In a 2009 Google Webmaster video, Google’s then-head of web spam Matt Cutts confirmed that from a pure ranking standpoint, “it does help a little bit to have keywords in the URL”.Keywords in url

There have been a number of debates over the years about the SEO value of having keywords in your domain URL.

In a 2009 Google Webmaster video , Google’s then-head of web spam Matt Cutts confirmed that from a pure ranking standpoint, “it does help a little bit to have keywords in the url”.

More recently, Webmaster Trends Analyst John Mueller stated in a Google Webmaster Central office hours hangout that keywords in URLs are a “really small ranking factor”.

And, as we know from a well-recognised supermarket in the UK, “Every little helps”! Small changes can make a difference in the grand scheme of things, and there are also compelling reasons from a usability standpoint to include keywords where they are relevant.

The bottom line of this is to consider the user experience first and foremost. As we’ve seen,

Together with the page title, the description, a clear URL is one of the best options to take in order to ensure that users know what they’re getting from your website and are prepared to click on it.

In many cases, this can also help your ranking as an added bonus.

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