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What is an SEO friendly URLs?
A URL, or a uniform resource locator, more popularly known as a web address, specify the location of a web page on the Internet. SEO friendly URL structures are useful when optimizing your website for search engine results.
A proper URL structure helps search engines like Google index your website in a proper manner.
In other words, there are three main benefits to creating an SEO friendly URL.
1. Better user experience
An optimized URL tells both the search engine as well as users what the landing page is about.
2. Search engine rankings
URLs count as a factor towards search engine rankings in determining the relevance of a specific page about a search query. An optimized URL is critical in improving search engine rankings.
3. Shareable links
SEO friendly URLs are human readable, and this provides a better understanding to the readers as to what they can expect from a web page when they click on a link especially when such links are shared on social media.
Why are a SEO-friendly URLs important?
Below is an example of a URL and its elements:
" http://www.samplecompany.com/blog/postname "
- http://– this is an application protocol that is used to access the world wide web.
- www.samplecompany.com - this is the domain name of the website.
- /blog - this is the subdirectory/folder.
- /postname – this is the page/file name for which access has been requested.
From these four elements, three can be customized – the website’s domain name, the subdirectory name, and the page name.
How to create an SEO friendly URL?
To create an SEO friendly URL, each of the three elements mentioned above must be optimized. We elaborate this in greater detail below.
1. Optimizing the domain name
The domain name is the most visible part of the URL. Not only is it viewable on the web, but it is also communicated via emails, marketing collateral, business cards, and so on.
The domain name of the website should be short and easy to remember, connect with your company or brand and if possible, contain keywords that are most relevant to your business.
2. Optimizing the subdirectory
Subdirectories serve as a navigational tool as well as helping search engines while indexing.
For instance, if you run an online store and are selling toys for kids, the subdirectory structure in an optimal URL link may look like this –
http://www.samplecompany.com/kids/toys/softtoys.html
3. Optimizing the page name
The page name is the easiest to customize. It also plays an important role in usability. For instance, a product page for a Canon EOS 1100 D might look like as follow –
http://www.samplecompany.com/electronics/camera/canon-eos-1100d
SEO friendly URLs help search engines index your content properly, improve your website’s ranking as well as helping users navigate through your website easily.
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