For an effective URL structure for SEO, it is important to create a URL structure that is friendly to both search engines and users.
When designing URLs, being aware of the directory hierarchy and link hierarchy makes it easier to convey the relevance and importance of pages and improves SEO effectiveness.
In this article, we will introduce the basics of SEO-friendly URLs, three points you can use right away, and things to keep in mind.
What is the effective URL structure for SEO?
There are two points to keep in mind when designing a URL structure that is effective for SEO.
– Directory hierarchy – Link hierarchy
- directory hierarchy
A directory hierarchy is a tiered structure in which URLs indicate page depth.
For example, if the first layer of the URL is “Professional Baseball,” the lower layers will be “Central League” and “Pacific League,” and the specific team names will be shown further down.
1st layer:…/Professional Baseball/
2nd layer:…/Professional Baseball/Central League/
3rd layer:…/Professional Baseball/Central League/Giants/
It has a tree diagram-like structure that branches from the top into categories.
The advantage is that it is easier for search robots to crawl and it is easier for users to understand what content is where.
- link hierarchy
A link hierarchy is the structure of a site that shows the number of links that lead to a page.
Search engines consider your website to be more important if there are fewer links from the top page.
In other words, even if the page is a “giant” page in the lower layer in the directory hierarchy described by the URL, if there are many direct links from the top page to “giant,” it is determined that the page is highly relevant and should be treated with priority. I will.
To put the two hierarchies together, the directory hierarchy helps convey the overall structure of your site to crawlers and users, while the link hierarchy helps convey to crawlers the importance and relevance of pages.
You can do it right away! Three points for effective URL design for SEO
Directories and links are important for SEO, but they are not enough. It is important to design URLs so that search engines and users can easily understand the site structure and increase convenience.
- The words in the URL are meaningful English words
We recommend using English words in the URL that are highly relevant to the page’s content.
For example, a diary blog has the URL “…/2019/05/29/…”, but you can’t guess what’s inside from the URL.
Or, if the URL uses Japanese, it will be converted to a code such as “%E3~”, which will not only be unreadable but also a long text.
On the other hand, using English words helps users and search engines understand them, and it is convenient because they allow URLs to be treated as text.
- Directory structure that suits your purpose
It is also important to design the directory hierarchy in a meaningful way.
For example, if you want to provide information about a certain professional baseball team to fans of that team, a good URL would be “…/Professional Baseball/(League Name)/(Team Name)/” like the one mentioned above.
On the other hand, the lower level is useful for users who want to know ranking information for professional baseball.
2nd layer:…/Professional Baseball/Team Ranking/
2nd layer:…/Professional baseball/Individual performance ranking/
2nd layer:…/Professional baseball/All-time records/
The target will search by “ranking”, so if you have “ranking” and “record” pages in a shallow layer, it will be advantageous for SEO.
It’s not about which one is better, it’s about designing a design that suits the target.
- Be aware of MECE
MECE means “no omissions or duplications,” and the same can be said for URL design.
As an example of a directory structure, it may feel strange to have URLs like this lined up in the same hierarchy.
2nd layer:…/Professional Baseball/Central League/
2nd layer:…/Professional Baseball/Pali League/
2nd layer:…/Professional Baseball/Giants/
Duplicate content listed in multiple directories risks cannibalization, which can confuse search engines and users alike.
On the other hand, if the information is well-organized, it is not only crawler-friendly, but also increases the user traffic rate and can be expected to have an indirect SEO effect.
By the way, if you find it difficult to find articles after organizing your URL design, use tags.
Points to note when designing URLs
Here are two things to keep in mind when designing URLs.
- Redirect when URL is modified
If you want to review your site design and change the URL, use redirects.
As the number of articles increases, you may want to review your site’s URL structure, but if you use redirects, this will not be a problem as it will tell search engines that it is the same page and maintain your reputation.
- Does the number of characters in the URL matter?
It is thought that the number of characters in the URL and the meaning of the words do not have much influence on page evaluation.
However, it has the advantage of being easier to manage and easier to understand for users, so be sure to keep the URL simple and meaningful.
summary
◆ When designing a URL that is effective for SEO, two things are important: a directory hierarchy that provides a clear site structure, and a link hierarchy that conveys importance and relevance.
◆ The key points when designing URLs are to use meaningful English words, create a directory structure that suits the purpose, and be aware of MECE.
◆Use redirects when modifying the URL design of an existing site.