What Is a URL? Meaning, Structure, and Optimization Tips

What Is a URL?

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the web address of an internet resource, like a webpage.

You can see the URL of the webpage you’re on in the address bar at the top of your browser’s window.

URLs are important. Because they help users access the webpage they want to view.

Plus, if you’re doing SEO, they can help you set up your website for SEO success by providing information to search engines about the content and purpose of a webpage.

So they can rank it appropriately.

In this post, you’ll learn how URLs are structured and how to optimize them for better search engine rankings.

Let’s start.

URL Structure Explained

The structure of a URL breaks down into seven distinct parts. Like this:

1. Protocol

The protocol tells your browser how to connect to a webpage.

It could be HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) or HTTPS (HTTP secure).

The main difference between the two is that HTTPS encrypts and protects any data transmitted between the server and browser.

So when users interact with your site, their sensitive information (like login and credit card details) is safe from attackers.

Websites that show a lock icon in the address bar are using HTTPS.

Whereas websites that show a “Not Secure” warning in the address bar are using HTTP.

2. Subdomain

A subdomain is a string of letters or a complete word that appears before a URL’s first dot.

The most popular subdomain is www. It stands for World Wide Web, communicating that the URL is a web address.

In the past,...