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URL Folders - Marketing Glossary

URL Folders

Definition

In SEO, URL folders are the hierarchical structure that organises web content within a website’s URL In a URL, slashes (/) show folder organisation for users and search engines. Properly structuring URL folders can contribute to a better user experience, improved crawlability, and enhanced search engine optimisation.

How you can use

Consider a website selling shoes with various categories, such as men’s shoes, women’s shoes, and children’s shoes. A well-structured URL for a page selling men’s running shoes could be: example.com/men's-shoes/running. In this example, “men’s shoes” represents the main category folder, and “running” represents a subcategory folder. The structured URL aids in user navigation and informs search engines about page content.

Key Takeaways

  1. Organisational Structure: URL folders help organise website content into logical hierarchies, making navigation easier for users and search engines.
  2. Keyword Inclusion: Including keywords in URL folders boosts web page SEO by offering context to search engines.
  3. Crawlability: A well-structured URL folder hierarchy can facilitate search engine crawlers in discovering and indexing website pages efficiently.
  4. User Experience: Clear and concise URL structures contribute to a better user experience by making it easier for users to understand and navigate a website.
  5. Consistency: Maintaining consistency in URL folder structure across the website helps establish a cohesive and intuitive browsing experience for users and search engines alike.

FAQs

Why are URL folders important for SEO?

URL folders provide structure and context to website content, aiding both users and search engines in navigation and understanding.

How should I optimize URL folders for SEO?

Optimize URL folders by incorporating relevant keywords, keeping them concise and descriptive, and maintaining a logical hierarchy.

Can changing URL folder structure affect SEO rankings?

Yes, significant changes to URL folder structure can impact SEO rankings temporarily, but proper redirects and optimizations can mitigate any negative effects.

Should I include dates in URL folders for content like blog posts?

Including dates in URL folders may be beneficial for time-sensitive content like news articles, but for evergreen content, it's often unnecessary and can clutter the URL.

Are there any best practices for structuring URL folders?

Best practices include keeping URLs short and descriptive, using hyphens to separate words, avoiding special characters, and maintaining a consistent structure.

How deep should URL folder hierarchies be?

URL folder hierarchies should be shallow and logical, ideally not exceeding three or four levels to prevent overly complex URLs.

Do URL folders impact site performance or load times?

No, URL folders themselves do not impact site performance or load times significantly. However, excessively long or convoluted URLs may affect usability.

Should I use uppercase or lowercase letters in URL folders?

It's generally recommended to use lowercase letters in URL folders for consistency and compatibility across different platforms and servers.

Can I change URL folder structure without affecting SEO?

Changing URL folder structure can impact SEO, but with proper redirects and optimizations, the impact can be minimized over time.

How can I monitor the performance of URL folders in SEO?

Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track organic traffic, rankings, and user engagement metrics for pages associated with specific URL folders.

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