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Each web page has its own URL. Some links are simple and concise, others have a complex structure and a long length. When optimizing the site, it is worth considering what the length of the links affects and what limits exist regarding their size.

What is a URL?

A URL or Uniform Resource Locator is a page address indicating its location on the Internet. The link to the page is located in the address bar of the browser.

The standard URL structure contains:

• data transfer protocol, for example, https: //;
• Domain name;
• The path from the domain name to the page, which includes a chain of directories and subdirectories;
• may contain special parameters and anchors, for example, the GET method used to get the contents of a resource.

The domain name is part of the URL. The rest of its components following the name of the site may vary in length and have different contents. The end result depends on the names of the directories and the names of the pages leading to the requested one.

The URL syntax allows letters, numbers, and extra characters. When using the Cyrillic alphabet, transcoding occurs, and the final form of the copied URL may differ from the original one.

URL length and user experience

The length of links is important primarily for the average user. Long URLs, as a rule, go beyond the visible part of the address bar and have a complex structure. When copying and placing such a link on a third-party resource or in a text document, its text may take several lines.

Short links, consisting of 2-3 understandable and catchy words, look more attractive than long ones. Therefore, their clickability may be higher.

URL Length and SEO

Short links often have an advantage over long links in terms of search engine optimization and for the convenience of visitors.

Since the user factor plays a significant role in ranking the site, the presence of clear and structured content on web pages improves the behavioral factors of the resource as a whole and, therefore, the chances of being seen by a wider audience.

Work on the page address in favor of compactness and informativeness is one of the tools to influence the growth of positions in search results.

Browser URL Length Limits

As for Microsoft Internet Explorer, it has a limit on the size of the URL. The maximum length of a URL in its address bar is 2048 characters.

However, successful browser processing of extra-long links does not mean that a search robot will be able to process them too. The optimal page address size is 75 characters.

As regards indexing documents with long URLs (over 75-120 characters), they are generally indexed quite well, although there may be some difficulty in ranking.

The maximum length of the URL for contextual advertising

When creating advertisements on the search network, consider the length allowed in the advertising network for the page address.