Webpage URLs & SEO

Webpage URLs

URL is defined as the name of your resource online. URLs are often used as text to link to a web page. For example, https://SeattleSEONow.com is a URL that goes to our home page.

URLs are usually used to print on business cards, flyers, billboards, and emails. Last but not least, URLs play a significant role in determining how your webpage ranks.

A domain is the name of a website, a URL is the address that allows people to find a website, and a website is what people see and interact with when they arrive there. In digital terms, a website is a collection of content, often on multiple pages, grouped under the same domain. You can think of it like a store, where the domain is the store’s name, the URL is the store’s address, and the website is the actual store, complete with shelves full of products and a cash register.

Webpage URLs do matter when it comes to SEO. It can enhance the user experience by providing both humans and search engines with a clear indication of what the destination page will be about.

“Even if the title tag of this page were hidden, the human-readable, semantically accurate URL would still provide a clear idea of what the destination page is about and would provide visitors with an improved user experience by making it clear what they’ll see if they click the link.” – Moz

Ref: Anatomy of URL – Moz

The most significant factor in improving the user experience on your website is understanding how users interact with your content. As such, user experience is a key factor in improving your search rankings. Furthermore, page speed plays a vital role in improving the user experience of visitors to your site.

Headings and relationship to URLs

Headings provide a snapshot view to the reader and help search engines identify the content’s relevance. For example, use proper subheadings (H1, H2, H3) to help readers understand your content better and make your text more accessible. Several studies indicate that when you make your content visually appealing, visuals help people understand your content better. Use relevant images, videos, and screenshots to illustrate your points. Lastly, please refrain from using intrusive pop-ups, as they can annoy your visitors and negatively impact your search engine ranking. In fact, since 2017, Google has been penalizing sites that use intrusive pop-ups. So, use popups sparingly if you must use them. A great example is using exit-intent pop-ups or displaying them to users who have spent a significant amount of time on your site.

The Impact on SEO

Effectively applying correct URLs coupled with great content helps drive high-quality traffic to your website.

Unlike many traditional marketing efforts, SEO will drive your long-term success. Your company can continue to reap the benefits of SEO for years to come. A quick example is creating a service page that targets the keyword “commercial landscaping services” and another service page for the keyword “residential landscaping services.”

Lastly, SEO generates more leads, sales, and market share for businesses.

Best practices for Webpage URLs

The structure of the URL is an overlooked aspect of Search Engine Optimization. A good URL structure provides both users and search engines with an idea of what the destination page is all about. URLs are a minor ranking factor search engines use when determining a particular page or resource’s relevance to a search query. While they give weight to the authority of the overall domain itself, keyword use in a URL can also act as a ranking factor. For example, Google explains it best: “A site’s URL structure should be as simple as possible. Consider organizing your content so that URLs are constructed logically and in a manner that is most intelligible to humans (when possible, readable words rather than long ID numbers).”

Short Webpage URLs

Create a well-structured Webpage URL.

• Create short URLs, and the particular reason for that is a study conducted by Backlinko found that short URLs tend to outperform long URLs in SERPs.
• Include keywords in the URL. Always include your target keywords in the URL to increase your chances of ranking better in search results.
• Avoid stop words in any URL. This will help make your URL look clean and succinct.

Additionally, there are several key reasons why a company should implement a web page with effective URLs.