URLs should be human-readable and descriptive so you can signal page content to both users and search engines while improving click-through rates.
Plan your site structure before creating pages: you organize content into logical folders, keep depth shallow (preferably no more than two or three levels), and use short, meaningful segments so your URLs reflect your site hierarchy and make navigation intuitive for your visitors.
When you create slugs, include the main keyword near the beginning, keep the slug concise (5-7 words max), and use hyphens to separate words; hyphens improve readability and are preferred by search engines over underscores or spaces.
Make all URLs lowercase to avoid duplicate-content issues on case-sensitive servers, strip unnecessary stop words only when clarity is preserved, and avoid keyword stuffing; a natural, descriptive phrase performs better than a long list of keywords.
Prefer static, clean URLs over long query strings and session IDs; if parameters are unavoidable, consolidate or canonicalize pages to prevent indexation of near-duplicate content. Remove file extensions like .php or .html unless your CMS requires them so links stay stable if you change technology.
Use HTTPS for all pages to protect users and avoid mixed-content problems, implement 301 redirects when you change or delete URLs to transfer ranking signals, and update internal links and your XML sitemap immediately after URL changes so crawlers find the new addresses quickly.
Implement canonical tags on similar pages to declare the preferred URL, and use hreflang attributes for language or regional variations so you avoid cross-targeting issues; these tags guide search engines when multiple versions exist.
Test new URLs in a staging environment, submit sitemaps to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, monitor crawl errors and impressions, and fix broken links promptly; regular audits keep your URL strategy aligned with SEO goals and user experience.
Quick checklist: plan a shallow hierarchy, write short descriptive slugs with hyphens and keywords, use lowercase and HTTPS, minimize parameters, apply 301 redirects and canonical tags when needed, and keep sitemaps and internal links updated so your URLs remain SEO-friendly and user-focused.
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