer standardized URLs.

On the other hand, using mixed-case URLs can lead to confusion.

This can potentially split the ranking power between different versions of the same page, which is not ideal for your SEO efforts.

It also confuses the readers because people search in lowercase. If you use mixed case, readers won’t find your awesome content.

Keep. It. Simple.

Lowercase URLs maintain consistency across your website, making it easier to manage and understand.

6. Use HTTPS

https: = Protocol

The protocol in a URL specifies the method used to access the resource on the internet. 

One of the most common protocols is HTTPS.

When you see a URL starting with https://, it indicates that the website is using HTTPS to provide a secure connection.

Here is mine:

The padlock before my domain name means it’s secure.

For example, https://www.example.com ensures that the data exchanged between your browser and the website is secure and encrypted.

HTTP is not as secure.

Contact your host to see how you can redirect to HTTPS, so you sight is secure from hackers.

7. Skip Folders and Categories

Keep your URL direct and to the point. KIS.

When you add folders and special categories, the URL becomes longer.

Think of the URL as prime real estate with which you must be judicious.

Example:

• https://domainname.com/travel/california/socal/things-to-do-in-los-angeles
• https://domainname.com/things-to-do-in-los-angeles

The second one is more preferable.

8. Don’t Use Auto-Generated URLs

WordPress, Yoast, and RankMath will auto-generate the URL for you based on the title write (H1), including the permalink. 

Change the auto-generated URL to URL structure best practices before you hit publish.

This is the last step I implement on my SEO checklist before I hit publish.

Always keep Google and the reader in mind; you want them to know what your content is about, and you have limited characters to accomplish this.

9. Keep it Short and Sweet

Make the URL as short as you can.

Search engines prefer clean, concise URLs as they are easier to crawl and understand.

Short URLs often include keywords more effectively, which can improve search engine rankings.

Visitors can quickly grasp the content or purpose of the page just by looking at the URL, making it more user-friendly.

They are less likely to be broken or truncated when copied and pasted, making them easier to share, especially on social media platforms, messaging apps, or printed materials.

Short URLs are easier to remember.

If someone needs to recall or type a URL from memory, a shorter one is much more manageable.

10. No Spaces, Use Hyphens Instead

Use hyphens instead of spaces.

For best practice to create SEO-friendly URLs that are searchable use hyphens.

You can’t use spaces in a URL structure because URLs follow a specific format that requires encoding certain characters to ensure proper interpretation and transmission over the internet.

Spaces are not valid characters in URLs because they can cause confusion and errors when interpreting the URL.

11. Be Consistent

One characteristic that makes for excellent blogging practices is consistency across the board.

Follow the 12 SEO friendly URL structure best practices consistently with each blog post you write to increase your chances of success in ranking.

Optimize your blog URLs for best SEO practices.

All of them.

12. Redirect URLs if Necessary

Starting a blog without being aware of these essential practices is a common mistake.

We’ve all been there.

However, now that you’ve read the above 11 steps for the best URL structure, you can improve your blogging strategies.

It’s not too late if you have many blog posts published without following the above 11 steps.

You can always change a URL if you redirect the old URL to the new one.

You should also be prepared for a potential dip in traffic while Google reassesses your new permalink structure.

I recommend making these changes at least six months before the content is needed (i.e., if it’s seasonal content).

For example, if you’re updating a Christmas gift guide, change the URL in July to give it time to rank by Christmas.

Wrap-Up: SEO friendly URL Structure Best Practices

Optimizing your URL structure is crucial for SEO.

Effective URL structure best practices can significantly impact search engine rankings.

To ensure your blog posts’ URLs rank well on Google, follow these SEO-friendly guidelines.

With URL optimization, your post may rank highly, leading to an increase in traffic.

Don’t let your hard work go unnoticed — implement these URL best practices to ensure your blog posts attract the traffic they deserve.

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Read More of My SEO Tips:

• Lyrical Host Review & Coupon Code
• How Do Bloggers Actually Make Money
• 7+ Ways to Monetize a Blog Without Ads
• 31 Exciting Reasons to Start a Blog
• The Ideal blog Post Title Length for SEO
• The Advantages and Disadvantages of Blogging
• What is a Travel Blog and How to Start One
• Blogging Essentials to Streamline the Process

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