URL Structure Guide for Real Estate Websites

18 Dec 2023 Posted at 12:19h by Eric A. 0 Comments

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Welcome to the world of real estate website URLs – it’s a bit like a digital maze where every slash and dot has a role to play. But don’t worry, we’re here to be your friendly guides through this online journey.

Imagine us as your digital map, helping you navigate the twists and turns of web addresses.

Together, we’ll make understanding real estate website URLs as easy as a walk in the park. So, let’s embark on this adventure with a simple and smile-inducing guide to tackle those sometimes-tricky website addresses!

Why a Well-Structured URL is Important for RE Websites?

Having a well-structured URL is crucial for both search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience.

A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, serves as the address of a webpage on the internet. It not only helps search engines understand the content of a page but also impacts how users perceive and interact with your website.

A well-structured URL provides clear and concise information about the content of a webpage. It should be descriptive, relevant, and easy to read.

By optimizing your URL structure, you can improve your real estate website SEO and make it more user-friendly for potential homebuyers or sellers.

Let’s dive deeper into the components of a URL and explore best practices for real estate websites.

Components of a URL

Let’s break down the different components of a URL. A typical URL consists of several parts, each serving a specific purpose:

1. Protocol: The protocol determines how data is transmitted between a web browser and a web server. The most common protocol is “http://” or its secure counterpart “https://”.
2. Domain: The domain is the main part of a URL and represents the specific website you’re visiting. In the case of a real estate website, the domain could be something like “www.realestatecompany.com”.
3. Subdomain: A subdomain is a part of the main domain and precedes it with a dot. It can be used to organize different sections of a website or target specific markets. For example, “blog.realestatecompany.com” could be the subdomain for a blog section.
4. Path: The path refers to the specific location of a webpage within a website. It’s often represented by a series of slashes (“/”) and can include directories, categories, or individual pages. For instance, “/listings/properties” could lead to a page showcasing available properties.
5. Parameters: Parameters are additional information included in a URL that provides instructions or data to the webpage. They are usually represented by question marks (“?”) and ampersands (“&”). For example, “/listings/properties?city=NewYork” could filter the properties based on the city of New York.

Now that we have a clear understanding of the components of a URL, let’s move on to the next steps, how we can optimize it for real estate websites.

Ways to optimize URL Structure

To optimize your real estate website’s URL structure, consider the following best practices:

Incorporating keywords in your URL

Including relevant keywords in your URL can significantly improve the visibility of your real estate website in search engine results.

When search engines crawl and index your website, they analyze the URL to determine its relevance to a user’s search query. By incorporating keywords related to your real estate niche or specific property listings, you increase the chances of ranking higher in search results.

For example, instead of using a generic URL like “/properties/12345”, consider utilizing a keyword-rich URL such as “/luxury-villas-for-sale-in-malibu”. This not only helps search engines understand the content of the page but also provides potential visitors with a clear indication of what they can expect.

If you want more information about keyword strategy of your website, check out this article: Real Estate Keywords

Make it easy to read and understand

It’s crucial to create user-friendly URLs that are easy to read and understand. A user-friendly URL should provide a clear indication of the content on the page and help visitors navigate your real estate website more efficiently.

Avoid using long, complex URLs with unnecessary characters or numbers. Instead, opt for shorter, descriptive URLs that accurately represent the content of the page. For instance, a URL like “/listings/condos/central-park-view” is much more user-friendly than “/listings/12345?property_id=6789”.

URL structure listings and property pages

Real estate websites often feature a vast number of listings and property pages. To optimize the URL structure for these pages, it’s crucial to follow a logical hierarchy and incorporate relevant keywords.

For instance, consider structuring your URL as follows: “/listings/city/category/property-name”.

This structure provides clear navigation paths and helps search engines understand the context of each listing. Additionally, incorporating relevant keywords, such as the city name and property type, can boost your website’s visibility in local search results.

Note that not even a Site Audit report can help you to fix URL structures, not yet 🙂

More Tips to maximize your URLs effect on SEO

• Keep it simple and concise: Long and complicated URLs can be difficult for users to remember and share. Aim for shorter URLs that accurately describe the content of the page. For example, `www.yourrealestatewebsite.com/condos-for-sale` is much simpler and more user-friendly than `www.yourrealestatewebsite.com/listings/condos/buy/marketplace/sale`.
• Use hyphens to separate words: Hyphens are preferred over underscores or spaces in URLs because they are more readable to both users and search engines. For instance, `www.yourrealestatewebsite.com/3-bedroom-homes` is more readable than `www.yourrealestatewebsite.com/3bedroomhomes` or `www.yourrealestatewebsite.com/3_bedroom_homes`.
• Avoid using unnecessary characters: Special characters, such as exclamation marks or ampersands, can make URLs appear cluttered and confusing. Stick to alphanumeric characters and hyphens to ensure compatibility across different platforms and devices.
• Be consistent in URL structure: Consistency in URL structure not only helps users navigate your website more easily but also assists search engines in understanding the hierarchy of your site. For example, if your main categories are “buy” and “rent,” use a consistent structure like `www.yourrealestatewebsite.com/buy/property-type` and `www.yourrealestatewebsite.com/rent/property-type`.

That’s it, Utilize these simple tips and tricks to help improve your website visibility in search results.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like these two too:

• Optimizing Crawl Budget for Real Estate Websites
• SEO Titles and Meta Descriptions for Real Estate SEO

Thank you, let’s keep SEO-ing.