Is the structure of the URL important when it comes to search engine optimization? But how to form a spot-on URL for my website?

If you are wondering the same that whether URLs play any role in SEO or not, then you have come to the right please to get the answers. The URL of your webpage is the first thing that visitors see, and hence, it is a significant component of your on-page search engine optimization. By having a correct URL structure can enable you to have a competitive edge over other webpages and even can result in an increase in the ranking of your webpage.

So let’s have a look at the best practices which you can follow to create an ideal URL for your site or webpage for an effective search engine optimization.

Effects of the URL structure on SEO?

•    Move to a secure HTTP

Last year Google introduced an update to their algorithm which influenced the search engine ranking of thousands of webpages throughout the world. After this update, Google added some more parameters used to check the quality of a website and the position in the result pages. The parameters that it uses are authoritativeness, trustworthiness, and expertise.

It is clear that trust is the most significant factor if you want your website to secure a good rank in the search engine. One of the best methods to do is to use a URL structure that looks credible. Hence, you must move the URL of your site to a secured HTTP.

This will help in making sure that all the communication between your webpage and the users is encrypted, which reduces the rate of malicious attacks keeping in mind that the cyberattack crime rate is the verge.

The occurrence of HTTP in the URL structure of your webpage can make the users feel more secure, and they may gain trust for your website information. This is one of the key elements for higher ranking. So, if your webpage sells goods and involves financial transactions with internet visitors, availing an SSL certificate is compulsory.

Pro-tip to Get HTTP Headers

If you are not involved in any transaction and not sell anything, even then you must get an SSL certificate to gain trust.

•    Write keywords in the structure of your URL

In order to make the URL SEO friendly, you must also use the correct keywords in it. The URL of your webpage appears in the search results, and if you include keywords in it, you can get a better rank in the search results.

It is quite impossible to get the benefit if you use two word or one-word keywords and for this reason, you must select long-tail keywords or phrases which your potential visitors are searching more.

However, you must take care that you do not repeat or overstuff the keywords in your URL. Only try to use limited high ranked keywords in and at the start of your URL.

•    Ensure that your URL structure is natural to read

Search engines especially Google, give a lot of importance to the way people engage with particular content or webpage. They also use the same way to determine the rank of the pages to some extent.

Hence, when you are deciding to make the URL of your website SEO friendly, you must first try to make that more user-friendly. So, it indicates that you must give some attention to make it more readable.

Furthermore, keep the URL of your site as short as possible, which will improve its readability. Short URLs for the websites can even help your site to get a good rank. You might use a URL Shortener to reach a URL for your site which will assist you in getting a top rank.

Moreover, one of the tips is to make the URL of your page, similar to the title of the content. It ensures that the users will get the content they are looking for when they will visit your site. So, it will ultimately provide a much better user experience, which also is significant.

•    Do not use stop words

Some words assist in connecting the main words in the URL of a webpage so that they can make some sense. They are logically being known as stop words such as “an, a, on, if, at, the, as.”

The reason you must stop using stop words is that search engines do not consider them. Hence, instead of making the structure of URL short, it is better not to use them at all. But if you think they can enhance the readability of your URL, then you must add them.

•    Do not create dynamic URLs

Unlike static URLs, consistent dynamic URLs comprises of the parameters that keep on changing. If you want to create an SEO friendly URL, then you must use a static URL as people can easily read them as well as understand them, which can enhance the ranking of your site.

You also must restrict the numbers of folders in the structure of URL to a maximum of two. The slashes in your URL refers to the folders of your URL.

Many folders can result in making the URL of your page way too long, and they will adversely affect the ranking of your webpage as it becomes hard for search engines to understand the meaning of your page.

A help in rewriting URL

You must follow this guide to get a perfect URL for your webpage but do not forget to upload some unique content that can attract more users to your webpage.