URL structure

URL structure describes how the addresses of a website are organised: how deep pages sit, which words the path contains, and whether the same content is reachable under more than one address. It determines which page collects the value of an incoming link.

Why this decides whether a link works

A link points at one specific address. If that address redirects, is a variant with parameters, or is a duplicate of the real page, part of the effect is lost along the way. Pointing links at the wrong URL is quiet and common, and nothing in the reporting will flag it.

The three checks before booking

Does the target URL load directly without a redirect. Is it the version the site treats as canonical. And is it the address that already ranks for the term you care about. If a redirect chain sits in front of it, fix that before the placement goes live, not after.

What makes a structure sound

Short paths, readable words instead of identifiers, one address per piece of content, and no unnecessary nesting. The practical benefit is not that Google prefers pretty URLs, it is that a clear structure makes duplicates and redirect chains visible.

The honest limitation

Changing URL structure on an existing site is risky. Every changed address needs a redirect, and every missed one loses what it had. If the current structure works, leave it alone.

Choose your target page when booking.

Related: indexing · duplicate content · anchor text