URI handling

A URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is the address that identifies a resource on the web. A URL is the most common type of URI — the one you type into a browser. "URI handling" refers to all the decisions and rules a website uses to manage these addresses: how they're structured, when they change, and how the server responds when they're requested.

For SEO, getting URI handling right is foundational. Search engines treat each unique URL as a separate page, so inconsistencies create duplicate content, dilute link equity, and waste crawl budget.

Core areas of URI handling

1. URL structure

Clean, descriptive, lowercase URLs with hyphens (not underscores) and a logical hierarchy — for example, /services/seo-audits/ rather than /page?id=482. Avoid stop words, dates that will go stale, and deep nesting beyond what the content actually requires.

Why hyphens?

Google treats hyphens as word separators, e.g., /seo-consultant-melbourne/ is read as three words: "seo", "consultant", and "melbourne", and each of these can factor into matching with relevant search queries.

Underscores, on the other hand, are treated as word joiners — seo_consultant_melbourne is read as one word: "seoconsultantmelbourne"

While Google has gotten better at parsing URLs with underscores, there is just no advantage in using them specifically over hyphens.

2. Canonicalisation

Many URLs can point to the same content: with and without www, with and without trailing slashes, HTTP vs HTTPS, parameter variants (?ref=, ?utm_), and uppercase vs lowercase paths. Canonicalisation tells search engines which version is the master:

• 301 redirects to consolidate duplicate paths to one canonical version.
• rel="canonical" tags on pages that must exist as duplicates (e.g. faceted product filters).
• Consistent internal linking — always link to the canonical version.

3. Redirects

• 301 — permanent move; passes (almost all) ranking signals.
• 302 — temporary; signals can transfer but Google may keep the old URL indexed.
• 308 / 307 — the modern equivalents that preserve the HTTP method.

Avoid redirect chains (A → B → C) and loops, which slow crawling and can break signal flow.

4. Parameter handling

Query strings (?colour=red&size=m) are the biggest source of duplicate URLs on e-commerce sites. A catalogue page of shoes, for example, could have a dozen different query strings if content can be sorted by colour, size, brand, style, availability, and so on.

The best option to address this is to include canonical tags pointing to the parameter-free version.

5. Status codes

Return the right code for the right situation: 200 for live pages, 301 for permanent redirects, 404 for genuinely missing content, 410 for content intentionally removed, 503 for temporary downtime. Soft 404s (a "not found" page that returns 200) confuse crawlers.

6. URL changes and migrations

When URLs must change — site redesigns, replatforming, restructuring — every old URL needs a 301 to its new location, or closest live equivalent if that page no longer exists. Missed redirects are the single most common cause of post-migration traffic loss.

Why correct URI handling matters

Strong URI handling consolidates ranking signals onto one canonical URL per piece of content, makes the site easier to crawl, and protects organic traffic through changes. Weak URI handling fragments authority across duplicates, leaves orphaned pages in the index, and quietly bleeds rankings over time.

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Disclaimer: All information contained herein is for informational purposes only. It is not advice or instructional.