URL stands for “Uniform Resource Locator”. It is the web address that you enter into your browser to reach a page. Think of it as a digital roadmap that indicates where a specific webpage or file is located on the internet.
In this article, we dive deeper into the structure of a URL, the various components, and why they are important for both users and search engines.
What is a website URL?
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the unique web address of a website, webpage, or file on the internet. It not only determines how visitors find your website but also plays an important role in SEO and branding. A well-chosen URL can improve your website’s online visibility and strengthen your brand.
Suppose you enter https://my.host/ in your browser – you will then land on the website’s homepage. However, if you type https://my.host/webhosting/ in, you navigate directly to the page with hosting packages. Both are URLs, but they lead to different parts of the website.
While you as a visitor probably don’t think much about URLs, it is essential to pay attention to them if you manage or want to create a website. A well-structured URL not only helps your website rank better in search engines but also makes it easier for visitors to find and remember your content.
The 3 most important components of a URL
To fully understand what a URL is, let’s look at the three core components that make up a URL.
1. The protocol
The first part of a URL is the protocol, something many people overlook because it is often not visible in the address bar (unless you click on it).
Take the URL https://my.host/webhosting/ as an example. The bold part “https” is the protocol. This plays a critical role in the security of a website. HTTPS indicates that the website has an SSL certificate, which means that data such as passwords and payment information are transmitted securely. You recognize this by the padlock in the browser bar.
Websites without a padlock run on the outdated HTTP protocol, which is less secure. Fortunately, most websites today use HTTPS. Want to secure your own website with HTTPS? This is easy and free to arrange via Let’s Encrypt, which my.host offers.
2. The domain name
Let’s look at our example URL again:
https://my.host/webhosting/
The bold part is the most recognizable part of a URL: the domain name. In this case, it’s my.host. Enter this in your browser, and you will land directly on the homepage (unless you add an extra path).
A domain name consists of two parts:
- The name of the website – in this case, my
- The Top-Level Domain (TLD) – in this case, .host
Sometimes this component also includes www. You might wonder what this means. This is not part of the domain name itself but a matter of server configuration. You can choose to have your website work with or without “www.” It doesn’t affect SEO. However, it’s important to remain consistent in your choice, as switching between with and without www. can cause issues for your search engine rankings.
Additionally, the TLD plays an important role. Not all extensions are equal. For a Dutch website, .nl is often the best choice, as it directly indicates that you are targeting a Dutch audience.
Want to learn more about choosing and registering a domain name? Check out our guide on this topic.
3. The path
Every page within a website has a unique URL. Let’s look at our example URL again:
https://my.host/webhosting/
Everything after the TLD (.host) is known as the path. This path indicates which specific page you land on. The last part of the URL is also known as the slug, a term you may encounter in WordPress.
In WordPress, you can customize the slug, but there are a few best practices:
- Keep the slug short (ideally 3-5 words)
- Use relevant keywords that you want to be found for
- Avoid using years – otherwise, your page may seem outdated over time
Some websites add extra folders to their URL structure, such as /products/webhosting/. Although some believe this is better for SEO, Google has confirmed that a flat URL structure (such as /what-is-url/ without extra subfolders) scores just as well in search results.
By following these guidelines, you ensure a well-structured and SEO-friendly URL that helps both search engines and visitors find your content.
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