Analyzing the URL for a given page

URL

Since a URL is the entry point to a page's content, it's a logical place to begin our on-page analysis.

When analyzing the URL for a given page, here are a few important questions to ask:

• Is the URL short and user-friendly? A common rule of thumb is to keep URLs less than 115 characters.
• Does the URL include relevant keywords? It's important to use a URL that effectively describes its corresponding content.
• Is the URL using subfolders instead of subdomains? Subdomains are mostly treated as unique domains when it comes to passing link juice. Subfolders don't have this problem, and as a result, they are typically preferred over subdomains.
• Does the URL avoid using excessive parameters? If possible, use static URLs. If you simply can't avoid using parameters, at least register them with your Google Webmaster Tools account.

Is the URL using hyphens to separate words? Underscores have a very checkered past with certain search engines. To be on the safe side, just use hyphens.