Yes, changing a page’s URL can affect SEO. URLs are one of the key elements that search engines use to understand the content of a page, so any changes to the URL can potentially impact how search engines crawl, index, and rank the page.
Ways that changing a page’s URL can affect SEO:
- Loss of rankings: When you change a URL, search engines have to re-crawl and re-index the page with the new URL. This can take some time, and during that time, the page may experience a drop in rankings.
- Broken links: If you don’t update all of your internal and external links to the new URL, it can create broken links. Broken links can hurt your SEO because they make it difficult for search engines to crawl and index your site, and they can also provide a poor user experience.
- Loss of link authority: When you change a URL, you lose some of the link authority that the old URL had built up. This is because search engines see the new URL as a new page, even if it’s the same content as the old page.
What is SEO URL Structure
The SEO URL structure of your website is the way that your URLs are organized and structured. A well-organized URL structure can help search engines to understand your site’s content and hierarchy, and it can also make it easier for users to navigate your site.
Ways to creating an SEO-friendly URL structure:
- Use short, descriptive URLs that are relevant to the content of the page.
- Avoid using dynamic URLs, which are URLs that contain parameters or variables.
- Always Use hyphens to separate words in your URLs.
- Avoid using stop words in your URLs.
How Long Should a URL Be for SEO?
There is no ideal length for a URL, but it’s generally best to keep your URLs as short as possible. This is because shorter URLs are easier for search engines to crawl and index, and they’re also easier for users to remember.
However, it’s important to make sure that your URLs are still descriptive and relevant to the content of the page. If you have to sacrifice clarity for brevity, it’s better to go with the longer URL.
What is URL Optimization?
URL optimization is the process of improving your website’s URLs for SEO purposes. This includes things like using short, descriptive URLs, using a consistent URL structure, and avoiding dynamic URLs.
Ways to optimizing your website’s URLs:
- Review your existing URLs: Look for any URLs that are long, complex, or irrelevant to the content of the page. Consider changing these URLs to something more SEO-friendly.
- Use a URL redirector: If you need to change a URL that has already been indexed by search engines, you can use a URL redirector to redirect users to the new URL. This will help to preserve your SEO rankings.
- Test your new URLs: Once you’ve made changes to your URLs, be sure to test them to make sure that they are working properly and that they are not creating any broken links.
Examples of How URL Structure Affects SEO
Few examples of how URL structure can affect SEO:
- Example 1:
https://www.example.com/products/divi-supereme
This URL is well-structured and SEO-friendly. It is short, descriptive, and relevant to the content of the page. It also uses hyphens to separate words and it avoids using stop words. - Example 2:
https://www.example.com/products.php?id=12345
This URL is not SEO-friendly. It is long and complex, and it doesn’t tell users or search engines anything about the content of the page. It also uses a dynamic parameter, which can make it difficult for search engines to crawl and index the page. - Example 3:
https://www.example.com/wordpress-theme/divi-supereme
This URL is SEO-friendly, but it is not as good as the first example. It is missing a category level, which can make it difficult for search engines to understand the hierarchy of the site.
Conclusion
Changing a page’s URL can affect SEO, so it’s important to do it carefully. If you do need to change a URL, be sure to use a URL redirector to redirect users to the new URL