What is the main argument of Chris Shuptrine's opinion post?

Chris Shuptrine argues that excessive focus on URL structure does not significantly impact SEO rankings. Instead, he emphasizes that content quality and user experience are much more crucial. Through his extensive experience and data analysis, he asserts that the evolution of Google's algorithms prioritizes relevant, well-crafted content over URL formatting, challenging outdated SEO beliefs.

Why does URL structure matter, according to the article?

According to the article, while URL structure does play a role in crawling efficiency and user experience, it is not a key ranking factor. Clean URLs can enhance readability, but the algorithms focus more on the site's content quality, context, and user engagement. Therefore, understanding URLs as mere addresses leads to better SEO strategies that prioritize content creation and user satisfaction.

What practical priorities does Chris Shuptrine suggest for improving SEO?

Shuptrine suggests several practical priorities that are likely to improve SEO outcomes. These include creating comprehensive, well-researched content that demonstrates expertise, building genuine relationships for quality backlinks, and optimizing technical factors like site speed and mobile experience. By focusing on these areas rather than obsessing over URL structure, businesses can achieve significant improvements in their organic performance.

How has shifting focus from URL optimization affected Shuptrine's clients?

Shifting focus from URL optimization to content and audience research has yielded significant benefits for Shuptrine's clients. One particular ecommerce client saw a remarkable 40% increase in organic revenue year-over-year once they redirected their efforts toward enhancing product page content instead of obsessing over URL structure. This underscores the importance of prioritizing content quality for driving traffic and boosting revenue.

What evidence does the article provide regarding URL impact on rankings?

The article provides anecdotal evidence showing that URLs, regardless of their formatting, do not directly impact rankings. Shuptrine highlights instances where sites with varying URL patterns rank similarly in search results, indicating that Google’s algorithms prioritize content relevance and quality over the specific structure of URLs. He also notes his own experience with tests demonstrating zero effect on ranking from URL changes.

What is the user’s perspective on URL structure when browsing?

From the user's perspective, URL structure is largely irrelevant when browsing. Shuptrine challenges readers to reflect on their own behavior, questioning the last time they clicked a search result based on its URL. Users primarily seek solutions to their problems, and the article argues that Google’s algorithms mirror this behavior by focusing on content that fulfills user needs rather than how URLs are formatted.

What is the takeaway message of Chris Shuptrine's article?

The takeaway message of Chris Shuptrine's article is that SEO practitioners should stop fixating on outdated URL structure best practices and instead concentrate on creating valuable content that meets user needs. He encourages focusing resources on elements that truly affect rankings, such as content quality, user experience, and technical optimization, which can lead to better overall performance in search engines.

URL structure has no impact on rankings

28 Mar 2025

Explore how URL structure influences user experience and impacts click-through rates despite not affecting your SEO rankings.

Today’s opinion post is by Chris Shuptrine, Creator at SEOWidgets. He has over 15 years of experience in marketing, SEO, and analytics.

"Focusing too much on URL structure is a distraction; what truly matters is creating quality content that meets user needs."

Chris Shuptrine

Creator, SEOWidgets

Let me challenge a deeply held SEO belief: URL structure doesn’t impact rankings. After 15+ years optimizing sites and analyzing countless ranking factors, I’ve seen the evidence firsthand.

We SEOs can get caught up in endless URL optimization - debating dashes vs underscores, agonizing over folder structures, trying to craft the “perfect” URL pattern. I’ve been there, spending hours in technical audits scrutinizing URL formats. But here’s what the data shows.

Clean, readable URLs definitely improve user experience. That neat /category/product-type/product-name/ hierarchy looks professional and organized. But Google’s algorithms have evolved far beyond caring about URL formatting. I’ve had direct conversations with Googlers like Gary Illyes and John Mueller who consistently emphasize this point - the algorithms focus on content quality and context, not URL structure.

Look at any SERP and you’ll see sites ranking in the top spots with vastly different URL patterns. Some use clean categories, others have parameter-heavy URLs that look like keyboard smashes. One of my client sites ranks #1 for a competitive term with an auto-generated product URL while their competitor with perfect URL hierarchy sits at #4.

The technical reality is that URLs are just addresses pointing to content. When Googlebot crawls a site, it’s analyzing the semantic relationships between content, evaluating E-E-A-T signals, and measuring user engagement metrics. I’ve run countless tests moving content between different URL structures with zero ranking impact.

Some practical priorities that move the needle:

Create comprehensive, well-researched content that demonstrates expertise
Build genuine relationships that lead to quality backlinks and engagement
Optimize technical factors like site speed, mobile experience and navigation

URLs do matter for crawling efficiency - if Google can’t parse your URL structure, it may struggle to index content properly. But that’s about technical accessibility, not ranking factors.

At my agency, we used to spend 10-15 hours per client audit analyzing URL patterns. Once we shifted that time to audience research and content strategy, we saw much better results. One ecommerce client improved organic revenue 40% YoY after we stopped obsessing over their URL structure and focused on product page content quality instead.

Think about your own browsing behavior - when was the last time you chose which search result to click based on its URL? Users care about solving their problems, not URL formatting. Google’s algorithms reflect this reality.

The industry evolves quickly but some tactics persist past their usefulness. URL structure optimization is one of them. Focus your limited time and resources on what impacts rankings - creating valuable content, building authority through genuine relationships, and delivering an excellent user experience.

Your URL structure won’t make or break your rankings. What matters is having crawlable URLs (but they’re formatted) that point to high-quality, relevant content that serves user needs. Channel your optimization efforts where they’ll drive real results.

Let’s stop following outdated “best practices” and look at what the evidence shows. Have you tracked ranking changes after URL restructures? What were the actual results? Share your experiences - I’m always eager to test assumptions against real data.