URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) are the building blocks of the web. Like street addresses direct us to physical locations, these addresses point us to specific web pages.
Even though URLs are widely used, a lot of users and webmasters fail to recognize their significance and how they affect search engine optimization (SEO).
But, anyone looking to improve the visibility and user experience of their website must know the multifaceted nature of URLs.
In this article, let us explore What is a URL in detail along with its importance in SEO and best practices.
What is a URL?
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the unique address of a webpage on the internet. It indicates where a resource is located and how it can be accessed. In simpler terms, a URL is the web address of a specific page.
Accessing the resource using a protocol, the relevant server’s address, and where the resource is located in a directory structure.
Technically, the “www” is not a part of the protocol; it is a subdomain that indicates the website is using the World Wide Web. While many websites use ‘www’, it is not mandatory, and its usage depends on how the domain is set up.
For instance, when you enter the website address https://www.the7eagles.com into a web browser like Google Chrome, the browser contacts the web server hosting the7eagles. The server will react to your request by providing the website’s home page to your browser.
How URL Works?
The internet works through the interaction between your web browser, the URL you enter, and the web server hosting the content.
Here is the breakdown of the working of URL,
- When you type a URL in the search bar, You are instructing the browser exactly where to go on the internet.
- The browser then makes a request to a web server located at that address. This means, the webpage or file that you are attempting to access is stored on this server.
- After the server has completed processing your request, it sends back the requested resource like webpage, image, video etc.,
- The contents of that resource are then shown on the browser.
How does URL differ from URI?
URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator in its complete form.
On the web, a URL is a universal address used to locate and access different types of resources, such as web pages, files, email addresses, and database records, using various protocols.
The most common usage of URLs is in relation to web pages (HTTP), but they may also be used for file transfers (FTP), email, database access (JDBC), and many more applications.
- A URL specifies where and how to retrieve a resource, which is a subset of a URI.
- Getting a resource’s location or address is the primary goal.
- The URL is used only to locate web pages.
- The scheme must use a protocol like HTTP, FTP, HTTPS, etc.
Example of URL: https://google.com
A URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is a string of characters used to identify a resource, either by location (URL) or by name (URN). It follows specific syntactic standards to ensure consistency and uniformity.
- URI is a format for identifying a resource using either a URL or URN (Uniform Resource Name).
- A URI is used to locate and differentiate resources based on their names and locations.
Example of URI: urn:isbn:0-486-33694-4
URL Structure
A URL identifies where a web page is located on the internet, and using this address, an internet browser may get the content of that page from a server and display it to a user [source].
The readable text of a URL is made up of various parts. Each component of the URL structure gives particular instructions to a web browser on how to locate and access the content of a webpage.
When creating a URL structure you need to follow these structures
- Pick a format for your URL structure and hold to it; consistency is essential.
- Use keywords to describe the web page’s content in the URL.
- To boost security and trust, use HTTPS instead of HTTP for the URL protocol.
- Keep URLs simple; keep striving not to have more than 80 characters.
- For easier reading, separate words with hyphens (rather than underscores).
- Form in lowercase (no uppercase letters or capitalization).
- Delete certain filler or stop words (a, an, or, but, and).
- Remove punctuation and only use secure alphanumeric characters (including question marks, which are special characters)
- Don’t use special characters for anything other than what they are intended for.
- Do not have more than three levels of folders or paths.
- To keep URLs current and relevant, avoid dates.
- Be less accurate than the page title in the URL.
Parts of a URL
Domain Name:Â All other pages flow from the main hub of a URL, which is a domain name.
The name of the company or website that appears in the URL is known as the second-level domain (SLD).
Subdomain:Â A division of a website is a subdomain. Webmasters can structure website parts with various functionalities by creating a subdomain.
Subdomains are frequently created by brands to separate sections for stores, blogs, forums, support portals, and other websites.
Sometimes you can create different pages using subdirectories.
Most SEO experts ask where to use subdomains and subdirectories, here is a blog that has a clear explanation of Subdomain vs. Subdirectory. Â
Scheme:Â The scheme is represented by a protocol that the server will use to visit the page.
The HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS protocols are the most widely used ones (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).
Path:Â The structure of a URL is known as a path that shows the accurate place on the website that the user is trying to access.
It may also include individual page and file names, directories, and folders.
Query Strings and parameters:Â After the path in the URL, there is a query string that contains information about the result.
Typically, this string appears on dynamic pages like search result pages. There is a question mark (?) at the beginning and then parameters follow.
These are snippets of code that describe how a query has filtered the data.
Fragment:Â Another URL component that may follow the route is a fragment. The fragment instructs the browser to scroll to a certain portion of the website.
Types of URL
1.Absolute vs Relative URL
An absolute URL provides the complete path to a resource. It includes the scheme, domain and path.
It provides the location of a resource on the internet without relying on the context in which it appears.
Example – https://www.example.com/blog/what-is-a-urlÂ
A relative URL gives a path that is relative to the current document while removing the scheme and domain.Â
It is dependent on the current location of the document and it is shorter and simpler.
Example – /blog/what-is-a-url
2.Canonical vs Non-Canonical URL
The preferred version among a set of identical or comparable pages is the canonical URL.Â
It helps search engines to understand which URL to prioritize in indexing.
Example – https://www.example.com/product/12345
Any version of a page that is not specified as the preferred URL is called a Non-canonical URL.
These URLs could differ because of tracking codes, parameters, or session IDs.
Example – https://www.example.com/product/12345?ref=affiliate1
3.HTTP vs Non-HTTP URL
HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) URLs are not encrypted. Because of this, sending sensitive data over them may not be as safe.
Example – http://www.example.com
HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) URLs are secured versions of HTTP. It is encrypted and provides a secure connection for transmitting data.
Example – https://www.example.com
For more insights, refer our article HTTP vs HTTPS to decide the secure choice for your website.
Importance of URL in SEO
In terms of SEO, URL structure was mostly avoided before. The importance of URLs in Google rankings is now being recognized by SEOs, though.
This main IP address allows users and search engines to understand more about the page’s contents.
The Impact of URLs in SEO is as follows,
Enhanced Search Engine Visibility – When relevant keywords are included in the URL, it helps the search engines to interpret the content of the page.
Well-structured URLs are simple for search engine crawlers to comprehend and index.Â
Higher Click Through Rate (CTR) – Descriptive URLs in the search results encourage users to click. This in turn results in higher Click Through Rates (CTR).
Improved User Experience – Users are given a good idea of what to expect on the page by a clear and descriptive URL.Â
URLs that are easy to remember have a higher chance of being shared on social media and other websites.Â
The users can navigate the website easier with the help of a logical URL Structure.
Avoids Duplicate Content Issues – Keeping the URL structure consistent throughout the website helps in the management of duplicate content and enhances the overall SEO health.
Keyword in URL is a Ranking Factor
More significantly, you can notice the use of many keywords in the URL will make reach the page when users search with their keyword knowledge. You may view the search results to see how these keywords are added up in the URL for better reach.
One domain’s URL had the term, whereas the others did not.
These standards were used to develop competing websites on several domains that targeted the same randomly generated keywords
- Among the two domains, one had the keyword in its URL, while the other did not.
- Keywords were mentioned as the first words on both pages.
- There was only one difference in the URL structure.
- Using two different made-up keywords, the test was worked twice.
- It was an unused and new domain.
The results were noticeable. The page with the keyword in the URL was the top-ranked page for both keywords when all pages were indexed and ranked for them.
Best Practices for URL Structure for SEO:
For search engine optimization, making sure your URL structure is appropriate for users in Google search is required. Everyone is aware that a URL must be in lowercase, have hyphens, and undoubtedly include a domain name.
Does the structure of a URL (or URL for those who adds pointless) affect SEO? Yes, it does, and there are really a lot of best practices you should take into account when coming up with a URL for your content.
- Keeping a simple with readable structure.
- To break the words in URL keep hyphens.
- Use lower case in all URLs.
- Do not use words in URL.
- There is no need to match the exact title or headline in URL.
- Ensure that your keywords should appear near the beginning of a URL.
- Do not use more than one domain or subdomain.
- It is better if there are fewer folders (slashes).
- The most important is the verb stem for URLS.
- The quantity of URLs linking to the same or related content should be kept less.
Conclusion
Though, resources on the internet are identified and navigated by URLs or Uniform Resource Locators. URLs are the entire web addresses of webpages, including the initial portion.
Hope you came to know by this point exactly what a URL is, including its domain name, route, and underlying protocols. To get the most out of your URLs, keep them simple and to the point. Include the subject of each page in the URL.
When making changes, don’t forget to redirect any outdated URLs, especially those that have already gathered backlinks and were bringing in organic traffic to your website.
Also, adhering to the best practices in the website security helps in reducing the risk of URL Blacklisting and ensures a secure, trustworthy and reliable online presence.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Search Engines accept and treat both the www and non-www URLs equally. The option you select will rely on your preferences and the technical requirements.Â
Since consistency is the key, choose one version and use 301 redirects to make sure that all traffic is directed to your preferred version, preventing problems with duplicate content.
A short URL is a shortened version of a longer URL. These can be made with services like Bitly or TinyURL. They are frequently used when the original URL is too long or when sharing links on social media.
URL parameters are additional information passed to the server. It is used for dynamic content or search queries.
