Google has just refreshed its SEO documentation on URL structure.

But don’t stress — nothing about how Google actually handles URLs has changed. This update was just about making the advice easier to understand, with clearer formatting and real-world examples.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new, what’s stayed the same, and why it’s still worth checking out.

It’s just a docs refresh

Google said they reorganised the URL structure page to make it flow better and added examples from actual websites. That’s it. No algorithm changes, no crawling behaviour updates, no ranking shifts.

Still, it’s a good reminder to look at your own URLs and make sure you’re following best practices.

Here’s the old, vs the new.

What Google still recommends

The updated guide highlights some common sense SEO basics that are easy to forget:

• make sure your URLs are crawlable
• avoid using the # symbol to load new content
• format parameters like ?type=shirt&colour=blue
• use simple, descriptive words — not just numbers or gibberish
• separate words with hyphens, not underscores
• avoid unnecessary parameters like session IDs or tracking codes
• be aware that URLs are case sensitive
• if your site targets different countries, use proper subdirectories or domains
• don’t create infinite loops with filters, calendars or duplicate pages

What you can do right now

Even though nothing’s technically changed, this is a good excuse to run a quick audit:

• are your URLs readable and easy to understand?
• are there duplicate or unnecessary versions floating around?
• are filters and sort functions generating dozens of near-identical pages?
• do you need to block anything in your robots.txt file?

Cleaning up your URL structure can help both search engines and users navigate your site better.

Final thought

There’s no urgent action required here, but it’s a good reminder that strong SEO often comes down to getting the basics right. If your URLs are tidy, crawlable, and human-friendly, you’re on the right track.

Want help checking your site’s setup or spotting any crawl traps? Let’s chat.