When IT comes to building custom URLs, there are certain best practices that should be followed to ensure search engine optimization (SEO) and user-friendly navigation. This article will guide you through the dos and don’ts of custom URL building.
The Dos
- Do Use descriptive keywords: Including relevant keywords in your custom URLs helps search engines and users understand what the page is about. For example, instead of using “products/item1” as the URL, use “sports-shoes/nike-air-max-1” to provide more context.
- Do Keep URLs short and simple: Shorter URLs are easier to read, remember, and share. They are also more likely to be accurately indexed by search engines. Aim for concise URLs that accurately reflect the content of the page.
- Do Use hyphens to separate words: Hyphens are preferred over underscores or spaces in URLs. For example, “example.com/my-page” is better than “example.com/my_page” or “example.com/mypage”.
- Do Consider the hierarchy: If your Website has a clear content hierarchy, reflect IT in your URLs. Use subdirectories to indicate relationships between pages. For instance, “example.com/blog/article1” is more organized than “example.com/article1”.
- Do Make URLs case insensitive: URLs should be case insensitive, meaning that “example.com/page” and “example.com/Page” should lead to the same content. This avoids confusion and duplicate content issues.
The Don’ts
- Don’t Use special characters: Avoid using special characters like question marks, ampersands, exclamation marks, or pound signs in your URLs. Stick to alphanumeric characters and hyphens.
- Don’t Use irrelevant numbers or dates: Including irrelevant numbers or dates in your URLs can make them less user-friendly and harder to remember. Keep them relevant to the content.
- Don’t Overuse keywords: While IT‘s important to include keywords in your URL, overstuffing them can lead to a negative impact on SEO. Use them sparingly and naturally.
- Don’t Change URLs frequently: Consistency is key when IT comes to URL structure. Changing URLs frequently can cause broken links and confusion for both users and search engines.
- Don’t Use session IDs or long query strings: Session IDs or lengthy query strings can clutter URLs and make them harder to read and share. Avoid using them if possible.
FAQs
Q: How important is URL structure for SEO?
A: URL structure plays a crucial role in SEO as IT provides important signals to search engines about the content and relevance of a page. Well-optimized URLs with relevant keywords can enhance the visibility of your Website in search engine results.
Q: Can I change my Website‘s existing URLs?
A: While IT is possible to change URLs, IT should be done with caution as IT can lead to temporary traffic loss and broken links. If you plan to modify existing URLs, make sure to set up proper redirects to ensure a seamless transition and avoid negative impact on SEO.
Q: Should my URLs be the same as my page titles?
A: While IT‘s not necessary for URLs to be an exact match for page titles, maintaining some level of similarity can improve user experience and help with SEO. Keep URLs concise, relevant, and descriptive, reflecting the content of the page.
Q: Can I use multiple dashes in a URL?
A: While using multiple dashes is technically allowed, IT can make URLs less readable and more difficult to share. IT‘s best to limit the use of dashes to separate words and maintain readability.
Q: How can I check the existing URL structure of my Website?
A: Various online tools, such as screamingfrog, Moz, or SEMrush, can help you analyze and audit your Website‘s URL structure. These tools can provide insights, identify potential issues, and suggest improvements for better optimization.
By following these dos and don’ts of custom URL building, you can create search engine-friendly and user-friendly URLs that improve the overall performance and visibility of your Website.
