Can we have underscores in URL without it affecting our website’s SEO? This is a question that has puzzled a lot of website owners and online businesses. If you’re someone who’s recently invested in building your very own website, then you’re probably curious as to how Google and other search engines rank pages with underscores in their URLs. Does it really have a negative impact on your website’s overall search rankings? Well, it’s time to put this debate to rest and get some clarity on whether having underscores in URLs is a good or bad thing.
Underscores have been a part of URLs for quite a while now, but many people still question their impact on SEO. Some believe that it can lower your website’s ranking on Google, while others think it has no effect at all. The truth is, search engines prefer the use of hyphens in URLs as it makes it easier for them to read and interpret. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that having underscores will damage your SEO efforts. There are certain instances where underscores can actually be beneficial, especially when it comes to readability and user experience.
So can we have underscores in URLs? The answer is yes, we can! While it’s true that hyphens are the preferred choice when it comes to optimizing URL structure, there’s no reason why you can’t incorporate underscores as well. Ultimately, it all comes down to what works best for your website and your specific content needs. As long as you make sure to keep your URLs consistent and relevant to your page content, then you have nothing to fear.
Benefits of Using Underscores in URLs
When it comes to creating URLs for your website, there are two common ways to separate words: hyphens (-) and underscores (_). While both options are acceptable, there are some advantages to using underscores in your URLs.
- Improved Readability: Underscores make it easier for humans to read the individual words in a URL. Hyphens can sometimes blend in with the words themselves, making it harder to differentiate between them.
Underscores are recognized by search engines as word separators. This means that they can help increase the visibility of your pages on search engines. If your URL includes an image file extension like .jpg or .png, using hyphens can cause confusion with the search engine. Underscores help search engines differentiate between file names and the actual words in the URL. Keep in mind that while underscores can be beneficial for SEO purposes, they should be used in moderation. Overuse of underscores can actually harm your SEO efforts and make your URLs more difficult to read. As with any SEO strategy, it’s important to strike a balance between user experience and search engine recognition.
Here is a table comparing the use of hyphens and underscores in a sample URL:
URL Hyphenated Underscored www.examplewebsite.com/benefits-of-using-underscores-in-urls ✓ www.examplewebsite.com/benefits_of_using_underscores_in_urls ✓ As you can see, both options are valid and can work well for your website. However, using underscores can provide some added benefits when it comes to readability and search engine recognition.
Drawbacks of Using Underscores in URLs
While underscores may seem like a practical choice for separating words in a URL, they come with several drawbacks that can negatively impact your online presence:
- Underscores are not easy to read or remember. Unlike hyphens, which create clear separation between words, underscores blend in and can cause confusion for users trying to remember or type in your URL.
- Underscores can cause issues with search engines. Google and other search engines typically treat underscores as connectors between parts of a single word, rather than as separators between individual words. This means that your URL with underscores may not be parsed correctly or may be treated as a single word, making it harder to rank for targeted keywords.
- Underscores can cause problems with social media sharing. When you share a URL on social media platforms, such as Twitter or LinkedIn, your URL may get truncated or cut off if it contains underscores. This can cause your link to appear broken or incomplete, reducing click-through rates and damaging your online reputation.
Impact on SEO
As mentioned earlier, using underscores in URLs can cause issues with search engine optimization (SEO). Because search engines treat underscores as connectors between parts of a single word, using them in your URLs means that your targeted keywords may not be recognized or parsed correctly. This can have a negative impact on your search rankings and make it harder for users to find your website in organic search results.
In addition, URLs with underscores can be harder for search engines to remember and index, leading to potential crawling issues. By using hyphens instead of underscores in your URLs, you can create clearer separation between words and make it easier for search engines to understand your content and index it accordingly.
Alternatives to Underscores
If you want to create SEO-friendly URLs that are easy to remember and share, consider using hyphens instead of underscores. Hyphens provide clear separation between words and are recognized as word separators by search engines. In addition to hyphens, you can also use camel case (i.e., CapitalizingTheFirstLetterOfEachWord) or simply concatenating words together (i.e., no-separators) to create user-friendly URLs.
Conclusion
Underscores Hyphens Not easy to read or remember Clear separation between words Can cause issues with search engines and social media sharing SEO-friendly and easy to remember/share In short, using underscores in URLs may seem like an easy solution, but it can cause issues with SEO, social media sharing, and user readability. By using hyphens or other word separators, you can create URLs that are easy to read, remember, and share, while also improving your search rankings and online reputation.
Importance of URL structure for SEO
URL structure is one of the key elements in search engine optimization. It not only tells search engines what your web page is about but also helps to provide a better user experience. By having a well-structured URL, you can easily communicate your content to both search engine crawlers and users. Below, we’ll discuss the importance of URL structure for SEO in detail.
Why is URL structure important?
- Search engines use URL structure to understand the content and context of a web page.
- A well-structured URL is easy to read and remember for users.
- A well-structured URL can help to improve the of page click-through rates (CTR).
What makes a good URL structure for SEO?
A good URL structure for SEO is simple, descriptive, and consistent. Here are some tips to consider when creating SEO-friendly URLs:
- Avoid using special characters like underscores in URLs. Instead, use hyphens to separate words.
- Use short and descriptive URLs that provide insight into the content of the page.
- Include targeted keywords in your URLs, but don’t overdo it. Keyword stuffing in URLs can be considered spammy by search engines.
- Avoid dynamic URLs that include session IDs or query parameters. These URLs can confuse search engine bots and users.
Can we have underscores in URLs?
The short answer is yes, you can use underscores in URLs. However, it is not recommended for SEO purposes. Google has stated that hyphens are the preferred word separator in URLs, and using underscores can cause confusion for search engines. If you have existing URLs that use underscores, it may be worthwhile to consider changing them to hyphens for better SEO results.
Underscores in URLS Hyphens in URLs domain.com/seo_guide/what_is_seo.html domain.com/seo-guide/what-is-seo.html domain.com/page_123.html domain.com/page-123.html As shown in the table above, using hyphens in URLs can make them more readable and SEO friendly. It’s important to keep in mind that while URL structure is an important factor in SEO, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Other factors like providing quality content and building backlinks are also crucial for improving your search engine rankings.
Best practices for optimizing URLs
In the world of digital marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) is integral to the success of any website. And one of the most basic and important aspects of SEO is optimizing URLs. URLs are the web addresses that give the location of a web page, and optimizing them is essential to improving site traffic and user experience. Here are some best practices for optimizing URLs.
Using hyphens or underscores in URLs?
- Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_) in URLs because hyphens act as a word separator in URLs while underscores don’t.
- Underscores can cause problems in URLs, especially when used between words, because they can be read by search engines as a combined word instead of separate words.
- However, if you’ve already used underscores in URLs on an existing site, it’s best not to change them all at once as this can cause broken links and negatively affect SEO. Instead, gradually change them as you update your site.
Avoid using numbers in URLs
Using numbers in URLs can make them look less informative and difficult to understand. It’s better to use words to convey the content of the page or post.
Keep URLs short and descriptive
Short and descriptive URLs are easier to understand and remember. By including important keywords in the URL, search engines can better understand what the page is about and rank it accordingly. A good URL structure should explain what a page is about in a concise and clear manner.
Use a consistent URL structure
Consistency Example Lowercase letters only www.example.com/my-page No underscores or special characters www.example.com/my-page Use only one or two subfolders www.example.com/folder/my-page Having a consistent URL structure makes it easier for search engines to crawl your site and understand the hierarchy of your pages. A good URL structure should be organized and logical, making it easier for users to navigate your site. By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to optimizing your URLs and improving your site’s overall SEO.
Common URL Mistakes to Avoid
When it comes to creating URLs for your website, it’s important to be careful and avoid common mistakes that could negatively impact your SEO and user experience. One common mistake is using underscores in your URLs.
Underscores, also known as low lines, are often used in place of spaces to separate words in file names and URLs. While they may seem harmless, using underscores in URLs can actually cause problems.
Can We Have Underscores in URLs?
- Difficult to read: Underscores can make your URLs difficult to read, especially if you have multiple words in the URL. For example, www.example.com/this_is_a_long_url can be hard to read and understand at a glance compared to www.example.com/this-is-a-long-url.
- Not user-friendly: Underscores can be especially problematic for mobile users or users with disabilities who rely on screen readers. Users may accidentally click on part of the URL they did not intend to because of the underscores.
- Not SEO-friendly: Google and other search engines see underscores as connecting two words, making it difficult for them to understand where one word ends and where another begins. This can negatively impact your SEO and make it harder for your website to rank for those keywords.
- Best Practices: The best practice for creating URLs is to use hyphens (-) instead of underscores. This not only makes your URLs more readable and user-friendly but also makes it easier for search engines to understand the structure of your URLs. Additionally, keep your URLs short and concise, avoiding unnecessary words or characters.
Other Common URL Mistakes to Avoid
Aside from using underscores in your URLs, there are other common mistakes that you should avoid, such as:
- Using too many keywords in your URLs
- Using special characters such as %, &, *, and $.
- Using uppercase letters in your URLs
- Not using a canonical URL, which can cause duplicate content issues.
Conclusion
When it comes to creating URLs, it’s important to be mindful of the mistakes that could harm your SEO and user experience. Avoiding underscores and using hyphens instead is just one of the many best practices you should follow. By creating user-friendly and SEO-friendly URLs, you can help improve your website’s overall performance and user engagement.
Common URL Mistakes to Avoid Why it’s a mistake Best practice Using underscores Difficult to read, not user-friendly, not SEO-friendly Use hyphens instead Using too many keywords Can be seen as spammy by search engines Include only relevant keywords and keep it concise Using special characters Can break the URL and cause issues with link sharing Avoid using special characters in URLs Using uppercase letters Can cause confusion and broken links Use lowercase letters in URLs Not using a canonical URL Can cause duplicate content issues Use a canonical URL to indicate the preferred version of a URL Understanding dynamic vs. static URLs:
When it comes to URLs, there are two types: dynamic and static.
Static URLs are more favorable as they always remain the same, making them easier to read and optimize for search engines. Static URLs contain no special characters or symbols, such as underscores, and instead use hyphens to separate words. For example, a static URL would be “www.example.com/puppies-for-sale.”
On the other hand, dynamic URLs contain variables that change depending on multiple parameters, such as user input or database searches. Dynamic URLs often contain special characters, like underscores, to separate words. For example, a dynamic URL for a search query on “puppies” would look like “www.example.com/search?q=puppies.”
The Pros and Cons of Static vs. Dynamic URLs:
- Pros of Static URLs: Static URLs are more user-friendly, easier to read, and contain targeted keywords. They are also easier to optimize for search engines, improve overall site speed, and boost rankings and traffic.
- Cons of Static URLs: Static URLs are difficult to generate for databases with multiple parameters, and are hard to manage as the number of pages increase.
- Pros of Dynamic URLs: Dynamic URLs can easily handle multiple queries, provide better insights into user activity, and do not require constant modification, making them easier to manage.
- Cons of Dynamic URLs: Dynamic URLs are difficult to read, include irrelevant parameters in the URL, and negatively impact SEO rankings. They also require the web server to execute code, making them slower and less efficient compared to static URLs.
Can We Have Underscores in URLs?
Underscores, while not recommended, may still be used in URLs. However, you should note that Google treats underscores as word separators, which may have unintended consequences in search rankings.
Pros Cons Underscores make URLs easy to read, especially for users who are used to typing in underscores. Underscores cause issues when copy-pasting URLs as many browsers and operating systems automatically turn underscores into spaces. Underscores are useful for programming languages that use them as special characters, such as Python and Ruby. Underscores use more characters compared to hyphens, which results in longer URLs and may be detrimental to user experience. If possible, it is recommended to use hyphens in your URLs for better search rankings and user experience.
Impact of URL parameters on search engine rankings
URL parameters are additional pieces of information added to the URL of a webpage to serve a particular purpose. This could include parameters such as session IDs, tracking codes, and search queries. However, these parameters could affect the way search engines rank your webpage, and it’s essential to understand the impact of these parameters on your search engine rankings.
- Session IDs: When a user logs into a website, a unique session ID is created to help the server keep track of the user’s requests. URLs that contain session IDs dynamically change as a user navigates the site, which can result in thousands of URLs. This could overwhelm search engines’ crawlers and negatively impact the website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Tracking codes: When a website uses tracking codes to monitor user behavior, these codes can end up in the URL. While these codes can help website owners track their website’s performance, search engines may identify them as duplicate content and penalize the website’s ranking on SERPs.
- Search queries: When users search for a specific keyword on a website, the keyword ends up in the URL. While this could provide relevant information about the user’s interest to the website owner, it could also lead to duplicate content issues and penalties from search engines.
URL parameters could have both positive and negative impacts on a website’s search engine rankings. To minimize any negative impacts, it’s crucial to use canonical tags to inform search engines which URL should be indexed and avoid using session IDs, tracking codes, and search queries in the URL wherever possible.
To give you a better understanding of how URL parameters could impact your website’s ranking on SERPs, take a look at this table:
URL Parameter Positive Impact Negative Impact Session IDs None Duplicate content issues, reduced crawl budget Tracking Codes Improved analytics insights Duplicate content issues, reduced crawl budget Search Queries Improved user experience Duplicate content issues, reduced crawl budget Remember to keep your website’s URLs clean and relevant to the content on your website. Doing so will help search engines better understand your website’s content and boost your website’s ranking on search engine results pages.
FAQs: Can we have underscores in URL?
Q: Is it okay to use underscores in URL?
A: Yes, it is perfectly fine to use underscores in URL.Q: What is the difference between underscore and hyphen in URL?
A: Hyphens are more SEO-friendly and favored by Google. While underscores are also treated as spaces, which can sometimes lead to confusion.Q: Can underscores affect website ranking?
A: Using underscores in URLs doesn’t necessarily affect website ranking. However, sticking to a single URL format (underscore or hyphen) is recommended for better SEO.Q: Are there any limitations on the number of underscores in a URL?
A: No, there are no limitations on the number of underscores you can use in a URL.Q: Do all web browsers support underscores in URLs?
A: Yes, all modern web browsers support underscores in URLs.Q: Can underscores be used in domain names?
A: No, underscores are not allowed in domain names. Only hyphens are allowed.Q: Do underscores affect user experience of a website?
A: No, underscores don’t have any significant impact on users’ experience and readability of the URLs.Thanks For Reading!
Now you know that it’s perfectly fine to use underscores in URLs. While hyphens are more SEO-friendly, using underscores won’t harm your website’s ranking. Remember to stick to a single URL format for better SEO. If you have any more questions, feel free to revisit our website later for more informative articles.