URLs are more than just web addresses - they’re a key part of improving your site’s search rankings and user experience. In 2025, SEO-friendly URLs are short, clear, and structured logically to help both users and search engines understand your content. Here's what matters most:
/services/web-development)./category/subcategory/page.For businesses with custom software or global audiences, thoughtful URL planning is even more critical. Use subdirectories (e.g., /es/ for Spanish) for regional content and implement hreflang tags to guide users to the right version.
In short, clean, concise, and well-structured URLs make your site easier to navigate and improve your SEO performance. Start by auditing your current URLs and applying these best practices today.
Creating effective URLs boils down to three key principles: clarity, logical structure, and keyword optimization. These elements work together to make your web addresses both user-friendly and search engine-friendly.
A clear URL should feel intuitive, almost like natural language. It should immediately tell users and search engines what the page is about. Let’s compare two examples:
https://octaria.com/services/custom-software-developmenthttps://octaria.com/srv/csd?id=847The first URL is straightforward, giving clear context, while the second is cryptic and unhelpful.
Length plays a big role, too. Research from Stan Venture's 2025 URL study found that click-through rates dropped by 15% when URLs exceeded 60 characters. Additionally, shorter URLs indexed 12% faster, and over 60% of top-ranked Google pages used concise, descriptive URLs under 60 characters [1][2].
A good rule of thumb? Keep your slugs between 3–5 meaningful words (around 25–30 characters). For instance, https://octaria.com/mobile-app-development-services is much cleaner and easier to understand than https://octaria.com/the-best-mobile-app-development-services-for-businesses.
Here are a few best practices for readability:
Finally, your URLs should reflect your site's structure, which brings us to the next point.
A well-structured URL mirrors your website's layout, guiding users through a clear path from general categories to specific content. Think of it as a digital filing system. For example, a software development company like Octaria could organize its URLs like this:
https://octaria.com/services/ (main category)https://octaria.com/services/web-development/ (subcategory)https://octaria.com/services/web-development/aws-integration/ (specific service)This kind of structure isn’t just intuitive for users - it also allows them to backtrack by editing the URL. For instance, removing the last segment (aws-integration) takes them to all web development services, while stepping back further (services) shows all available services.
To keep things user-friendly, ensure your important pages are no more than three clicks away from the homepage. A flat site structure, combined with smart internal linking, makes it easier for both users and search engines to navigate. For example, connecting broad categories to specific pages - like Skullcandy does with its earbuds category [4] - helps search engines understand content relationships.
With a clear structure in place, the final step is optimizing your URLs with relevant keywords.
Adding relevant keywords to your URLs signals to search engines that your content matches users' search queries. Place your primary keyword near the beginning of the slug for maximum impact. URLs that align closely with search queries tend to earn 45% more clicks on average [1].
Here’s a quick example:
Good: https://octaria.com/custom-software-development
Bad: https://octaria.com/custom-software-development-custom-software [1]
Stick to one or two well-chosen keywords that naturally fit your content. Avoid overloading the URL with repetitive or unrelated terms, as it can come across as spammy. For example, a page about mobile apps should use a URL like https://octaria.com/services/mobile-apps instead of something generic like https://octaria.com/page?id=12 [3].
Consistency is key - make sure your keywords appear not only in the URL but also in the title tag, H1 heading, and body content. This ensures your messaging aligns across the board.
As Briskon.com wisely notes:
"Including primary keywords in URLs signals to search engines and generative engines the relevance of the content. However, a big NO to keyword stuffing." - Briskon.com [1]
In short, focus on relevance over quantity. A single, well-targeted keyword will outperform a URL crammed with loosely related terms. For instance, if your page is about AWS development, a slug like "aws-development" is far more effective than trying to squeeze in every related term. Keep it clean, meaningful, and user-focused.
Technical URL formatting plays a key role in improving SEO performance. The way your URLs are structured impacts everything from how search engines interact with your site to how users perceive your brand. Let’s break down some effective practices to get the most out of your URLs.
Hyphens are the go-to choice for separating words in URLs. Why? Search engines treat hyphens as clear word dividers. For example, a URL like https://octaria.com/custom-software-development is easily understood as three distinct terms: "custom", "software", and "development."
On the other hand, underscores can muddy the waters. A URL like custom_software_development might be read as one long, jumbled word, which could hurt your keyword clarity.
Special characters like &, %, @, and # can also cause problems. They often lead to encoding issues, make URLs look cluttered, and complicate sharing. Stick to these safe characters instead:
Here’s an example of what to avoid versus what to use:
https://octaria.com/mobile&web_apps?type=custom
https://octaria.com/mobile-web-apps
The cleaner version not only looks more professional but also avoids potential technical hiccups. Once you've nailed the basics of formatting, the next step is streamlining your URLs for performance.
Shorter URLs are better for both users and search engines. Ideally, aim for 50–60 characters [3]. This length strikes the right balance between being descriptive and user-friendly.
Removing unnecessary filler words is a smart move. Words like "the", "and", "of", "for", and "in" often add little value. Here’s a comparison:
https://octaria.com/the-best-custom-software-development-services-for-businesses
https://octaria.com/custom-software-development-services
The shorter version is easier to read and still conveys the same meaning. Plus, concise URLs that closely match search queries can boost click-through rates by up to 45% [1].
When naming URLs for specific services, focus on the main feature or benefit. For instance, if the page is about AWS development, https://octaria.com/aws-development is far more effective than a convoluted alternative.
URL parameters, like those added for filtering or tracking, can create challenges if not handled carefully. They often lead to duplicate pages, which can confuse search engines and waste your crawl budget.
To address this, use canonical tags to indicate the primary version of a page. For instance, if multiple URLs lead to the same content, a canonical tag like this helps search engines know which one to prioritize:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://octaria.com/services/web-development" />
A great example comes from Decathlon. Their product filtering system uses a self-referencing canonical tag for the main collection page, while filtered variations (e.g., sorted by price or brand) point back to the primary page [6].
Another tool to manage parameters is the robots.txt file. If certain parameters don’t add value, block them entirely. For example:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /?sort=
Disallow: /?filter=
This ensures search engines focus on crawling the pages that matter most.
For parameters that are necessary, make them descriptive. Instead of vague codes like ?c=3&p=2, opt for something like ?category=software&page=2. Even better, rewrite URLs for clarity. For example:
octaria.com/services?category=mobile&type=apps
octaria.com/services/mobile-apps
This approach creates cleaner, user-friendly URLs that are easier to trust and rank better.
"URL parameters can waste your crawl budget, meaning the pages you want the search engines to index don't get crawled." - Neil Patel [5]
Every parameter should serve a clear purpose. If it doesn’t enhance the content or user experience, you’re better off eliminating it or finding a cleaner alternative.
Since 2014, Google has considered HTTPS a ranking factor, and today 90.4% of all Firefox desktop page loads begin on HTTPS [1]. Modern browsers now label non-HTTPS sites as "Not Secure", which can scare users away and cause conversion rates to plummet by as much as 70% [8].
"SSL is no longer optional. It's a foundational part of building a secure, trustworthy, and SEO-friendly website." - NameSilo Staff [7]
The benefits of HTTPS are clear. In 2025, a major eCommerce site saw a 7% jump in organic traffic within 30 days of switching to HTTPS, while a mid-sized tech blog experienced a 12% drop in bounce rate and a 4% ranking boost [7].
But here's the catch: a poorly executed HTTPS migration can wreak havoc on your rankings. Sites that botch the process often see average ranking drops of 20–40% in the first month, with critical pages falling over 50 positions. Organic traffic can nosedive by 15–30%, and recovery might take 3–6 months [8].
To avoid these pitfalls, follow these key steps:
While HTTPS protects user data, a well-thought-out regional URL structure ensures your content reaches the right audience.
If you're a US-based business looking to expand globally or serve diverse communities, your URL structure needs to support regional targeting. The goal? Make it simple for users and search engines to identify which content is meant for which audience.
Google advises using separate URLs for different language versions, combined with hreflang annotations to direct users to the correct version [10]. This strategy is far more effective than cramming multiple languages into a single URL.
| URL Structure | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
Country-specific domain (example.de) |
Clear geotargeting, server location doesn't matter, easy to separate sites | Expensive, more infrastructure needed, targets one country per domain |
Subdomains with gTLD (de.example.com) |
Simple setup, supports different server locations, easy site separation | Users might miss geotargeting cues in subdomains |
Subdirectories with gTLD (example.com/de/) |
Easy to manage, low maintenance, clear geographic targeting | Users may not notice geotargeting; limited to one server location |
URL parameters (site.com?loc=de) |
- | Poor user recognition, difficult segmentation |
For example, a structure like octaria.com/es/ for Spanish content or octaria.com/fr/ for French provides clarity for geographic targeting while keeping maintenance manageable.
"If your site is multi-regional, consider using a URL structure that makes it easy to geotarget your site." - Google Search Central [9]
Also, let users choose their preferred region and language. For instance, someone in Miami might prefer Spanish, while someone in Quebec might opt for French [10].
To further optimize, use UTF-8 encoding in URLs for international characters and implement hreflang tags or sitemaps to signal Google which pages match specific locations or languages [9][10].
Finally, always stick to lowercase URLs. Google treats URLs as case-sensitive, meaning Octaria.com/Services and octaria.com/services are seen as entirely different pages [9]. If multiple case variations of the same page exist, you risk splitting backlinks, social shares, and authority.
Lowercase URLs also perform better with users, showing up to a 15% higher click-through rate compared to mixed-case URLs. Clean, consistent URLs tend to look more trustworthy and user-friendly [13].
"URLs don't need to be lower case, but they should be consistent (lower case might be an easy way to do that though). For all of this, also check for internal references like links or structured data, they should also be consistent." - John Mueller, Google Search Advocate [11]
To ensure consistency:
When linking externally, always copy and paste URLs instead of typing them manually to avoid case errors. Consistency is key to building trust and boosting performance.
Let’s quickly recap the essentials of crafting SEO-friendly URLs. These URLs play a vital role in driving organic growth, with clear benefits for businesses. For instance, when Backlinko updated their SEO Trends article in April 2025, they saw a 70.43% increase in organic traffic[14].
The foundation of effective URLs lies in clarity, logical structure, and smart keyword use. Clean, simple URLs not only improve user experience but also help search engines understand your content better.
Technical details matter too. Always use HTTPS to secure user data and build trust. Stick to lowercase letters to avoid duplicate content issues caused by mixed-case URLs. If your business operates globally, adopt clear multi-language structures - like subdirectories such as /es/ for Spanish or /fr/ for French. This makes it easier to manage your site while targeting specific regions effectively.
Now’s the time to align your URL strategy with your broader digital goals. Start by auditing your current URLs. Look for inconsistencies, overly complex paths, or mixed-case variations. Focus on high-traffic pages first since they offer the most immediate impact.
Strengthen your technical foundation. Make sure all URLs use HTTPS and enforce lowercase formatting at the server level. Set up 301 redirects for outdated or incorrect URLs, and remove unnecessary parameters or dates from blog URLs unless they’re tied to specific events. Always use hyphens to separate words - avoid underscores or special characters.
Plan for scalability. Use a flexible backend architecture, like cloud-based systems, to handle traffic surges without performance issues. Clean, modular code ensures your URL structure can grow as your business expands into new markets or product lines.
For international businesses, establish clear regional URL patterns. Subdirectories with language codes (e.g., /es/, /fr/) and properly implemented hreflang annotations will guide users to the right content. This approach simplifies scaling as you add more regions or languages.
Finally, make URL maintenance a regular part of your strategy. Monitor organic traffic changes after updates and use tools like Google's Rich Results Test to confirm your structured data aligns with canonical URLs. As your business evolves and search algorithms change, your URL strategy should adapt too.
When it comes to creating SEO-friendly URLs, hyphens are the way to go. Search engines treat hyphens as word separators, which makes your URLs easier to read and understand. This helps search engines identify the keywords in your URL more effectively.
On the flip side, underscores don't work the same way - they aren't recognized as separators, which can make it harder for search engines to pick out keywords. Special characters can be even trickier, as they often lead to encoding problems and make URLs look messy or confusing for both users and search engines.
To keep things simple and optimized, use hyphens. They help ensure your URLs are clean, easy to read, and search-engine friendly.
Using subdirectories for regional content can greatly improve your site's SEO performance. By keeping everything under one domain, subdirectories help consolidate domain authority, making it easier to rank higher across different regions. This setup also simplifies how search engines detect and index localized content, boosting your visibility for region-specific searches.
Another advantage is that backlinks to regional subdirectories strengthen the overall domain authority. This means your entire site benefits from the added SEO power. Plus, organizing regional content into subdirectories creates a logical site structure, which is helpful for both users navigating your site and search engines crawling it.
Keeping URLs short - ideally under 60 characters - makes them easier for people to read, share, and remember. Plus, shorter URLs are less likely to get cut off in search engine results, so users can see the entire link. This helps build trust and can lead to more clicks.
On the other hand, long URLs can look messy or even suspicious, which might turn users away. By keeping your URLs concise, you not only improve the overall experience for users but also make your links more inviting. This can have a positive impact on your click-through rates (CTR) by making your content feel more accessible and reliable.
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