SEO-Friendly URLs: Best Practices for URL Structure & Google Search

Best Practices for SEO-Friendly URLs That Actually Matter

Not every SEO win needs to be complicated. Sometimes it’s just about getting the basics right - and URLs are one of those basics.

If your links are a mess, it’s harder for Google to figure out what’s what.

This article walks you through the real-world approach to cleaning up your URL structure and explains why it actually makes a difference.

Outline

1. Why do URLs matter for SEO?

2. What does a good URL structure look like?

3. How does Google treat dynamic URLs?

4. Should you use keywords in your URL?

5. Are shorter URLs better for SEO?

6. How do you structure URLs for large websites?

7. Should you use absolute or relative URLs?

8. What are common mistakes to avoid with URLs?

9. How do canonical URLs impact search engine optimisation?

10. What tools help manage and monitor URL issues?

11. What’s the difference between absolute and relative URLs?

12. How do URL parameters affect SEO?

13. What are canonical URLs and when should you use them?

14. Should you keep or change old URLs?

15. Do descriptive URLs really help?

16. What’s the deal with URLs being case sensitive?

17. What does it mean to make URLs easier to read?

18. How do search engines understand your URL structure?

19. How do internal links affect your URL setup?

20. How often should you audit your URLs?

1. Why do URLs matter for SEO?

People click on URLs. Search engines read them. If yours are confusing, no one benefits. When someone sees a search result, they check the title, sure - but that line of text underneath (your page URL) plays a part too.

If it’s full of junk characters or irrelevant words, it’s off-putting.

Search engines use URLs to figure out what a page is about. If they’re tidy, short, and match the content, it’s a win.

A good one gives Google a nudge in the right direction. It says: this page is useful, it’s relevant, and it belongs here.

It’s also just easier to link to, share, and remember something like
/kitchen-design-guide
than
/article.php?id=89323&cat=home1.

2. What does a good URL structure look like?

You don’t need anything fancy. Just a clear, sensible layout that mirrors how your site is set up. Stick with lowercase, use hyphens, and include only the words you need. The best URL structure is usually the most obvious one.

It should follow how people think about your site. If you’ve got categories, show them.
/blog/seo/friendly-urls
makes more sense than
/content456/?page=topic123.

This kind of simple URL structure helps everyone - users, Google, your own team when they’re building links later. Keep your URLs consistent and don’t reinvent the wheel.

3. How does Google treat dynamic URLs?

Technically? Google can crawl them. Realistically? They’re messy and can cause problems.

A dynamic URL like
/product?id=292&size=XL&ref=summer
might work, but it’s not ideal. You’re giving Google multiple versions of the same page with different parameters. You’re relying on it to figure out which one’s “real”.

If you’ve got dynamic pages, you’ve got to be on top of canonicals. And if possible, tidy them up into proper URLs. Something like
/products/blue-shirt-xl
just works better - for everyone.

4. Should you use keywords in your URL?

Yes - within reason. Keywords help with relevance. They tell Google what’s on the page, and they tell users they’ve landed in the right place. But there’s no need to cram five into one slug.

A simple
/seo-friendly-urls
is better than
/seo-keywords-url-best-structure-for-seo-ranking.

It’s not about stuffing. It’s about making the URL descriptive. Use the page’s main phrase, trim the fluff, and stop there. That’s enough to help search engines and users without going overboard.

5. Are shorter URLs better for SEO?

Usually, yes. Shorter URLs look better in search, they’re easier to remember, and they’re less likely to break when copied. But that doesn’t mean every URL should be a single word. It still needs to mean something.

/about
or
/seo-tips
are solid. But
/seo-tips-for-improving-on-page-and-off-page-elements-of-a-site-in-2025
is too much. Cut what you don’t need.

Google doesn’t rank a page higher just because it’s short. But shorter URLs often end up being better because they’ve been thought through and simplified. And that’s the point.

6. How do you structure URLs for large websites?

Bigger sites = more chances to get messy. You need a logical system that scales. That means setting up categories and slugs that follow a pattern and stick to it.

Don’t let your CMS spit out junk. Look at the full path and ask: does this tell anyone what’s on the page? If it doesn’t, fix it.

If you’ve got thousands of pages, your URL structure has to help Google crawl and index efficiently. It also has to make sense to people. A logical URL structure isn’t about being clever. It’s about being clear.

7. Should you use absolute or relative URLs?

Absolute. Always.

Relative URLs (/page) work inside your site, but if you ever move content, copy it, or share it somewhere else, they fall apart. Absolute URLs (https://yoursite.com/page) leave no doubt about where that link goes.

It’s just safer. It avoids issues with Google choosing the wrong version of a URL to index. It’s a simple decision - and one of those best practices you won’t regret following.

8. What are common mistakes to avoid with URLs?

Here’s a short list that catches most people out:

• Capital letters – URLs are case sensitive. Stick to lowercase or risk confusing Google.

• Random characters – Things like +, &ref=123, or ?source=email often creep in. Clean those up.

• Not redirecting old URLs – When you change a URL, redirect the old one properly. Broken links hurt SEO.

• Keyword stuffing – You don’t need “seo-seo-best-url-seo” in the slug.

• Unclear structure – URLs should reflect your site layout. If they don’t, fix them

A messy URL might still work. But it’s a missed opportunity. Make the URL easier to read, easier to link to, and easier to index.

9. How do canonical URLs impact search engine optimisation?

Canonicals solve duplication. If you’ve got multiple URLs for the same page, a canonical tag tells Google which one to focus on.

Say someone links to your product page with tracking parameters -
/product/shirt?ref=summer2025
and
/product/shirt
both exist.

Use a canonical tag to point to the clean one. Otherwise, Google might treat them as separate pages. That splits your ranking potential and causes headaches.

It’s not optional if you’re serious about structure. Use canonical URLs as part of your site setup, not just when you think something’s gone wrong.

10. What tools help manage and monitor URL issues?

Start with Google Search Console. It’s free, it’s from Google, and it shows how your URLs are being crawled and indexed. It also tells you if you’ve got errors, duplicates, or problems with redirects.

For a deeper dive, tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb are great. They crawl your entire site and flag broken links, redirect chains, and overly complex URLs. You’ll spot problems you didn’t even know were there.

Use these tools often. Your URL structure might look fine at a glance, but crawl data shows the reality. It’s how you keep your site healthy - and your SEO on track.

11. What’s the difference between absolute and relative URLs?

Let’s clear this one up properly. An absolute URL includes the full web address - protocol, domain, path, everything. It looks like this: https://example.com/about. A relative URL just shows the path, like /about.

Now, Google can crawl both. But in practice, absolute URLs are more reliable. They’re clear, they don’t rely on context, and they won’t break when your content moves or gets syndicated elsewhere. That’s why absolute URLs are the best practice in most cases.

If your CMS defaults to relative URLs, switch them when you can. Using a URL with full path info makes it easier for search engines to figure out what’s going on.

It also means fewer issues with Google choosing the wrong version of a URL, which can happen more often than you'd think.

12. How do URL parameters affect SEO?

URL parameters can be trouble. You’ve seen them - things like ?ref=email&session=123. They’re added for tracking, filtering, sorting. But they can create a lot of noise for search engines.

Multiple URLs with small variations (thanks to parameters) often point to the same content. That creates indexing headaches and can water down your ranking power.

Search engines use a lot of signals to understand what to index, and parameters make that harder.

There are ways to manage this. You can use the URL Parameters tool in Google Search Console, define canonical tags, or even block parameter-heavy URLs from being indexed.

But the simplest fix is this: avoid using parameters in public-facing links unless you need to. And if you do, make sure you're controlling what gets indexed.

13. What are canonical URLs and when should you use them?

Canonical URLs act like a guide for search engines. They tell Google which version of a page is the “main” one when there are several that are basically identical.

Say you’ve got two versions of the same page - one with tracking tags, one without. Or you’ve got a version under a category folder and another from a site search. Use a canonical tag to say: “This is the version that matters.”

Without this, you end up with multiple URLs fighting for the same spot in search. Google doesn’t know which one to show.

That’s bad news for your SEO. Canonical tags keep things tidy and help Google understand your structure.

14. Should you keep or change old URLs?

If the old URL is working and ranking, keep it. Changing a page URL for no reason is one of those “fixes” that does more harm than good. Google already understands it, people are linking to it, and it’s probably doing fine.

But if you’ve got long URLs, confusing slugs, or URLs that no longer reflect the content - change them. Just do it right. That means setting up a proper 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.

Make sure that your URLs keep their authority when you move them. Use Google Search Console to check if the old URL is still showing in results, and update internal links to point to the new one where possible.

Don’t leave redirects to pile up in chains - redirect once, cleanly.

15. Do descriptive URLs really help?

Yes. A descriptive URL makes life easier for everyone. When someone sees
/tools/seo-friendly-url-checklist
they immediately understand what’s on the page.

For Google, this improves relevance to a search query. For users, it builds trust. They’re more likely to click on a page URL that feels human-written than one that looks like machine code.

URLs with descriptive text also help with linking. If someone pastes it into a forum, a Slack thread, or an email, the content speaks for itself. That’s good for click-throughs and good for your brand.

16. What’s the deal with URLs being case sensitive?

Here’s the thing: URLs are case sensitive. That means
/about-us
and
/About-Us
are technically two different URLs. Google can treat them as separate pages. That’s a recipe for duplication, broken links, and crawl issues.

The fix? Always use lowercase. No exceptions. It’s easier to read, easier to remember, and it avoids random indexing problems. Lowercase letters in URLs are one of those simple things that keep your structure clean.

Also, make sure your server isn’t generating different versions. Sometimes URLs look fine on the front end but serve up duplicates under the hood. Check it with a crawler.

17. What does it mean to make URLs easier to read?

Readable URLs aren’t just a style preference. They help people and search engines understand what’s going on at a glance.

If your URL looks like
/page?type=2&x=seo23,
you’re not helping anyone.

Compare that to
/seo/url-best-practices.
It’s obvious, relevant, and easy to remember.

Readable URLs also help with voice search and mobile use. If someone’s trying to share a page out loud, it’s easier to say /contact than /index.php?id=4.

It also reduces the chance of someone copying it wrong. These are real-world benefits that matter.

18. How do search engines understand your URL structure?

Search engines don’t see the web like humans do. They rely on signals - tags, content, links, and yes, URLs.

A logical URL structure gives them hints about your site’s layout and priority.

For example, if all your product pages follow
/products/category/item-name,
Google gets the idea that /products is a top-level section. It understands how your content is grouped. That helps with crawling, indexing, and ranking.

If your URLs are all over the place, it’s harder for search engines to connect related content. That affects everything from sitelinks to internal link value.

Structure your URLs so Google can follow them easily - it’s part of the foundation of search engine optimisation.

19. How do internal links affect your URL setup?

Internal links help search engines crawl your site, but they also affect how your URLs are discovered.

If your links point to multiple versions of the same page - with tracking codes or parameters - you create confusion.

Every link should use the cleanest version of the URL. Avoid linking to tracking-tagged pages. Don’t link to temporary URLs either. If your nav menu uses a version with /index.php, change it.

Also, think about your anchor text. A descriptive URL and clear anchor text make it easier for Google to figure out what the page is about.

This all ties back into how you structure your URLs - it’s a full system, not just one setting.

20. How often should you audit your URLs?

Regularly. At least once every few months, especially if your site is large or changes often.

Use crawl tools to check for broken links, redirect chains, duplicate slugs, and overly long URLs. Run your site through Search Console to see how Google is indexing your content.

Look at which URLs appear on Google Search and whether they match your current structure.

Auditing isn’t about chasing perfection - it’s about fixing things that silently harm performance.

Issues with Google often come down to pages being missed, misread, or incorrectly grouped. Cleaning up your SEO URLs is one of the easiest ways to prevent that.

Final Bullet Summary

• Structure your URLs to be short, clear, and relevant

• Always use lowercase letters and hyphens instead of underscores

• Descriptive URLs help users and search engines understand your content

• Avoid dynamic URLs where possible - if you use them, control them

• Include keywords, but don’t go overboard - keep your URL natural

• Canonical URLs are key when multiple versions of a page exist

• Redirect old URLs properly with 301s if you change anything

• Use absolute URLs, not relative ones, for internal links

• Avoid URL parameters unless absolutely needed - and manage them

• Run regular URL audits using Google Search Console and a crawler tool