A URL, short for Uniform Resource Locator, is the full web address used to find a specific page or file online — like https://example.com/about.
Parts of a URL
- Protocol — the
https://at the start, indicating a secure connection. - Domain — the main address, like
example.com. - Path — the specific page, like
/about.
URLs and SEO
A clean, readable URL tends to perform better for both visitors and search engines than a long, messy string of numbers and symbols. WordPress calls this a permalink, and you can customize the structure under Settings → Permalinks.
A Simple Comparison
Compare example.com/?p=482 to example.com/how-to-brew-coffee. The second version instantly tells both visitors and search engines what the page is about, while the first gives no useful information at all.