Introduction
URL structure is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of on-page SEO.
A clean, descriptive URL helps search engines understand your page content and improves the user experience.
In this article, you’ll learn the best practices for creating SEO-friendly URLs in 2025.
Why URL Structure Matters
✅ Improves Crawlability
Simple and logical URLs help search engines crawl and index your pages efficiently.
✅ Enhances User Experience
Readable URLs build trust and make it easy for users to understand the page topic before clicking.
✅ Boosts Keyword Relevance
Including keywords in URLs can help rankings for those terms.
Best Practices for SEO-Friendly URLs
✅ Keep URLs Short and Simple
Avoid unnecessary words and parameters.
✅ Use Hyphens to Separate Words
Google prefers hyphens (-) over underscores (_).
✅ Include Target Keywords
Use primary keywords relevant to the page content.
✅ Avoid Dynamic Parameters When Possible
Static URLs are better than URLs with many question marks and equal signs.
✅ Use Lowercase Letters
Consistency avoids duplicate content issues.
✅ Avoid Keyword Stuffing
Don’t overuse keywords in the URL.
✅ Create a Logical Hierarchy
Organize URLs to reflect site structure, e.g., /category/subcategory/page.
Examples of Good URLs
Good:
https://urlshortly.com/on-page-seo-tipsBad:
https://urlshortly.com/page?id=12345
Common Mistakes to Avoid
🚫 Using very long URLs with unnecessary words
🚫 Mixing uppercase and lowercase letters
🚫 Using underscores instead of hyphens
🚫 Including stop words like “and,” “or,” “the” unnecessarily
🚫 Creating URLs that are not descriptive or relevant
Tools to Check URL Structure
Google Search Console
Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Ahrefs Site Audit
Conclusion
A well-structured URL is a simple but powerful on-page SEO factor.
Following these best practices will make your URLs more search engine friendly, easier for users to read, and ultimately help improve your site’s rankings in 2025.