# Clean URLs

> A clean URL is a short, readable web address made of words, without long query strings, session IDs, encoded spaces or hashbangs.

- **Check ID:** S15
- **Area:** [SEO](https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo)
- **Tool:** [SEO + Security + Performance](https://be1st.ai/tools/ssp-audit)
- **Page:** https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo/clean-urls

## Why it matters

Clean URLs improve user experience and help search engines understand the site structure. A URL like '/products/nike-air-shoes' is better than '/p`?id=38291&cat=12&sess=abc123'.`

## In practice

Airbnb uses clean URLs like '/rooms/12345' instead of complex query parameters. WordPress with 'pretty permalinks' enabled changes '/p`?id=123'` to '/article-title'. Clean URLs have demonstrably higher click-through rates in search results.

## How be1st checks it

Checks whether the page URL is clean and readable. The check flags query parameters (`?id=...`), hashbangs (#!), encoded spaces (%20) and double slashes in the path. Clean URLs are easier to remember and share.

[SEO + Security + Performance](https://be1st.ai/tools/ssp-audit), SEO tab.

Every check ends as: Pass, Warning, Fail.

## Sources

- [SEO Starter Guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide) (Google Search Central)
- [Google Search Essentials](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials) (Google Search Central)

## Related terms

- [HTML lang attribute](https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo/html-lang-attribute): The lang attribute on the `<html>` element declares the language of a page. Screen readers, translation tools and search engines rely on it.
- [Favicon](https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo/favicon): A favicon is the small icon of a website that browsers show in tabs and bookmarks and Google shows next to the site name in results.
- [Status code and broken links](https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo/status-code-and-broken-links): An HTTP status code is the server's three-digit answer to a request, such as 200 (OK) or 404 (not found). A broken link points to a page that answers with an error.
- [robots.txt](https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo/robots-txt): robots.txt is a plain text file at the root of a website that tells crawlers which parts of the site they may and may not visit.
- [sitemap.xml](https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo/sitemap-xml): An XML sitemap is a file that lists the important URLs of a website, so search engines can find them without relying on links alone.
- [HTTPS (SEO)](https://be1st.ai/glossary/seo/https): HTTPS is the encrypted version of HTTP. It protects data between the browser and the server, and browsers mark sites without it as not secure.