What is URL Structure?
URL structure refers to the format and organisation of the addresses used to access pages on your website. A well-structured URL is readable by both users and search engines, clearly indicating the content or purpose of the page.
A typical URL includes:
- Protocol: https://
- Domain: example.com
- Path: /category/page-name
An ideal URL structure is simple, descriptive, and consistent. It often includes keywords and avoids unnecessary parameters or symbols.
Why URL Structure Matters
URL structure plays a key role in user experience and SEO. Clean and descriptive URLs are easier to remember, share, and understand. They also help search engines crawl and index your site more effectively.
Benefits of good URL structure include:
- Improved click-through rates in search results
- Easier crawling and categorisation by search engines
- Enhanced readability for users
- More effective internal linking and navigation
Search engines may display the URL in search listings, so keeping it tidy and relevant can encourage more clicks.
Example in Use
A poor URL might look like this:
https://example.com/page?id=12345&ref=abc
A better version would be:
https://example.com/seo/url-structure-guide
This structure clearly communicates the topic, uses hyphens for readability, and avoids unnecessary parameters.