How to Create a Good URL Structure for Your Website - Learn the importance and how to create a good URL structure for your website. Get practical tips for optimizing your website navigation and SEO. Website SEO is not always about keywords. There are other things that support web SEO, one of which is the URL or website page address. So, your job as a web manager is to create a good URL structure.
So far, many bloggers are less concerned with URLs. They assume the address is the default from the web platform. Though, URLs can be changed and fixed. This is also an attempt to increase the reputation of the website. So, how do you build a good URL? Before that, understand the benefits of standardizing URLs:
Why is URL structure important?
A good URL structure really helps the development of a website. There are many benefits of implementing a standard URL structure. Among others are:
1. Affect Search Ranking
Search Engines can find your web URL easily. What's more, the URLs actually match the content. So, ranking on the search page is also good.
2. Simplify Blog Indexing
The URL will not immediately appear in search engines. Before that, the web crawler will index it first. So, web crawlers will collect URLs, identify and then look for the most relevant ones. When the URL that you apply is good, automatic indexing will be successful quickly. After that, the search engine will bring it up according to visitor requests.
3. Increase Blog Traffic
Of the two benefits above, of course it will increase website traffic. Why? Because URLs will often appear, even in the top search rankings. Then, visitors will come so the traffic will increase.
How do you make a good URL structure?
1. Edit Page URLs to Make them Relevant
Lots of sites use automated URLs from the web. Usually, the URL that appears is not neat/organized. The point is that the sentence in the URL does not fit and is often confusing. This can interfere with improving web SEO. As a result, website traffic has decreased over time.
So what to do? First, you have to make sure what is on the web page, both the main page, the posting page, and so on. After that, you can arrange URL sentences according to the contents of the web.
For example, for the URL of content that you want to publish, you can take the sentence contained in the title. For example, the title of the article is How to Make a Good URL. Then, you can arrange URLs by inserting good URL sentences.
2. Follows Standard URL Structure
After designing the URL sentence, the next step is to arrange it according to good URL structure standards. Indeed, URLs do not have special rules that must be applied. However, there are certain standards to maintain a good web reputation.
Remember, the URL greatly affects the overall content of the website. So, you should follow a good URL structure that bloggers often apply to avoid problems. After all, the URL also determines whether or not the website's SEO is good.
Then, how is the structure? Determine the categories and sub-categories according to the contents/content of the website. Try to keep it simple, not too long or short. Sentences should also be clear and not complex. In this case, you have to focus on the main topic (keywords). Consider the following two examples:
- www.yourdomain.com/hijabers/veils/nameofspecificveil
- www.yourdomain.com/hijabers/veils/long-wide/black/motive/plain/nameofspecificveil
Between the above two URLs, the second URL is very long and complicated. Meanwhile, the first URL is quite intuitive. From there, you can tell the difference between good and bad URL structures.
3. Simple URLs
This has been alluded to in the URL structure point. You don't have to worry too much about how the URL is unique. It will only make the arrangement more complex and complicated. It's possible to be unique, but the main point is to get it. That's why, you're better off using short and simple URLs. That way, visitors will understand more easily.
Indeed, to visit a web, visitors do not have to memorize and retype URLs. However, an easy-to-understand URL will provide visitors with another benefit. For example, making it easier to copy a link address or something else.
4. Using Main Keywords
On every web page, you must know what is the main target to appear in search engines. That will later become the primary keyword in a good URL structure. All you have to do is observe the specific features of each web page. It would be better if you do this before publishing the web content.
From that specific description, determine the keywords. Later, you can enter these keywords in the URL structure. For example, www.webname.com/categories-relevan/keywords-main.
This also applies to content or article URLs in blogs. You can take the keywords contained in the title. Usually, these keywords are enough to explain the entire contents of the article.
For example, the title of the article is 5 Tips for making a Winter Jacket. The key word is winter jacket. So, the URL is www.webname.com/make-winter-jacket.
5. Using Hyphens to Separate Words
Website URL does not only contain one word. Usually, the words contained in it reach three to five, it all depends on the keyword. What must be underlined is that you cannot apply spaces in writing URLs.
So, the words you enter cannot be separated by spaces. Is it directly merged? If that was done, of course it would be much more confusing. You still have to separate them, but with different punctuation. Precisely is a hyphen sign.
Notice the example below:
- www.namaweb.com/tips/create a professional blog
- www.namaweb.com/tips/make-blog-professional
Which of the two examples is easier to understand? Of course the second. That's what hyphens do in URLs. Search engines can read and display it easily. Likewise visitors, they have no difficulty in understanding it.
6. Avoid Using Stopwords
One of the characteristics of a good URL is the absence of stopwords in the URL sentence. Stopword itself is a list of words that have a function, but have no meaning. Which includes stopwords are conjunctions. For example, and, but, or, and others.
Of course, this rule is not absolute. However, this method is very helpful so that the URL is easily recognized by search engines. Thus, these URLs have the potential to get high search rankings.
7. Omitting the Date in the URL
Usually, URLs automatically consist of a date and a sentence. This date makes the URL look less attractive, although it is still relevant. In this case, you can remove the generate date. Take it easy, your blog URL still looks relevant.
Website URLs without including dates can improve and increase traffic. So, the search will be much easier. For example, the website's initial URL is www.blogname.com/categories/2023/06/02/tips-making-blog. Next, you can remove the date and year. So, the URL is www.blogname.com/categories/tips-for-blog.
Well, as a blogger, let alone a novice blogger, you should really care about web reputation. You should not be passive after web publishing. Do various ways so that SEO and traffic continue to rise. From now on, pay close attention to the use of URLs. Make sure you implement a good URL structure. That way, the website will continue to develop properly.
Conclusion
A good URL structure is an important factor in website SEO. Although they are often overlooked, regular and relevant URLs can affect search rankings, make indexing of blogs easier, and increase website traffic.
To create a good URL structure, there are several tips that can be followed. First, it is necessary to edit the URL of the page to match the content. Because neat and clear URLs will help improve web SEO.
Furthermore, it is important to follow good URL structure standards by determining categories and subcategories that match the website content, using simple and easy-to-understand URLs, and including the main keywords in the URL structure. It is also recommended to avoid using stopwords in URLs, such as conjunctions that have no meaning.
As a blogger, attention to a good URL structure is important to improve website reputation and performance. By implementing these steps, it is hoped that the website will continue to develop well in terms of SEO and traffic.