Optimizing Your Site

- URL Structure

URLs are the addresses of your web pages.

If your URLs are confusing, cryptic or unclear, you aren’t helping consumers easily find your site and search engines to understand upfront what your pages are about.

That means potentially less traffic on your site and fewer chances of converting users.

In this section of the KAMG SEO Content Hub, you’ll learn about URLs and how you can create and structure them so that they are SEO and user-friendly.

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What is a URL?

A URL or Uniform Resource Locator is commonly known as a web address. It is the specific location of an online resource like a web page.

The URL also specifies how to retrieve that resource by using a protocol, which can be HTTP, HTTPS or FTP.

https://example.com is a URL.

It is a text string that is created to substitute the numbers or IP addresses that allow computers to communicate with servers.

So instead of us typing impossible to memorise numbers to reach a website, we type a URL with easy to remember and understand text or words.

URLs also recognise the file structure of the given website.

So if your website structure or site map looks like this:

  • Home
    • Blog
      • Blog Category 1
        • Blog 1.1
        • Blog 1.2
      • Blog Category 2
        • Blog 2.1
    • Services
      • Service 1
      • Service 2

The URL that opens the page Service 1 should look somewhat like this:

https://home.com/services/service-1/

The URL that opens the page Blog 1 should look somewhat like this:

https://home.com/blog/blog-category-1/blog1-1/

What are the parts of a URL?

Here’s an image showing the parts of a URL.

 parts of a URL

If you click the link to the above example’s page, this is how the URL should look in your browser’s address bar:

more traffic

Clicking on the address bar twice shows the protocol:

 protocol

A URL is made up of:

  • A protocol;
  • A domain name with a top-level domain (TLD); and
  • A path (including the specific subfolder structure in which a page is located).

A URL has the following basic format.

protocol://domain-name.top-level-domain/path

Here’s an example of a live URL in the same basic format as above.

https://edition.cnn.com/business

Take note that a URL sometimes doesn’t have a path because it doesn’t need to. This is the case for homepages of websites, e.g. https://kasandz.com – it doesn’t lead you to any subfolder or subfile of the domain but only to the homepage.

Also, to display correctly without risk of errors in any browser, your URLs must be no longer than 2,083 characters.

The Parts of a URL Defined

The Protocol

The protocol specifies how a browser should retrieve information about a resource.

The web standard protocol is http:// or https:// (the s stands for secure).

The Domain Name

Your domain name or hostname is the human-readable name of the specific location of a resource (mostly, a website).

The Top-Level Domain

The TLD is a subcategory of websites.

While you’re probably familiar with .com, there are also others like .edu for educational sites and .gov for government sites.

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Here are some examples of URLs using different TLDs.

There are also country code top-level domains (ccTLDs).

A ccTLD is an Internet top-level domain mainly used or reserved for a country, sovereign nation, or dependent territory identified with a country code. 

Some examples of these are .uk for the UK and .au for Australia. Here’s a ccTLD world map from robslink.com

The Path

URLs can also include specific folders and subfolders on a given website. You’ll find the path after the / that precedes the TLD.

Here’s an example of a URL with the path coloured purple.

Other Optional Parts

A URL can also have parameters such as click tracking or session IDs and anchors that enable users to jump to a certain point in the resource.

URL Optimum Format

When building your URLs, you can use keywords that relate to your pages’ content. This will help ensure that users and search engines can determine what your pages are about just by finding your URLs.

The following is the best way you can organise your URLs.

https://example.com/category-keyword/subcategory-keyword/primary-keyword

Such an optimisation provides a well-organised structure for your URLs. And with keywords in proper use, it provides excellent understandability for users and search engines.

How a URL is Displayed on Search Results

When a search engine user makes a search using a keyword, a list of web pages is displayed on the SERP. Each item is organised in a way that includes a page’s URL (shortened to its domain name and breadcrumb path), title and meta description.

The breadcrumb path is a shortened, summarised version of a page’s entire path, targeting the most accurate text that represents the content. Google generates this from your entire URL path.

So if your URL is https://kasandz.com/ecommerce-seo-services/search-engines-seo

Google will shorten the URL display on SERPs to

https://kasandz.com > search-engines-seo

The text above marked in orange is the breadcrumb path.

It looks like this in the actual SERP.

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How URLs Impact SEO

There are three main benefits of URLs.

  1. Better Website User Experience

When you craft your URL properly, it provides users and Google with a simple, comprehensive overview of what your page is about.

You’re essentially giving them a clear idea of what to expect when visitors go to the address. If Google knows what to expect then it can index your site correctly and thus improve the overall user experience for your visitors.

Below is an example of a search result for the keyword cat training.

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In the URL section of the result snippet, you can see the domain name of the site and a breadcrumb path or a shortened, summarised version of the entire URL path.

The full URL for this search result is shown in the following image. 

link

Notice that the URL uses path text that describes the content of the destination page. Your descriptive URL path is where Google will base its breadcrumb path display.

So when you write your URLs in such a way that they are descriptive and represent your content well, Google will be able to display a breadcrumb path that helps people and search engines understand your pages better. Better understanding by all parties can increase your chances of getting more clicks and organic traffic.

In the example above, the URL allows you to understand what you are getting into even if you don’t read the title of the search result. This is what we call a semantically accurate URL, i.e. one that accurately describes the destination page.

Here’s an example of a semantically inaccurate URL.

https://rr.noordstar.me/77d46b06

As it is riddled with code, you won’t have any idea if the page you are visiting is safe or legit.

With people nowadays more conscious about cyber security and privacy, you need to help them be secure that clicking your link won’t result in something bad for them. And you can do so by providing semantically accurate URLs.

  1. Ranking on SERPs

URLs are a minor ranking factor (as opposed to the major factor, content).

They are used by search engines to determine the relevance of a specific page or resource to a search query.

While a URL in itself does give weight to the overall domain authority (a search engine ranking score that predicts how likely a website is to rank on SERPs), keyword use in a URL can also be a ranking factor.

While using a keyword-rich URL can improve your site’s search visibility, URLs do not have a significant impact on a page’s ability to rank.

So, while it’s worth considering, it is not advisable to create otherwise useless URLs just to include a keyword in them.

  1. Linking

When your URLs are well-written, they can be used as their own anchor text for linking. You can simply copy and paste them into posts on blogs, forums and social media.

There are some platforms like Facebook that leave shared links unformatted entirely. So if your URL is unoptimised and semantically inaccurate, it will look unkempt and annoying on posts on such a platform, and the chances of you getting clicks are decreased.

Easily readable and easy-to-understand URLs provide people with a good idea of what page they are opening when they click the link.

Here’s an example of a link using a semantically inaccurate URL as its anchor text shared on Facebook. Notice how you can’t guess where it leads to based on the URL.

champ biala

But in this example of a semantically-accurate URL anchor text link, you have an idea that you will be directed to an SEO Service page when you click it.

champ biala

Best SEO Practices for URLs

When your URLs are SEO-friendly, you make it simple for search engines and people to understand and find your content.

And of course, the more your content is digested, the more traffic and potential conversions you get.

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Here’s how you can build your URLs so that they are simple to understand for users and search engines.

  • It is critical to keep URLs as simple, relevant, compelling, and accurate as possible. Doing so, you make it easy for both people and Google to understand them (a prerequisite to ranking well).

Although URLs can be made up of ID numbers and codes, it is best to use words that people can understand.

✓ Do This✕ Don’t Do This
https://catblogs.com/blogs/cat-training/cat-supplements-for-training/https://example.com/menu-26a3/category-1987b/post12313231231-a6g7h8769s0/
  • URLs should be descriptive but exact. A user or search engine should have a good idea of what to expect on the page based solely on your URL.
✓ Do This✕ Don’t Do This
https://catblogs.com/blogs/cat-training/how-to-train-cat-to-sit/https://catblogs.com/blogs/blog-category-A/blog-25/
  • Use hyphens to separate words when necessary for readability. You should not use underscores, spaces, or any other characters to separate words in your URLs.
✓ Do This✕ Don’t Do This
https://catblogs.com/blogs/cat-products/cat-training-equipment/https://catblogs.com/blogs/cat$products/cat$training$equipment/
  • You should use only lowercase letters for your URLs. Uppercase letters can cause duplicate page issues in some cases.

For example, this could be interpreted as two distinct URLs, potentially resulting in duplicate content issues.

✓ Do This✕ Don’t Do This
https://catblogs.com/blogs/cat-products/kitten-supplements/https://catblogs.com/Blogs/Cat-Products/Kitten-Supplements/
  • If possible, avoid using URL para
  • meters entirely. These URL elements can cause tracking and duplicate content issues.

If parameters must be used (for example, UTM codes), use them sparingly.

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Understandability and Organisation are Key to Creating Excellent URLs

Before even considering what might work better for SEO, ensure that you create your URLs with human understanding in mind.

Doing so, you will naturally ensure SEO-friendliness when designing your URLs.

But of course, there are more technical things that you can do to improve your SEO.

And that’s what you’ll learn in the next section of the KAMG SEO Content Hub, about Technical SEO.

Champ Biala

Champ Biala

Author

CHAMP BIALA is the Head of Content for KAMG and a seasoned writer. Past experiences in education, video production and music allows him to create varied content for multiple business types. He provides content for firms across Asia, the US, the UK and Canada when he is not organising beach festivals in the Philippines.

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Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 08, 2022

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.

  • Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to Kas Andz Marketing Group, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN.

  • Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.

  • Country refers to: United Kingdom

  • Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.

  • Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.

  • Service refers to the Website.

  • Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.

  • Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).

  • Website refers to Kas Andz Marketing Group, accessible from kasandz.

  • You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Types of Data Collected

Personal Data

While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

  • Email address

  • First name and last name

  • Phone number

  • Address, State, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City

  • Usage Data

Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:

  • Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
  • Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Service may use local stored objects (or Flash Cookies) to collect and store information about Your preferences or Your activity on our Service. Flash Cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as those used for Browser Cookies. For more information on how You can delete Flash Cookies, please read “Where can I change the settings for disabling, or deleting local shared objects?” available at flash player.
  • Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).

Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. Learn more about cookies on the Free Privacy Policy website article.

We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

  • Necessary / Essential Cookies

    Type: Session Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.

  • Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.

  • Functionality Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

  • To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.

  • To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.

  • For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.

  • To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.

  • To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.

  • To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.

  • For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.

  • For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience.

We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

  • With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
  • For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
  • With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
  • With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
  • With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside.
  • With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions

If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

  • Comply with a legal obligation
  • Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
  • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
  • Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
  • Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

  • By email: team@kasandz.com