What is a URL? The Address of the Web Explained
A simple explanation of what a URL consists of, its structure (protocol, domain, path), and why clean URLs matter for SEO and users.
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is simply the address of a unique resource on the Web. Just like your home address tells a mail carrier exactly where to deliver a package, a URL tells your browser exactly where to find a specific page, image, or video.
The Anatomy of a URL 🧬
Let's break down this example:https://www.sitecheck.io/blog/what-is-a-url?source=newsletter
- Protocol (
https://): This tells the browser how to communicate. HTTPS is the secure standard (ensuring data is encrypted). - Subdomain (
www.orblog.): A specialized section of the site.wwwis the most common, but it's optional in modern web design. - Domain Name (
sitecheck.io): The unique name of the website. This is what you buy from a registrar. - Path (
/blog/what-is-a-url): The specific route to the page file or folder on the server. - Parameters (
?source=newsletter): Data appended to the end (after a?) to pass information, often used for tracking where a visitor came from.
Why URL Structure Matters 🚦
1. User Experience (UX)
A clean URL like example.com/pricing is easy to remember and type. A messy URL like example.com/index.php?id=432&cat=9 is not.
2. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Search engines read URLs to understand what a page is about.
- Good URLs contain keywords:
/shoes/running-shoes - Bad URLs contain gibberish:
/p12345
Pro Tip: Always use hyphens (-) to separate words in a URL, not underscores (_).
Absolute vs. Relative URLs
- Absolute: The full address (
https://example.com/image.jpg). Used for external links. - Relative: The path from the current folder (
/image.jpg). Used for internal links to keep code clean and portable.
Is your URL structure holding you back? Messy URLs can confuse crawlers and users alike. Run a free scan with Sitecheck to identify URL issues, broken links, and redirect chains.