On-Page SEO Series | Part 4 - URL | How To Make Perfect SEO Friendly URLs

Summary

In this video, Amit Tiwari from amittiwari.net discusses best practices for creating SEO-friendly URLs. He emphasizes the importance of using English characters, keeping URLs concise (under 110 characters), and incorporating focus keywords. Tiwari explains why stop words should not be omitted, underscores should be avoided, and capitalization should be kept to lowercase. He also highlights the impact of double slashes and underscores on user experience and SEO. By following these tips, you can create clean, efficient URLs that improve your website’s usability and search engine ranking.

Takeaways

• 😀 Always use English characters and words in your URLs for better identification and ease of use.
• 😀 Keep URLs concise, ideally under 110 characters, to improve user experience and SEO ranking.
• 😀 Include the focus keyword in the URL to help Google and users understand the page content.
• 😀 Avoid omitting stop words (like 'in', 'the', 'from') in URLs, as they can change the meaning of the URL.
• 😀 Repeating words in URLs can confuse both Google and users; aim for creative solutions to avoid redundancy.
• 😀 Do not use uppercase letters in URLs, as they look bad, are harder for users to type, and can cause technical issues.
• 😀 Always use dashes (-) instead of underscores (_) in URLs for better readability and user experience.
• 😀 Avoid using multiple slashes in URLs, as it can lead to SEO and usability problems.
• 😀 A well-structured URL with a clear focus enhances the page’s rankability and user-friendliness.
• 😀 URL structure plays a critical role in defining a web page for Google; even small changes in the URL can affect ranking.
• 😀 Long URLs are not necessarily bad, but they can indicate a lack of management or focus on the page’s topic.

Q & A

Why is the URL so important for SEO?

The URL is crucial for SEO because it defines a page for Google. A small change in the URL (e.g., switching between HTTP and HTTPS, or adding/removing 'www') can make it seem like a completely different page to Google, affecting its ranking.

What language should URLs be written in, and why?

URLs should always be in English. While the content may be in other languages, using non-English characters in URLs can create issues with identification and management in search engines and analytics tools. English is universally understood and widely accepted.

What is the ideal length for a URL?

There is no fixed character limit for URLs, but a best practice is to keep them under 110 characters. URLs longer than this may look unprofessional, and very long URLs tend to indicate a lack of focus or organization on the webpage itself.

Q&A Generation RequestHow does the focus keyword impact a URL's effectiveness?

Including the focus keyword in the URL is essential. It helps Google and visitors understand the page's content and relevance. If the focus keyword is missing, Google might not rank the page effectively for the desired search query.

Are stop words necessary in URLs?

Stop words (such as 'and', 'to', 'from') were once excluded from URLs, but this is no longer the case. Google's understanding of language has evolved, and leaving out stop words can sometimes change the meaning of a URL. They should be used when they do not distort the URL's meaning.

Is it okay to repeat words in a URL?

No, it is best to avoid repeating words in URLs. Repeating words can make the URL unnecessarily long and difficult to read. If repetition is necessary, try to rephrase or be creative to maintain clarity without redundancy.

Why should uppercase characters be avoided in URLs?

Uppercase characters should be avoided because they can look unprofessional and create confusion. URLs are case-sensitive in HTML, so a URL with uppercase characters might beSEO URL Best Practices treated differently by servers, leading to technical issues like redirects.

What is the issue with using underscores in URLs?

Underscores should be avoided in URLs because they are visually confusing. They are not easily distinguishable in URLs, and some browsers might treat them as a space or hide them due to underlining. Instead, use hyphens (-) to separate words.

What is the problem with double slashes in a URL?

Double slashes in a URL can cause confusion and technical issues. While they might work in some cases, they are not standard practice and could affect SEO or usability. It's best to use a single slash to maintain consistency and ensure proper routing.

How can you improve the overall structure of a URL for better ranking?

To improve URL structure, use English words, limit the URL length to around 110 characters, include focus keywords, avoid unnecessary stop words, and ensure a clean and simple format without repetition, uppercase letters, or underscores. Properly structured URLs are more SEO-friendly and user-friendly.