# How to Create SEO-Friendly URLs
In the world of digital marketing, your URL is more than just a web address; it is a vital signal to both Google and your potential customers about what a page contains. A well-structured URL can improve your click-through rates and help your Brisbane business climb the search engine results pages (SERPs).
When your URLs are messy, filled with random numbers, or overly long, search engines struggle to categorise your content, and users are less likely to trust the link. This guide will walk you through the exact process of creating SEO-friendly URLs that drive results.
Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure you have:- Access to your website’s Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace.
- A list of target keywords for the page you are optimising.
- A basic understanding of your site’s hierarchy.
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Step 1: Start with Your Primary Keyword
Every page on your website should target a specific primary keyword. Your URL is one of the most important places to include it. If you are a plumber in Chermside, and your page is about emergency repairs, your URL should reflect that. What you should see: In your CMS editor, look for a field labelled "Slug" or "URL Handle". This is the part of the URL that comes after your domain name (e.g.,yourbusiness.com.au/this-is-the-slug).
Step 2: Use Hyphens to Separate Words
Search engines read hyphens as spaces, but they do not recognise underscores or actual spaces. If you usebrisbane_marketing_services, Google sees it as one long word.
Action: Always use a hyphen (-) between words.
- Correct:
lmgroup.au/seo-services-brisbane - Incorrect:
lmgroup.au/seo_services_brisbaneorlmgroup.au/seoservicesbrisbane
Step 3: Keep it Short and Sweet
While it is tempting to include every detail, shorter URLs are generally better for SEO and user experience. They are easier to copy, paste, and share on social media. Aim for 3 to 5 words where possible. Pro Tip: If your blog post title is "10 Amazing Ways to Optimise Your Local Business Website in 2024", your URL should simply be/optimise-local-business-website.
Step 4: Remove "Stop Words"
Stop words are common words like "a", "an", "the", "and", "or", and "but". These add length to your URL without providing any SEO value. Search engines usually ignore them anyway. Example:- Original:
/how-to-bake-the-best-meat-pie-in-australia - Optimised:
/bake-best-meat-pie-australia
Step 5: Stick to Lowercase Letters
Technically, URLs can be case-sensitive depending on the server configuration. To avoid any risk of 404 errors or duplicate content issues, always use lowercase letters. Warning: Some servers treatlmgroup.au/Contact and lmgroup.au/contact as two different pages. Using all lowercase is a universal best practice that prevents technical headaches.
Step 6: Avoid Dates and Years
Unless you are a news site, avoid putting dates in your URLs. If you write an article titled "Top SEO Trends for 2023" and the URL is/seo-trends-2023, the content will look outdated by 2024.
Action: Use a generic URL like /top-seo-trends. This allows you to update the content every year without having to change the URL and set up redirects.
Step 7: Match the URL to the Page Title
There should be a natural connection between your H1 page title and the URL. If a user clicks a link for "Brisbane Web Design," they expect to see those words in the address bar. This builds trust and confirms they are in the right place.Step 8: Limit Folder Depth
Your URL structure should reflect your site hierarchy, but don't go too deep. Too many subfolders (slashes) can make the page seem less important to Google. Comparison:- Good:
yourshop.com.au/mens-boots/rm-williams - Too Deep:
yourshop.com.au/products/footwear/mens/boots/leather/rm-williams
Step 9: Use HTTPS for Security
While not strictly a "slug" issue, the prefix of your URL matters. Google has confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal. Ensure your Australian business has a valid SSL certificate so your URL starts withhttps:// rather than http://.
Step 10: Avoid Dynamic Parameters
If your URL looks likeyoursite.com.au/p=123?id=456, it is not SEO-friendly. These are known as dynamic URLs. Most modern CMS platforms allow you to change these to "Pretty Permalinks."
What you should see: In WordPress, go to Settings > Permalinks and ensure "Post name" is selected instead of "Plain."
Step 11: Future-Proof Your Structure
Think about where this page fits in your long-term strategy. If you plan to expand your services across Queensland, don't use a structure that limits you. Example: Using/brisbane/plumbing is great for local SEO, but if you eventually service the Gold Coast, ensure your site structure can accommodate /gold-coast/plumbing without breaking the logic of your site.
Step 12: Review and Redirect (If Necessary)
If you are changing an existing URL to make it more SEO-friendly, you must set up a 301 redirect. Warning: If you changeold-page to new-seo-friendly-page without a redirect, any existing links to the old page (from other websites or social media) will lead to a 404 error, and you will lose your hard-earned SEO authority.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Keyword Stuffing: Don't use
/brisbane-marketing-brisbane-seo-brisbane-agency. It looks like spam to Google. - Using Special Characters: Avoid using emojis, hashs (#), or brackets in your URLs. They can break certain browsers and are hard for search engines to crawl.
- Changing URLs Frequently: Every time you change a URL, there is a risk of a temporary dip in rankings. Get it right the first time.
Troubleshooting
- My URL has random numbers at the end: This often happens in WordPress if you have two pages with the same name (e.g.,
/services-2). Check your "Bin" or "Trash" folder and permanently delete the old page to reclaim the clean URL. - The URL is too long to display in Google: If your URL is over 75 characters, it may get truncated in search results. Try to keep your slugs under 5 words.
- My CMS won't let me change the URL: Some platforms have restrictions on "System Pages" (like cart or checkout). Focus your efforts on your home, service, and blog pages instead.
Next Steps
Now that your URLs are clean and optimised, it's time to look at the content on those pages.- Optimise your Meta Titles and Descriptions.
- Ensure your H1 tags match your new URL keywords.
- Check your internal linking to ensure you are using the new, correct URLs.
Need help auditing your website's SEO structure? The team at Local Marketing Group is here to help Brisbane businesses grow. Contact us today for a comprehensive SEO audit.