Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is human-readable text that was designed to replace the numbers (IP addresses) that computers use to communicate with servers. URLs also identify the file structure on a given website. Learn more Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

Please read the following content on URLs:

● 15 SEO BEST PRACTICES for Structuring URLs [URL Best Practices]
● What Is A URL And Why Do They Matter For SEO?
● Search Engine Watch (highly recommended)

6 Tips to Write URLs for SEO

Use the most important keyword in the URL while ensuring the URL makes sense and is easy for the reader to understand.
Avoid using a location, unless it is within a folder.
1. Here is an example:
  1. https://sharpinsurance.ca/calgary/car-insurance/ = good
  2. https://sharpinsurance.ca/calgary-car-insurance/ = bad
The only symbol that can be used in a URL is a hyphen, which represents a space, so use it when you need to space a word.
Do no use underscores, dots, or any other punctuation.
Only use lowercase. Never capitalize letters.
Try to end your URL with a forward slash (/), as it looks cleaner.

Rankings

URLs are a minor ranking factor search engines use when determining a particular page or a resource's relevance to a search query. While a URL gives weight to the authority of the overall domain, keyword use in a URL can act as a ranking factor.

Using a URL that includes keywords can improve your site's search visibility, URLs generally do not have a major impact on a page’s ability to rank. So, while it’s worth thinking about, don’t create URLs simply to include a keyword in them.

URL Checklist

Keep URLs as simple, relevant, compelling, and accurate as possible — this is the key to getting users and search engines to understand them (a prerequisite to ranking well).
Although URLs can include ID numbers and codes, the best practice is to use words that people understand.
URLs should be definitive but concise. By seeing only the URL, a user (and search engine) should have a good idea of what to expect on the page.
For readability, use hyphens to separate words. URLs should not use underscores, spaces, or any other characters to separate words.
Use lowercase letters.
Avoid the use of URL parameters, if possible, as they can create issues with tracking and duplicate content. If parameters need to be used (UTM codes), use them sparingly.

Examples of URLs:

For the A.Clark Roofing website:

Notice the folder structure and use of keywords.

For the Sharp Insurance website:

Notice that the above pages are targeting locations, so we’ve created a main location folder and then attached the keyword on the end.

This strategy allows us to:

a. Use a location in the URL without being penalized
b. Capture great location keywords (location + _________ insurance)