How do I create an SEO-friendly URL?

What is a URL?

A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is the address that specifies a site or application on the World Wide Web. It resembles a file name but holds additional information. This information includes the server name, protocol used, node extension, and other subfolders (directory).

Google's guidelines for a proper URL structure

11 Tips for the Perfect URL in SEO

The perfect URL exists and below you will find 11 tips to optimize it for SEO. Apply all the following tricks and try to be consistent with the same techniques for all the URLs on your site.

• Write the URL in lowercase letters

• Use the main keywords from the Title

• Keep the URL as short as possible

• Use dashes (hyphen) (-) between keywords

• All URLs should have HTTPS

• Optimize the URL for a higher Click-through-rate (CTR)

• Avoid using Dates and Numbers in the URL

• Remove Pronouns and AND (stop words) from the URL

• Do not use Special Characters #$% in the URL

• Do not use File Extensions .php, .html, .asp

• Do not use Underscores _ in the URL

But you came up with some questions, which we will answer below.

How do I optimize a URL for higher CTR?

To optimize a URL for higher CTR (Click-through rate), you need to make it appealing to the user. Keep the URL as short as possible as mentioned before, understandable and descriptive.

A URL is understandable and descriptive when by reading it, I can have a clear picture of the subject you will analyze on your Page.

How important a ranking factor is the URL?

The URL is not a very important ranking factor, but it is a ranking factor. This practically means that you won't see spectacular results on Google, but in SEO, little by little makes a lot.

What is the Ideal URL length for SEO?

The ideal URL length for SEO is up to four (4) words or fewer than 60 characters. The research for the perfect number of characters in a URL is private and conducted by companies in the SEO field using data analysis tools.

Does the URL length affect the Ranking?

No, the URL length does not affect the ranking, but it affects the appearance in the search engine in the eyes of the user. And in this way, it helps increase the CTR. The correct question is: would you click a link that consisted of 10 words?

Does the file extension .php, .html, .asp affect a URL?

Immediately no, but if you want to change technology in the future on your Website, then the file extension .php, .html, .asp affects. For example, if you change technology from ASP.NET to a PHP framework, then 301 redirects are created. Although 301 redirects do not affect SEO, your user is redirected, and it's unnecessary.

Let me add here that when you want to include files in the URL like .pdf, you can do so, and the address should be the name of the File. As in the example below.

https://www.example.gr/file1.pdf

URL on Site with Many Categories

Sites with many categories have different needs for URLs and SEO from small Websites. The best structure of the web address of such a website is based on the correct use of the main Categories and their Sub-Categories. The correct creation of Categories is very important for SEO.

💡SEO TIP 1: Do not include the same word twice in the URL of the Category and Sub-Category.

An example of an SEO-friendly URL is below:

https://www.example.com/category/page

💡SEO TIP 2: Use a maximum of 2 Categories in the URL.

By applying tip 2 as in the example below, your user does not need to navigate through many subcategories and get confused.

https://www.example.com/category1/category2/page

Do Dynamic URLs hurt SEO?

Yes, dynamic URLs hurt SEO because they often create duplicate content and do not appear nicely on Google. A negative example of a dynamic URL is when there is UTM tracking (it may play a role but from an SEO perspective it's harmful).

What is a Personalized URL?

A personalized URL is a URL on sites like Facebook, Instagram, AirBnB, or anywhere else you create a profile. These URLs appear on Google and help as Brand Mentions signals for your Website.

If someone else has taken your business's brand name on a site like Facebook, LinkedIn, you can legally claim the URL by sending the official Trademark Registration Number from the General Secretariat of Commerce and the country where the registration takes place.

Should I use Greek in the URL?

No, the short answer is not to use Greek in the URL. Google can read the URL normally whether you use Greek or Latin characters, but it reduces the CTR and User convenience. Also, a link in Greek is hard to share because with encoding it appears as gibberish.

Some purposely use Greek in the URL and not Greeklish to prevent easy copying of the sitemap. But let me tell you a secret because obviously this is pointless for someone with computer knowledge.

You can pass the sitemap into a word file and decode it to the "real" addresses. You just make it harder for your readers to share.

Cosmolink is an IT specialized company with 100+ IT projects in 6 countries and a highly technically trained staff.
Our team has created thousands of URLs using the above techniques.

We love SEO and new Technologies and can help you with a lot of aces up our sleeve, which we have first applied to ourselves.