1. Clean & Static URL Structure
Use static, readable URLs that clearly describe the page content. Avoid dynamic parameters, special characters, emojis, or unnecessary symbols, as they make URLs messy and less user-friendly. Static URLs are easier for search engines to crawl and understand.
Example:
Use Static URL – www.example.com/seo-agency
Avoid Dynamic URL – www.example.com/?p=123
2. Primary Keyword in URL
Include one relevant primary keyword in the URL to signal page relevance. Avoid stuffing multiple keywords, which can look spammy. For example, use /digital-marketing-services instead of /digital-marketing-seo-ppc-social-media-services.
3. Optimal URL Length
Keep URLs concise and ideally under 76 characters for better readability and SERP appearance. Although search engines support longer URLs, shorter ones are easier to share and remember. Avoid unnecessary words that increase length.
4. Proper URL Hierarchy
Organize URLs in a logical folder structure that reflects site architecture. This helps users and search engines understand content relationships. For example, www.example.com/services/seo/on-page-seo shows clear categorization.
5. Lowercase URLs Only
Always use lowercase letters in URLs to avoid duplicate content issues. Search engines treat uppercase and lowercase URLs as separate pages. Ensure capital letter URLs properly redirect to lowercase versions.
6. No URL Flexibility Issues
Make sure your CMS does not load the same page when random words are added to the URL. For example, www.example.com/seo-agency/anything should not load the same content. This prevents duplicate and thin content issues.
7. 200 OK Status Code
All important live pages must return a 200 OK HTTP status code. Pages returning 404, 302, or 500 errors can negatively affect crawling and indexing. Regularly audit status codes using SEO tools.
8. Remove Stop Words
Avoid unnecessary stop words like a, an, the, is, for, to, in, of where possible. While search engines may ignore them, removing them keeps URLs clean and shorter. For example, use /seo-guide instead of /the-complete-guide-to-seo.
9. No Keyword Repetition
Do not repeat the same keyword multiple times in the URL. Keyword repetition looks unnatural and spammy. For example, avoid /seo-services-seo-company-seo-agency.
10. Subdomain vs Subdirectory Usage
Use subdirectories for related content to maintain domain authority flow. Choose subdomains only if the content is significantly different (e.g., support portal or separate product). Example: blog.example.com vs example.com/blog.
11. Language-Based URL Structure
Match the URL language with the page content language. For example, use /en/seo-services for English and /fr/services-seo for French content. This improves user experience and international SEO clarity.
12. Use Hyphens as Separators
Always use hyphens (-) to separate words in URLs. Search engines treat hyphens as word separators, improving readability. Avoid underscores (_), plus signs (+), or other special characters.
13. Avoid “#” in URLs
Do not rely on hashtag (#) fragments for important content. Search engines may not properly index content loaded via fragments, especially if JavaScript-based. Ensure each important section has a unique crawlable URL.
14. Maintain Shallow Page Depth
Keep important pages within four clicks from the homepage. Excessive nesting can reduce crawl efficiency and link equity flow. Avoid deep structures like:
www.example.com/level1/level2/level3/level4
15. Enforce HTTPS
All pages must load securely via HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate. Redirect HTTP versions to HTTPS to prevent duplicate versions. Regularly monitor SSL expiry to maintain site security.
16. Avoid Double Slashes
Ensure URLs do not contain double slashes (//) after the domain, as this may create duplicate versions. For example, avoid www.example.com//seo-services. Implement proper redirects if such versions exist.