As a web developer and digital marketing strategist, I’ve seen countless website owners focus on design, content, and keywords, but completely overlook one of the most fundamental elements of their site: the URL. It’s easy to think of a URL as just the address for a web page, but it’s so much more. A well-crafted URL is a powerful tool for both your users and search engines.
A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is simply the unique web address for a specific page on your website. But how that address is structured can significantly impact your site's performance. I’ve witnessed simple URL fixes lead to better search engine rankings, cleaner shareable links, and higher click-through rates from potential customers. In this article, I’ll explain why SEO friendly URLs matter and walk you through how I create them to get the best results.
What Are SEO Friendly URLs?
SEO-friendly URLs are web addresses designed to be easily understood by both people and search engines. They are clean, descriptive, and follow a logical structure, which helps everyone know what the page is about before they even click on it. Search engines understand URL structure to help categorize and rank your content. When a URL is user-friendly, it’s almost always search engine-friendly, too.
Think about the difference between a “clean” URL and an “ugly” one.
- Ugly URL: https://www.example.com/index.php?category=1&product_id=589_a
- Clean URL: https://www.example.com/services/wordpress-development
The second example gives you a clear idea of the page content. The first one is a jumble of codes that means nothing to the average user.
Ready to Transform Your Website?
Let our team at WP Wizards bring your vision to life — from design and development to SEO and automation. Tell us about your project below!
Request a Quote
"*" indicates required fields
How Search Engines Use URLs to Rank Pages
Search engines like Google crawl the web by following links from one page to another. When a search engine's bot lands on your website, the URL is one of the first things it analyzes to understand the page's purpose. The words in your URL provide important context that complements your page title and the content on the page itself.
A descriptive URL helps a search engine identify the key concepts of your content. For instance, a URL containing the words “local-seo-services” immediately signals that the page is about that specific topic. This can directly influence how your page appears in search results and how well it ranks for relevant queries.
Static URLs vs Dynamic URLs: What I Recommend
When building websites, one of the key decisions is whether to use static or dynamic URLs.
- Static URLs are fixed and do not change. They look clean and are easy to read, like www.mysite.com/about-us.
- Dynamic URLs are generated by a server or content management system and often contain special characters and parameters, like www.mysite.com/products?id=75&sort=price.
These URL parameters can confuse search engines. An overly complex URL with multiple parameters might be seen as a different page each time, even if the content is the same. This can lead to issues with duplicate content and diluted ranking authority. For these reasons, I almost always create static URLs for the websites I build. They are cleaner, more user-friendly, and much better for search engine optimization.
SEO-Friendly URL Best Practices I Follow
Creating effective URLs is straightforward when you follow a few core best practices. Here are the rules I apply to every website I work on.
Use Lowercase Letters
URLs can be case-sensitive. MySite.com/Page1 and mysite.com/page1 could be seen as two different URLs by search engines, even if they show the same content. Using capital letters can accidentally create duplicate URLs and split your SEO value. To avoid this, I always use lowercase letters to ensure consistency and prevent confusion.
Separate Words With Hyphens
When you need to separate words in a URL, always use hyphens. Search engines read hyphens as spaces, which helps them identify the individual words and concepts in your URL. Other characters, like underscores (_), are not treated the same way.
- Good: /seo-friendly-urls
- Bad: /seofriendlyurls or /seo_friendly_urls
Hyphens make your URLs more readable for both users and search engines.
Keep URLs Short and Clear
While it’s important to be descriptive, short URLs tend to perform better. Long, rambling URLs can dilute the impact of your main keywords and are harder for users to read and share. I focus on including the most important words that describe the page content and remove anything unnecessary. The goal is to be concise yet descriptive.
Avoid Special Characters and Unnecessary Parameters
Special characters (!, *, ‘, () and unnecessary parameters (?, =, &) make URLs look cluttered and can cause crawling issues for search engines. A clean URL without this junk is more trustworthy and easier to index. Always aim for the simplest URL structure possible.
logo
How I Create SEO-Friendly URLs for Blog Posts
When I write a blog post, I don't just use the entire post title as the URL. I refine it to be a clean, keyword-focused permalink.
Let's say the post title is: “My 10 Best Tips for Creating Great SEO-Friendly URLs for a Website”
A bad URL would be: /my-10-best-tips-for-creating-great-seo-friendly-urls-for-a-website
A good URL would be: /create-seo-friendly-urls
I identify the core keyword phrase and remove filler words. The result is a short, clear, and powerful URL that tells users and search engines exactly what the article is about.
What to Do With an Old URL
Sometimes you need to update an old URL to align with these best practices. When you change a URL, you can't just delete the old one. This would create a broken link, and you would lose any ranking authority that the old URL had built up.
The proper way to handle this is to set up a 301 redirect. This is an HTTP status code that permanently redirects the old URL to the new one, telling search engines that the page has moved. This passes the link equity to the new URL and ensures users don't land on a “404 Not Found” error page.
SEO URL Mistakes That Hurt Rankings
Over the years, I’ve seen some common mistakes that hold websites back.
- Overly complex URL structures: Using too many subfolders (/blog/2025/12/category/topic/my-post).
- Keyword stuffing: Jamming too many keywords into the URL (/best-seo-services-local-seo-expert-for-seo).
- Using dates unnecessarily: Unless you're a news site, including a date in your URL makes the content seem old quickly.
- Ignoring important pages: Many sites have clean blog post URLs but messy URLs for their main service pages.
- Creating duplicate URLs: This often happens accidentally with capital letters or tracking parameters.
Why SEO-Friendly URLs Matter for Local Businesses
For a local business, clean URLs are a key part of local SEO. A clear URL structure helps customers in your area understand what you offer at a glance. For example, creating specific pages with URLs like /pittsburgh-roofing-contractor or /services/commercial-hvac-repair immediately communicates your services and service area. This supports higher rankings in local search results and helps you connect with customers looking for exactly what you provide.
URLs Are One Piece of Search Engine Optimization
It's important to remember that SEO-friendly URLs are just one part of a comprehensive search engine optimization strategy. They won’t make you rank #1 on their own. However, they work alongside your page content, page titles, and internal links to build a strong foundation. Bad URLs can definitely hold your site back, while good ones can give you a competitive edge. I approach URLs as an essential element of a holistic SEO plan designed for long-term growth.
Simple URLs, Better Results
Creating SEO-friendly URLs doesn't have to be complicated. By focusing on clarity, consistency, and a few technical best practices, you can build a URL structure that benefits your users and your search rankings. Take a few moments to audit your site's pages—you might be surprised by the small changes you can make for a big impact.
Your customers are searching online. Let’s make sure they find you. If you’re ready for a website that works as hard as you do, let’s talk.
Partner with a veteran-owned agency you can trust. Contact us today and watch your business grow.
