Your site's URL structure should be simple, but purposeful. (Photo Credit: CC BY/Chris Dlugosz/Flickr)
When it comes to content for your website that attracts attention, don’t forget about the URL. Proper URL structure makes your website more interesting and more easily searchable for both search engines and human beings. Optimize your website URL with prudent keyword use, just don’t overdo it, as Google is penalizing websites that over-optimize.
Stuffing is not welcome here
As suggested in previous articles here at Adworkz, excessive keyword use is very much akin to putting lipstick on a pig. If the content isn’t of the caliber that justifies the use of an extensive, kaleidoscopic run of keywords – and frankly, it’s just a bad idea anyway, because it looks spammy – then don’t do it. This kind of URL should never be:
www.greatcontent.com/content/online-content/content-pointers/content-that-is-good/content_content…
It can get ridiculous. You want your URL structure to properly reflect pertinent keyword use, but you also want to produce well-written content. Rather than eliciting eye rolls with a comical URL, keep human readers in mind with a discretely optimized, well-structured URL that will both sound right and still do a bang-up SEO job.
URL structure tip no. 1 – Use word delimiters
Chances are that your keyword optimization scheme will include phrases of more than a single word in length. When this happens, use hyphens or underscores to separate words. Try not to use more than five words, abbreviations or words that are too short or generic. Let your pertinent keywords brim over with character.
URL structure tip no. 2 – Do use keywords
This bears repeating. Use keywords in your website’s URL – just not too many. Google has been able to spot black hat SEO techniques for a while now. Astute readers see keyword stuffing as being corny, and if you do it, readers are bound to take your website less seriously.
URL structure tip no. 3 – Don’t use numbers
Search engines will occasionally mistake numbers in a URL for dates. Anything that can make your page appear outdated is bad. Thus, do not use numbers in your URL structure.
URL structure tip no. 4 – Use redirects correctly
Sometimes, a webmaster like yourself may need to change a site’s URL. This is particularly true when you’re giving things an SEO polishing. Use a 301 redirect to the new URL so as not to harm your site’s SEO.
URL structure tip no. 5 – Save directories for large sites
If you have a website of more than 500 to 1,000 pages, a directory is useful. Otherwise, consider leaving it out, as they can confuse search engines and possible hurt your SEO strategy.