Do domain URL variants or structures matter in SEO?

3 min readFeb 3, 2024

Understanding the intricacies of search engine optimization (SEO) can be the turning point between obscurity and visibility for anyone establishing an online presence. Website owners and digital marketers often ponder if a domain URL’s structure or variant impacts their SEO efforts. This blog post aims to unravel the nuances of domain URL variants and how they may influence your site’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Understanding Domain URL Variants

Before delving into the impact on SEO, let’s clarify what we mean by domain URL variants. It’s common to see web addresses with or without ‘www’ preceding the domain name, leading to the same website. Similarly, you might encounter URLs beginning with ‘http://' and others with ‘https://', the extra ‘s’ denoting a secure connection. There are also considerations, such as whether a URL ends with a trailing slash (‘/’) or not.

Understanding these variants is crucial:

WWW vs Non-WWW: Technically, subdomains like ‘www’ traditionally indicate a web server within a domain. Today, both Example Domain and Example Domain serve the same purpose — to bring up your website.
HTTP vs HTTPS: The HyperText Transfer Protocol (Secure) adds an encryption layer via SSL, which secures data transfer. Google has marked HTTPS as a ranking signal, prioritizing websites that provide security for their visitors.
Trailing Slashes: In web servers, a trailing slash indicates a directory, while its absence implies a file. Although search engines can interpret both, consistency is key.

Impact on SEO

While these different URL forms may seem insignificant, they can influence SEO in various ways. Here are some clarifications:

Search Engine Rankings: Duplicity due to www and non-www versions can divide search rankings if incorrectly handled. Consolidating your preferred domain with a 301 redirect ensures search engines understand which variant to rank.
Security: With HTTPS as a ranking factor, secure URLs instill trust from a user perspective and an SEO standpoint.
User Experience: Confusion due to inconsistent URL structures can affect user experience and bounce rates, impacting SEO.

Best Practices for URL Structures

Maintaining best practices for your URL structure can enhance both user experience and search engine perception:

Consistency: Choose between the www and non-www variants and stick with them to avoid confusion for users and search engines.
Keywords: Including relevant keywords in URLs can improve ranking for those terms.
Simplicity: Avoid dynamic URLs with excessive parameters when possible. A clean URL is more user-friendly and easier for search engines to crawl.

Considerations for Domain Migration or Redirection

Changing domain names or URL structures can be risky but sometimes necessary. To ensure minimal impact on your SEO rankings:

301 Redirects: When moving to a new domain or modifying URL structures, use 301 redirects to tell search engines that the page has permanently moved. This preserves the SEO value accumulated over time.
Consistent Redirects: Make sure all variants of the old domain redirect correctly to the new domain, including the www and non-www versions and HTTP vs HTTPS.

Tools and Resources

Fortunately, multiple tools are available to manage and analyze your URL structures effectively:

Google Search Console: Use this to set your preferred domain, monitor security issues, and check indexing status.
SSL Checkers: Verify that HTTPS is correctly implemented on your site.
Redirection Plugins: For those using CMS like WordPress, redirection plugins can handle your 301 redirects seamlessly.

Takeaway

The discussion surrounding domain URL variants is multi-faceted, akin to a complex web woven with user experience, security, and technical SEO components. By following the best practices outlined herein and tapping into the recommended tools, website owners and digital marketers can steer clear of common pitfalls and fortify their SEO strategy.

Remember, while paying attention to URLs is noteworthy, it’s one component of a comprehensive SEO playbook. Continuous learning and application of SEO principles will place you in a better position to climb the search engine ranks and succeed in the digital realm. Making savvy decisions about your domain URL structure today could dictate your visibility tomorrow.