Moz Q&A is closed.
After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.
What is the proper URL length? in seo
-
i learned that having 50 to 60 words in a url is ok and having less words is preferable by google.
but i would like to know that as i am gonna include keywords in the urls and i am afraid it will increase the length. is it gonna slighlty gonna hurt me?
my competitors have 8 characters domain url and keywords length of 13
and my site has 15 character domain url and keywords length of 13
which one will be prefered by google.
-
Well to me a proper url link shouldnt be more than 50 in lenght.. i use more below or rather about 60 on my website Timetocare
-
Well to me a proper url link shouldnt be more than 50 in lenght.. i use more below or rather about 60 on my website Timetocare
-
Well to me a proper url link shouldnt be more than 50 in lenght.. i use more below or rather about 60 on my website Timetocare
-
In terms of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), while there's no strict rule for the optimal URL length, it's generally recommended to keep URLs concise, descriptive, and user-friendly. Here are some guidelines and considerations:
-
Short and Descriptive:
- Aim for short and descriptive URLs that give users and search engines a clear idea of the page's content. Avoid unnecessary parameters or overly complex structures.
-
Keywords:
- Include relevant keywords in the URL, especially in the domain and the path. This can help search engines understand the topic of the page.
-
Readability:
- Keep URLs readable by using hyphens to separate words instead of underscores. For example, use "example.com/important-page" instead of "example.com/important_page."
-
Avoid Dynamic Parameters:
- If possible, avoid using dynamic parameters in URLs (e.g., "example.com/page?id=123"). Static, keyword-rich URLs are generally more SEO-friendly.
-
Consistency:
- Maintain consistency in your URL structure across your website. This helps both users and search engines navigate and understand the organization of your content.
-
301 Redirects for Changes:
- If you need to change a URL, use 301 redirects to inform search engines that the content has permanently moved. This preserves SEO value.
-
Limit Length:
- While there's no strict character limit for URLs, it's advisable to keep them reasonably short, ideally under 100 characters. Shorter URLs are easier to remember and share.
-
HTTPS:
- Use HTTPS for secure connections. Search engines tend to favor secure websites, and HTTPS is considered a ranking factor.
Remember that the primary goal is to create URLs that are user-friendly and provide a clear indication of the content. Search engines use URLs to understand the context and relevance of a page, so optimizing them for readability and keywords can positively impact your SEO efforts. Additionally, creating a logical URL structure helps users navigate your site more easily.
-
-
The ideal URL length for SEO is typically under 60 characters. Shorter URLs are easier for search engines to crawl and for users to read and remember. Keeping URLs concise, relevant to the page content, and including keywords can positively impact SEO performance. Avoid lengthy URLs with unnecessary parameters or characters.
-
The appropriate page URL is 75 characters length. And the maximum length of URL in the address bar is 2049 characters. For more info. like this click here.
-
In SEO, there is no strict rule for an ideal URL length, but it's generally recommended to keep URLs concise, relevant, and user-friendly. Here are some guidelines to consider:
Short and Descriptive: Aim for short and descriptive URLs that give users and search engines a clear idea of the page's content. A concise URL is easier to remember and share.
Include Keywords: If possible, include relevant keywords in your URL. This can contribute to the page's SEO, but don't over-optimize by stuffing too many keywords.
Avoid Dynamic Parameters: Clean, static URLs are preferred over URLs with dynamic parameters (e.g., https://azdentalclub.com/). Search engines prefer URLs that are easily readable and don't contain unnecessary parameters.
Hyphens Between Words: Use hyphens (-) rather than underscores (_) to separate words in the URL. Search engines treat hyphens as space, but underscores are not recognized as separators.
Avoid Stop Words: Consider omitting unnecessary stop words (e.g., "and," "or," "but") from your URLs. Focus on the main keywords that represent the page's content.
Be Consistent: Maintain a consistent URL structure across your site. Consistency makes it easier for both users and search engines to navigate and understand your website.
HTTPS: Ensure that your URLs use the secure HTTPS protocol. Google tends to favor secure websites, and HTTPS is a ranking factor.
While there's no strict character limit for URLs, it's generally advisable to keep them under 255 characters. This is because longer URLs may be truncated in search results, making them less user-friendly.
Remember that user experience is crucial, so prioritize creating URLs that are easy to read and understand. Additionally, focus on providing valuable content on your pages, as content quality is a key factor in SEO.
-
The proper URL length for SEO is generally recommended to be under 256 characters. It's important to keep your URLs concise and descriptive. Short and relevant URLs tend to perform better in search engine rankings and are easier for users to remember and share. Including relevant keywords in your URL can also help search engines and users understand the content of the page. Additionally, using hyphens to separate words in the URL is preferred over underscores or other special characters. Overall, aim for clear, concise, and keyword-rich URLs that accurately represent the content of your web pages.
-
50- 60 characters in a URL is good enough and will not be considered spam by Google. However, the vital aspect would be how you use the keywords and whether they are elegantly placed or one is stuffing it. Try to be as descriptive for the search engine, try to make it scannable and break it down.
Try to aim for a low-character URL because it is less likely to be mistaken as spam.
-
length can be detected as spam. You have to pay attention to the length.
-
The optimal length is 50-60 characters. If you're using a plugin like Rankmath or Yoast, they will also tell you which is optimum.
I'm following the Rankmath's guide to URL length and it's working perfectly and getting amazing results on my courier tracking website. -
It is crucial to consistently conduct competitor analysis, paying close attention to the length of their URLs.
A common mistake that many people make is incorporating long-tail keywords into their URLs, which is not considered a good SEO practice.
Personally, I strive to limit my site article URLs to a maximum of 4-5 words. In certain cases where the search volume is relatively low, I may include additional words, but the general best practice is to keep the URL as short as possible.
Once again, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of competitor analysis in shaping your approach.
-
When it comes to URL length for SEO, there is no definitive answer. However, it's generally recommended to keep URLs concise, include relevant keywords, avoid excessive parameters and unnecessary characters, use hyphens as word separators, maintain consistency, and prioritize usability and readability. Remember, URL length is just one factor among many that affect SEO.
-
Somewhere up to 75 characters max, from what I read. Longer than that could cause some difficulties in ranking.
-
While the length of a URL can have some impact on search engine optimization (SEO), it is generally recommended to keep URLs concise and relevant to the content of the page. URLs with fewer words tend to be easier for users to read and remember, and they also tend to be more user-friendly for sharing and linking purposes.
The impact of URL length on SEO is relatively small compared to other factors such as the quality and relevance of the content on your website, backlinks, site speed, user experience, and overall website optimization.
In terms of your specific scenario, where your competitors have 8-character domain URLs and keywords with a length of 13, and your site has a 15-character domain URL and keywords of the same length, it's unlikely that the slight difference in URL length alone would significantly impact your search engine rankings.
Google's algorithms consider numerous factors when determining the relevance and ranking of a website, and URL length is just one of them. It's important to focus on creating high-quality content, using relevant keywords, and ensuring a positive user experience on your website. These factors are likely to have a more substantial impact on your search engine rankings than the length of your URL.
-
I have tried to use proper URL length in my site but in some instances, long tail KWs mess it up. Then you have no option but a more than appropriate URL length
-
but sometimes the the long tail KW makes it difficult to have shorter URL length. for example "how many questions can you ask chatgpt"
-
When it comes to URL length in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), there is no strict rule for the maximum or ideal length. However, it's generally recommended to keep URLs concise, descriptive, and user-friendly. Here are some guidelines to consider:
Descriptive and Relevant: A URL should give users and search engines a clear idea of what the page is about. Including relevant keywords or a brief description of the content can help improve understanding and visibility.
Concise and Readable: Aim for shorter URLs that are easy to read and remember. Long, complex URLs can be confusing and difficult to share. Use hyphens (-) to separate words within the URL safe-ways and avoid using unnecessary characters, numbers, or special characters.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: While it's important to include relevant keywords, avoid keyword stuffing in URLs. Maintain a natural flow and readability, and prioritize clarity over excessive keyword usage.
Maintain Consistency: Consistency in URL structure can benefit both users and search engines. Use a consistent format throughout your website, which can include using lowercase letters, eliminating unnecessary parameters, and organizing URLs in a logical and hierarchical manner.
-
@calvinkj Always analyze your competitors and analyze the length of their URLs.
Most people do big mistake and add long tail keyword in URL which isn't a good SEO practice.
I always add max. 4-5 words in URL for my site articles and in some articles where search volume is relatively lower, I do add more words but the best practice is have the shorter URL as possible.
Again, competitor analysis is the key
-
Some experience from words and hypehns in domain names
I used a hyphenated site www.octopus-energy-referral.co.uk and it is not doing too well compared to the non-hyphenated name. Similarly I have a site www.octopuscode.co.uk and it is doing really well compared to the hyphenated name because is is short and has fewer key words..
I know this is not a forensic comparison but I believe a non-hyphenated short name with fewer keywords is best if you have a choice.. -
If you haven't read this yet, please do (best practices for URLs).
So, it's a combination of things. As Devi Allen said, less is more. You want to use (and not over-use) descriptive words, separated by hyphens, "keeping URLs as simple, relevant, compelling, and accurate as possible". "To correctly render in all browsers, URLs must be shorter than 2,083 characters."
Which is better, your URL or your competitors? They sound pretty close based on your description but what matters is the actual words used in the URL, the site structure represented by that construct, whether the words truly represent what a visitor will find on the page, and whether the page content will provide visitors with the information they came looking for. URL length is but one of many factors that go into determining whether you or your competitor will rank higher.
-
You already answer it, less word is better.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Do we lose Backlinks and Domain Authority of URL when we change domain Name?
Have 1 performing domain (Monthly - 4M visitor ) now we want to change domain name ( Brand name like SEOMOZ to Moz ). I have general knowledge about domain changing prevention tips like 301 redirection and other thing. My concern is about backlinks and DA. How can I prevent any lose from SEO Point of view. (backlink lose) Do I need to change all backlink form source or redirection is enough to get all reference traffic from that backlinks?
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | HuptechWebseo0 -
Hiding Elements on Mobile. Will this effect SEO.
Hey guys and gals, I am hiding elements with @media sizes on the mobile experience for this site. http://prepacademyschools.org/ My question is when hiding elements from mobile, will this have a negative effect on rankings for mobile and or desktop? Right now it is a hero banner and testimonial. My interest is because I feel responsive is now working against conversions when it comes to mobile because desktop typically has the same info several times where mobile it can be repetitive and only needed once. Thanks,
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | brightvessel1 -
My indexed site URL removed from google search without get any message or Manual Actions???
On Agust 2 or 3.. I'm not sure about the exact date...
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | newwaves
The main URL of my website https://new-waves.net/ had been completely removed from Google search results! without getting any messages or Manual Actions on search console ?? but I'm still can find some of my site subpages in search results and on Google local maps results when I tried to check it on google
info:new-waves.net >> no results
site:new-waves.net >> only now I can see the main URL in results because I had submitted it again and again to google but it might be deleted again today or tomorrow as that happen before last few days
100% of all ranked keywords >> my site URL new-waves.net had been completely removed from all results! but I'm still can see it on maps on some results I never get any penalties to my site on Google search console. I noticed some drops on some keywords before that happens (in June and July) but it all of it was related to web design keywords for local Qatar, but all other keywords that related to SEO and digital marketing were not have any changes and been on top My site was ranked number 1 on google search results for "digital marketing qatar" and some other keywords, but the main URL had been removed from 100% of all search results. but you can still see it on the map only. I just tried to submit it again to Google and to index it through google search console tool but still not get any results, Recently, based on google console, I found some new links but I have no idea how it been added to links of my website:
essay-writing-hub.com - 9,710
tiverton-market.co.uk - 252
facianohaircare.com - 48
prothemes.biz - 44
worldone.pw - 2
slashdot.org - 1
onwebmarketing.com - 1 the problem is that all my high PR real links deleted from google console as well although it still have my site link and it could be recognized by MOZ and other sites! Can any one help to know what is the reason?? and how can I solve this issue without losing my previous ranked keywords? Can I submit a direct message to google support or customer service to know the reason or get help on this issue? Thanks & Regards0 -
URL Masking or Cloaking?
Hi Guy's, On our webshop we link from our menu to categories were we want to rank on in Google. Because the menu is sitewide i guess Google finds the categories in the menu important and meaby let them score better (onside links) The problem that i'm facing with is that we make difference in Gender. In the menu we have: Man and Woman. Links from the menu go to: /categorie?gender=1/ and /category?gender=2/. But we don't want to score on gender but on the default URL. For example: Focus keyword = Shoes Menu Man link: /shoes?gender=1 Menu Woman link: /shoes?gender=2 But we only want to rank on /shoes/. But that URL is not placed in the menu. Every URL with: "?" has a follow noindex. So i was thinking to make a link in the menu, on man and woman: /shoes/, but on mouse down (program it that way) ?=gender. Is this cloaking for Google? What we also could do is make a canonical to the /shoes/ page. But i don't know if we get intern linking value on ?gender pages that have a canonical. Hope it makes senses 🙂 Advises are also welcome, such as: Place al the default URL's in the footer.
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | Happy-SEO0 -
Negative SEO Click Bot Lowering My CTR?
I am questioning whether one of our competitors is using a click bot to do negative SEO on our CTR for our industry's main term. Is there any way to detect this activity? Background: We've previously been hit by DoS attacks from this competitor, so I'm sure their ethics/morals wouldn't prevent them from doing negative SEO. We sell an insurance product that is only offered through broker networks (insurance agents) not directly by the insurance carriers themselves. However, our suspect competitor (another agency) and insurance carriers are the only ones who rank on the 1st page for our biggest term. I don't think the carrier sites would do very well since they don't even sell the product directly (they have pages w/ info only) Our site and one other agency site pops onto the bottom of page one periodically, only to be bumped back to page 2. I fear they are using a click bot that continuously bounces us out of page 1...then we do well relatively to the other pages on page 2 and naturally earn our way back to page 1, only to be pushed back to page 2 by the negative click seo...is my theory. Is there anything I can do to research whether my theory is right or if I'm just being paranoid?
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | TheDude0 -
Forcing Google to Crawl a Backlink URL
I was surprised that I couldn't find much info on this topic, considering that Googlebot must crawl a backlink url in order to process a disavow request (ie Penguin recovery and reconsideration requests). My trouble is that we recently received a great backlink from a buried page on a .gov domain and the page has yet to be crawled after 4 months. What is the best way to nudge Googlebot into crawling the url and discovering our link?
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | Choice0 -
Why does expired domains still work for SEO?
Hi everyone I’ve been doing an experiment during more than 1 year to try to see if its possible to buy expired domains. I know its considered black hat, but like I said, I wanted to experiment, that is what SEO is about. What I did was to buy domains that just expired, immediately added content on a WP setup, filled it with relevant content to the expired domain and then started building links to other relevant sites from these domains.( Here is a pretty good post on how to do, and I did it in a similar way. http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2297718/How-to-Build-Links-Using-Expired-Domains ) This is nothing new and SEO:s has been doing it for along time. There is a lot of rumors around the SEO world that the domains becomes worthless after they expire. But after trying it out during more than 1 year and with about 50 different expired domains I can conclude that it DOES work, 100% of the time. Some of the domains are of course better than others, but I cannot see any signs of the expired domains or the sites i link to has been punished by Google. The sites im liking to ranks great ONLY with those links 🙂 So to the question: WHY does Google allow this? They should be able to see that a domain has been expired right? And if its expired, why dont they just “delete” all the links to that domain after the expiry date? Google is well aware of this problem so what is stopping them? Is there any one here that know how this works technically?
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | Sir0 -
Does posting on Craigslist damage our SEO or reuptation?
We have a website that's a single person barbershop. She has been promoting on Craigslist, and that is outranking the website in the SERPs. However, the craigslist results showing up are actually expired and don't link to anything. They just seem to be cached by Craigslist. My question is, is Craigslist considered to generally not be a good avenue for directing inbound links for services on your site? Or is it a good strategy to use Craigslist to build link traffic for service businesses? I get mixed responses when I search for this. Thanks eYtdHtg.png
White Hat / Black Hat SEO | | smallpotatoes0