How Can You Create SEO-Friendly URLs in 8 Simple Steps?

Home » How Can You Create SEO-Friendly URLs in 8 Simple Steps?

Jun 25, 2025 | by Allen Glenn

When it comes to optimizing your website for search engines, one of the most important elements to consider is your URLs. Having SEO-friendly URLs can improve your site's rankings on search engines, enhance user experience, and help search engine crawlers better understand your content. Whether you're running a small blog or managing an entire eCommerce website, creating SEO-friendly URLs is a crucial part of your overall SEO strategy.

What is a URL?

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address used to access a resource on the internet. It essentially provides a specific path to reach a webpage, file, or other types of online content. A URL typically consists of several components:

1. Protocol: This is the method used to access the resource (e.g., http or https).

2. Domain Name: This is the address of the website (e.g., example.com).

3. Path: The specific location of the webpage or resource within the website (e.g., /blog/seo-tips).

4. Query Parameters: Additional information or filters for dynamic content (e.g., ?id=123&category=shoes).

An example of a URL would be:
https://www.example.com/blog/seo-tips

Why URLs are Important for SEO?

URLs play a significant role in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) because they help search engines and users navigate the web more easily. Here are the main reasons why URLs are important for SEO:

1. Improved Crawlability

Search engines use crawlers to index the web. SEO-friendly URLs make it easier for these crawlers to understand the structure and content of your website. Clear and descriptive URLs can help search engines know exactly what the page is about and index it more accurately.

2. Keyword Optimization

Including relevant keywords in your URL can signal to search engines what your page is about. A URL that contains relevant keywords will have a better chance of ranking for those terms, improving the page’s visibility on search engines.

3. User Experience

User-friendly URLs are more likely to be clicked on by users because they are easier to understand and remember. A clean, descriptive URL gives users an idea of what they can expect on the page before they click, improving the overall user experience.

4. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Search engines like Google often display URLs in search results. A clear, relevant, and well-structured URL can increase the likelihood of users clicking on it. Higher CTRs are a positive ranking factor, meaning that SEO-friendly URLs can help boost your page rankings.

5. Shareability

URLs that are simple and descriptive are easier to share, whether via social media, email, or other platforms. A URL that's clean and free of unnecessary characters or query strings is more likely to be shared, which in turn can bring more traffic to your site.

6. Avoiding Duplicate Content Issues

URLs play an important role in preventing duplicate content issues on a website. Having unique and descriptive URLs for each page ensures that search engines know which content to index, avoiding the risk of multiple versions of the same page being indexed under different URLs.

In this article, we’ll walk you through 8 simple steps on how to create SEO-friendly URLs, and if you’re in Melbourne and looking for professional guidance, an SEO agency Melbourne can help you make the most of these techniques.

1. Keep URLs Short and Simple

The first rule of creating SEO-friendly URLs is to keep them short and simple. Search engines like Google tend to favor URLs that are easy to read and understand. Long, complicated URLs with excessive characters and unnecessary words can confuse search engines and users alike.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/products/category/category-name/sale-item/long-description

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/product-sale

Short and descriptive URLs are more likely to rank higher on search engines because they are more user-friendly and easier for search engines to crawl.

2. Use Relevant Keywords in Your URL

Incorporating relevant keywords in your URL is a best practice for SEO. Keywords in your URL provide search engines with an indication of the page's content, which helps improve your rankings for those terms. Ensure the keywords are closely related to the page's content and not merely included for the sake of it.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/page2

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/seo-services-melbourne

When you’re optimizing your URL with keywords, keep it natural. An SEO agency Melbourne can help you select the most effective keywords to include in your URLs.

3. Avoid Using Special Characters

Special characters like question marks, ampersands, and exclamation points can complicate your URLs, making them harder to read and understand. While these characters may be necessary for certain web applications, it's best to avoid them in your URLs. Instead, use hyphens or underscores to separate words.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/blog/article?title=seo-tips&best-practices

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/blog/seo-tips-best-practices

By avoiding special characters, you make your URLs more readable and increase the likelihood that they will be indexed correctly by search engines.

4. Use Hyphens to Separate Words

Search engines treat hyphens (-) as space, which makes it easier to read the URL and understand its structure. On the other hand, underscores (_) are not treated as spaces, which can lead to confusion when search engines try to interpret the URL.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/blog/seo_tips_best_practices

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/blog/seo-tips-best-practices

When you use hyphens in your URLs, you ensure that they are SEO-friendly and easier for search engines to read.

5. Ensure the URL is Descriptive

Your URL should accurately reflect the content of the page. Descriptive URLs help both users and search engines understand what the page is about before even clicking on it. Avoid generic or vague terms in your URLs, as they can make it difficult for users to determine the page’s relevance.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/1

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/seo-services-for-businesses

Descriptive URLs that clearly define the page's content also improve click-through rates, which is an important ranking factor for SEO.

6. Make URLs Easy to Read

Another essential factor for creating SEO-friendly URLs is making them easy to read and understand. A clean, simple URL structure with clear, readable words will make it easier for both users and search engines to interpret. Long strings of random characters, on the other hand, can confuse both humans and crawlers.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/fgh4567/seo-best-practices-a23

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/seo-best-practices

By keeping URLs simple and easy to read, you enhance the user experience and increase the likelihood of your page ranking higher.

7. Use Lowercase Letters

URLs are case-sensitive, meaning that https://www.example.com/SEO-services are not the same as https://www.example.com/seo-services. To avoid confusion and potential broken links, always use lowercase letters in your URLs. This also makes it easier for users to remember and type the URL.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/Seo-Services

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/seo-services

By using lowercase letters, you reduce the likelihood of errors when users type in or share your URL.

8. Avoid Dynamic Parameters

Dynamic URLs, often generated by content management systems (CMS) or e-commerce platforms, can be confusing for search engines and users. These URLs contain long strings of characters and numbers, which don't provide much insight into the page's content. Static URLs, on the other hand, are clean, concise, and SEO-friendly.

For example:

• Bad URL: https://www.example.com/products?category=shoes&color=blue&id=123

• Good URL: https://www.example.com/blue-shoes

If your website is built using a CMS that generates dynamic URLs, consider using URL rewriting tools or working with an SEO agency Melbourne to convert them into static, SEO-friendly URLs.

Conclusion

Creating SEO-friendly URLs is a crucial step in optimizing your website for search engines. By following these 8 simple steps—keeping URLs short and simple, using relevant keywords, avoiding special characters, and more—you can improve your website’s SEO performance and enhance user experience.

If you want expert help creating SEO-friendly URLs for your site or need a solid SEO strategy, consider partnering with Rank My Business, your trusted SEO agency in Melbourne. With the right strategies in place, you can significantly enhance your website's rankings and increase organic traffic to your site.

FAQs

1. What is the ideal length for an SEO-friendly URL?

An SEO-friendly URL should be as short as possible while still being descriptive. Ideally, it should be between 50 and 60 characters. This length is enough to include important keywords while ensuring that the URL remains user-friendly and easy to remember.

2. Does the use of HTTPS in URLs affect SEO?

Yes, using HTTPS in your URLs (rather than HTTP) is important for SEO. Google has confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal, meaning that secure websites may rank higher than their non-secure counterparts. Additionally, HTTPS ensures data security for your website visitors, which is increasingly important for both SEO and user trust.

3. Should I use keywords in my URL?

Yes, including relevant keywords in your URL is beneficial for SEO. It helps search engines understand the content of your page and makes it easier for users to know what the page is about. However, avoid keyword stuffing, and make sure the URL remains readable and natural.

4. Can I change my URLs after publishing?

While it is possible to change URLs, it should be done cautiously, as changing URLs can break existing links and harm your SEO. If you do change a URL, you should set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one to ensure that both users and search engines are directed to the correct page.

5. Are dynamic URLs bad for SEO?

Dynamic URLs that contain parameters (e.g., ?id=123&category=shoes) can be less SEO-friendly because they are difficult to read and understand. It's better to use static, descriptive URLs that accurately reflect the page's content. However, dynamic URLs are not inherently bad, and with the right SEO techniques, they can be optimized for better search engine visibility.

6. How can I make sure my URLs are SEO-friendly?

To ensure your URLs are SEO-friendly, follow these best practices:

• Keep them short and simple.

• Include relevant keywords.

• Use hyphens to separate words.

• Avoid special characters and unnecessary parameters.

• Use lowercase letters.

• Ensure they are descriptive of the page’s content.

7. Do URL structures impact mobile SEO?

Yes, URL structure plays a role in mobile SEO. Clean, simple, and short URLs are easier to view and click on mobile devices. Additionally, Google’s mobile-first indexing prioritizes mobile-friendly sites, which includes having well-optimized URLs.