These are my URL rules, in any project where I or my clients violate one of the rules - or their priority, we will regret it down the road.
URL-rules
URL-Rule 1: unique (1 URL == 1 resource, 1 resource == 1 URL)
URL-Rule 2: permanent (they do not change, no dependencies to anything)
URL-Rule 3: manageable (equals measurable, 1 logic per site section, no complicated exceptions, no exceptions)
URL-Rule 4: easily scalable logic
URL-Rule 5: short
URL-Rule 6: with a variation (partial) of the targeted phrase
URL-Rule 1 is more important than 1 to 6 combined,
URL-Rule 2 is more important than 2 to 6 combined,
URL-Rule 3 is more important than 3 to 6 combined,
URL-Rule 4 is more important than 4 to 6 combined.
URL-Rule 5 and 6 are a trade-off. 6 is the least important.
A truly search optimized URL must fulfill all URL-Rules.
My preferred URL structure is:
https://www.example.com/%short-namespace%/%unique-slug%
https:// – protocol
www – subdomain
example – brand
.com – general TLD or country TLD
%short-namespace% – one or two letters that identify the page type, no dependency to any site hierarchy
%unique-slug% – only use a-z, 0-9, and – in the slug, no double — and no – or – at the end. Only use “speaking slugs” if you have them under your total editorial control.
i.e.:
https://www.example.com/a/artikel-name
https://www.example.com/c/cool-list
https://www.example.com/p/12345 (does not fulfill the least important URL-Rule 6)
https://www.example.com/p/12345-product-name