The link between URL length and SEO


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In the video series – Ask Googlebot, which can be found on YouTube, Muller answered the question of whether short URLs have a positive effect on SEO or is it just a myth.

The effect of URL on SEO

Muller noted that the direct answer is that the length of the URL does not affect SEO operations. Google treats the URL as an ID and it does not matter what its length is. However he noted that he was trying to keep the address shorter than 1,000 characters but only to facilitate monitoring. Muller further noted that the number of cross-sections of the URL does not matter.

From this response it can be understood that the length of the URL does not matter even though many think otherwise. All of this is relevant except for one situation. The only area in Google's ranking systems where URL length can play a role is in canonization. When there are several similar addresses with the same content, Google will combine all the signals from all the pages into one address.

When does Google refer to URL length?

As early as 2019, the recommendation was to create URLs so that there would be up to 1,000 characters. Müller points out that in this way it is easier to keep track of the data. He now points out that the length of the URL does not affect the promotion results but in a canonical address where the length can indeed decide which of the URLs they will choose to appear in a higher place.

Muller noted that he is aware of only one part of the system in which URL length plays a role and is canonization. Canonization is the result of copying multiple pages on the website and then Google has to select one address to be added to the index. If the system finds one short and clear address, it will probably choose one over the others. At the same time, Muller clarifies that canonization has nothing to do with ranking.

URL length can affect visibility

The length of the URL may affect the visibility of the search section but not the ranking. Therefore, it is possible to summarize the issue and say that when it comes to ranking the site, the length of the address and the number of sections does not matter. We need to use an address structure that works best for us and that can be preserved in the long run.

Muller puts an end to the myth that the length of the URL affects the site's promotion and he even points out that cutting the address may lead to wasting no time at all.


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