I need help choosing the ideal URL structure for a multi-city directory. The current URL structure is /category which is okay because we are only in one geography. However, we're now expanding to other cities so we are reevaluating the best way of structuring the URL.
The three options I have are:
- Pro: Follows the user around with the city after the root (like language)
- Con: Possible short-term traffic loss. Build page authority on new URLs
- Pro: SEO Benefit for terms: {city category}
- example.com/city/ would have to be a URL and a general landing page. This would mean that /category would no longer exist
- The website is currently set-up with /category but is now expanding beyond Toronto
- Pro: /category would still exist so no short-term SEO issues
- Pro: SEO Benefit for terms: {general category}
- example.com/category/ is already a URL and would display results based on proximity
- example.com/category (geo recognizes city)
- Pro: Clean URL
- Con: We're not Ticketmaster
I was able to find major directory sites with very strong SEO doing it all three ways above.
City First
- https://www.yelp.ca/c/toronto/restaurants
- https://angel.co/r/toronto/marketing/jobs
- https://www.redflagdeals.com/in/toronto/deals/c/cell-phones/
- https://www.bizbash.com/new-york/venues
Category First
- https://eventup.com/venues/new-york-ny/
- https://www.yellowpages.ca/search/si/1/Restaurants/Toronto+ON
- https://www.weddingwire.ca/wedding-venues/ontario
- https://www.livenation.com/cities/130465/toronto-on
No City in URL
