When you are navigating a website, you might not be thinking about the URLs of the pages you are viewing. As you click through different areas of the site, your URL will change accordingly to reflect the changes in the web page. These URLs will either be static or dynamic. Static URLs are the URLs that remain constant and do not change with user interaction, whereas dynamic URLs change as a user interacts with a page. But are dynamic URLs bad for SEO?
Dynamic URLs can be bad for SEO due to the fact that they are less user-friendly, they can cause issues with duplicate content, and can affect a website’s backlink profile. They do have a number of advantages however, as they allow flexibility and scalability, efficient data retrieval, personalised user experience, simplified content management, advanced sorting features and temporary content.
Keep reading to find out more about dynamic URLs and how they can impact SEO.
It is not always possible to say categorically whether static or dynamic web pages are more suitable for a website, as both forms of URL have their own advantages and disadvantages. If there is any uncertainty whether or not to use dynamic or static URLs, it is always best to consult an SEO expert.
Dynamic URLs allow flexibility and scalability, efficient data retrieval, personalised user experience, simplified content management and advanced sorting features. This is ideal for websites that contain a large amount of content for users to explore, as a dynamic web page allows database queries without requiring a new fixed URL for every piece of content on the website. It is easier for users to browse the full range of content available with filters and sorting, offering a personalised experience for each user.
Dynamic URLs can be bad for SEO however, as they can cause issues with duplicate content. If a dynamic URL causes extra parameters, it is possible for a website to end up loading the same content with two different URLs, which will be interpreted by Google as duplicate content. It is also possible that search engines will index multiple versions of the same page, which will waste crawl budget on low-value pages. Dynamic pages are also more difficult to target keywords with, as the content changes and keywords will be lost, whereas on static pages the content remains consistent.
Finally, dynamic URLs can have a detrimental impact on a website’s backlink profile, as different websites may be linking to variations of the same dynamic page, which can weaken the backlink’s SEO value for the content.
Find out more about duplicate content in our detailed blog.
A static URL remains fixed irrespective of how a user interacts with the page. Static pages are stored on a server, and when a page’s URL is entered by a user, the page will be displayed exactly as it was stored. This results in URLs with a higher click-through-rate, that are easier for a user to understand and share and have improved indexability and crawlability by all search engines. It is also easier to target keywords with static URLs.
Find out more about indexing and crawlability in our detailed blog.
The main disadvantage of static URLs is that a unique URL is required for every page on a website. This means that static web pages are not suitable for interactive, personalised or real-time content. Content management is also more challenging with static URLs, and each page must be edited individually. Any form of user interaction is also limited to the use of third-party services.
Find out more about producing engaging content for SEO in our detailed blog.
When we begin working with our clients, we complete a full technical site audit to highlight any URL issues that could be impacting your SEO. Find out how we can help boost your business online, and contact a member of our expert team to arrange a consultation.
A dynamic URL shows the address of a dynamic web page, which can change as a user interacts with a website. For example, if an online shop allows users to select specific parameters to filter results, a dynamic URL would adapt to reflect this user input. This is possible because all of the content for a dynamic web page is stored in a database, and loading the page will generate relevant content depending on the query a user inputs. This in turn produces a dynamic URL that is unique each time the page is loaded.
A dynamic URL works by a web page requesting data from a database. This data is then populated on a webpage, which causes the webpage to display dynamically-generated content.
The easy way to tell if a website is dynamic or not, is to simply check whether you can interact with it. If you are able to create a user profile, comment on a post or make a booking, this is an example of a dynamic website.
