URL Structure.

URL structure refers to the format, hierarchy, and organisation of web page addresses: including the domain, path, subdirectory names, slug (the page-specific portion), and any parameters. A well-designed URL structure is human-readable, keyword-relevant, consistent, and reflects the site's information architecture.

URL Best Practices

Google's recommended URL practices: use hyphens (not underscores) to separate words in slugs, keep URLs lowercase, make them descriptive and keyword-relevant without being excessively long, avoid URL parameters where possible (use URL path instead), use a consistent structure that reflects content hierarchy (domain.com/category/subcategory/page-name), and avoid unnecessary stop words ('a', 'the', 'and') in slugs where they add no clarity.

URL Length and SEO

Shorter URLs are generally preferable: they are easier to share, read, and copy accurately. Google has indicated there is no strict character limit on URLs, but excessively long URLs (200+ characters) with deep hierarchies may indicate poor site architecture. The slug itself should be concise: the primary keyword phrase without unnecessary words.

Changing URL Structure

Changing existing URL structures requires comprehensive 301 redirect mapping: every old URL must redirect to its new equivalent. URL changes without redirects result in 404 errors that lose ranking positions and backlink equity. For large sites with established rankings, URL restructuring is one of the highest-risk SEO activities and should only be undertaken when the architecture improvement justifies the migration risk.