Skip to main content

SEO Issues: Poorly Formatted URLs

Mike Kamo
  • Updated

Ubersuggest's Site Audit tool is designed to help website owners identify and fix SEO issues. One key recommendation from the Site Audit is addressing "Poorly Formatted URLs for SEO." This article guides beginner SEOs in understanding, identifying, and resolving this issue using Ubersuggest.

Understanding Poorly Formatted URLs for SEO

A "Poorly Formatted URL for SEO" refers to a web address (URL) that doesn't adhere to recommended SEO practices. It may have elements that lower a website's search engine ranking potential. Several factors should be considered for SEO-friendly URLs:

  • URL Length: URLs should be concise, ideally under 120 characters.
  • Relevance: The wording in the URL should be directly related to the content of the web page.
  • Symbols and Underscores: Avoid using symbols and underscores within the URL slug.
  • Session IDs: Remove session IDs from URLs.
  • Complex Sub-Folders: Limit the number of sub-folders in the URL structure.

Why Poorly Formatted URLs Are Bad for SEO?

Google considers URLs as one of the ranking factors. Poorly formatted URLs can negatively affect a website's SEO performance. Here’s why:

  • Lengthy URLs can be less user-friendly and harder to remember.
  • Irrelevant or confusing wording in URLs may affect click-through rates from search results.
  • Symbols and underscores can make URLs less readable for both users and search engines.
  • Session IDs and excessive sub-folders can complicate the website's structure, potentially leading to crawl issues.

How to Identify Poorly Formatted URLs Using Ubersuggest?

To find poorly formatted URLs using Ubersuggest:

  1. Access the Site Audit Tool: Log in to Ubersuggest and navigate to the Site Audit tool.
  2. Crawl Your Website: Run a crawl of your website using the Site Audit feature.
  3. Review Recommendations: Look for the "Poorly Formatted URL for SEO" errors in the list of recommendations.
  4. Examine Specific Examples: Click on the error to see specific examples and the affected URLs on your website.

Common URL Issues Checked by Ubersuggest

Characters Check

Ubersuggest examines URLs to ensure they meet Google's recommendations. Ideally, URLs should only contain:

  • Uppercase and lowercase Latin characters
  • Digits
  • Dashes

Any symbols or special characters may be flagged as issues.

Dynamic Check

The tool searches for dynamic parameters within URLs. URLs with dynamic characters, such as question marks and equal signs (e.g., https://example.com/some_url.php?adsasd=5), can make URLs less readable for both users and search engines. Ubersuggest identifies these dynamic parameters.

Keywords Check

This test assesses the consistency of the page's URL with meta tag keywords. If the keywords tag is empty or absent, Ubersuggest compares the URL with the content of the <title> tag to ensure relevance and consistency.

 

Fixing Poorly Formatted URLs for SEO

Characters Check (Symbols)

  • Replace any symbols or special characters in the URL with dashes (-), which are SEO-friendly.
  • Ensure that URLs contain only uppercase and lowercase Latin characters, digits, and dashes.

Dynamic Check (Dynamic Parameters)

  • Modify dynamic URLs to create static, human-readable versions.
  • Use descriptive words in URLs instead of parameter-driven strings.
  • Implement URL rewriting techniques to make dynamic URLs more user- and SEO-friendly.

Keywords Check (Consistency with Meta Tags)

  • Ensure that the page's URL aligns with the meta tag keywords or the content of the <title> tag.
  • If the keywords tag is empty or missing, add relevant keywords to the meta tags.
  • Optimize content to include relevant keywords that reflect the page's content.

Benefits of Well-Formatted URLs

By addressing these issues and following the suggested solutions, the formatting of URLs can be improved, enhancing a website's SEO performance. Well-structured and SEO-friendly URLs contribute to better search engine rankings and user experience.

Pro Tips for URL Optimization

  • Keep URLs Short and Descriptive: Aim for URLs under 120 characters.
  • Avoid Stop Words: Remove unnecessary words like "and," "or," and "but."
  • Use Hyphens: Separate words with hyphens for better readability.
  • Maintain Consistency: Ensure a consistent URL structure across the site.

 

For more information on creating SEO-friendly URLs, check out this article by Neil Patel.