URLs appear throughout our daily cyberspace journeys. Can you identify the individual components of a URL and understand how they combine to create a path to online resources? Do you know how to copy and share a URL, regardless of the device or browser you're using? What are friendly URLs and non-friendly URLs? Read more.
We'll start with the basics, including the definition and function of a URL. We'll then move on to a discussion of the structure of a URL , explaining what each part means. We'll then show you how to find the root URL of a web page, a Google search results page , or even a specific image on a page. Finally, we'll share a simple method for copying and sharing a URL.
Let's go.
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URL Definition: What is a website URL?
URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is nothing more than a website address.
A URL is a unique identifier that leads to a specific page, image, file, or other resource available on the web. It typically begins with "http://" or "https://" and then includes a domain name (e.g., "www.example.com"), the path to the specific page (e.g., "/blog/post1"), and, in some cases, parameters that can affect what you see on the page (e.g., "?sort=desc").
URLs allow us to find interesting website content. Search engine robots also value them, which is crucial for website positioning . Without URLs, navigating the web would be impossible – they are our guides through the complex network of pages and services that make up the Internet.
URL Components: How to understand URL structure?
A URL is composed of several key elements that, together, create a unique identifier for a resource on the web. In this section, we'll discuss the individual components of a URL, such as the scheme, hostname, path, and others, to understand what a unified addressing format looks like.
Scheme
The first part of a URL is the scheme, usually called the protocol. This part tells us how our browser should communicate with the server. The most common schemes are http:// and https://. The protocol indicates whether communication between the browser and the server is encrypted for security (https).
Host Name
Next comes the hostname, often called the domain name. This is the part of the URL that tells us which server a given resource is hosted on. The hostname can include subdomains (e.g., "blog.example.com"), a domain (e.g., "example.com"), and a top-level domain, known as a TLD (e.g., ".com," ".org," ".pl").
Path
The next element of a URL is the path. This points to a specific resource on the server. For example, in the URL "www.example.com/blog/post1," "/blog/post1" is the path to a specific blog post.
parameters
Parameters can appear at the end of a URL, which are optional. They are separated by a question mark (?) and are used to pass additional information to the server . For example, the URL "www.example.com/products?sort=price_asc" includes the parameter "sort=price_asc," which tells the server that the user wants to sort products by cheapest.
Understanding the components of a URL allows you to better understand how the internet works and how resources are organized and located online. Remember, a URL is not just an address, but also a signpost that leads to specific destinations on the web.
How to Find a URL: Step-by-Step Guide
The URL isn't difficult to find, although the location may vary slightly depending on the web browser and platform you're using. In this section, we'll show you how to easily find the URL a given page has and the addresses on subsequent pages in search results.
Finding a URL on Your Computer
On a computer, regardless of the operating system, the URL is always located in the browser's address bar. The address bar is the long, white rectangle at the top of the browser window where you type website addresses . When you visit a website, its full URL will be displayed in the address bar.
Finding the URL on Mobile Devices
On mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, the process is very similar . The address bar is located at the top of the browser screen, although in some cases it may be hidden until you swipe down the page or tap the top of the screen.
Where to find the resource location in Chrome
In Google Chrome, you can see the full URL by clicking the green lock icon or the information icon on the left side of the address bar.
In the Safari browser
For Safari on Apple devices, you can see the full URL by tapping the address bar and dragging it down.
Regardless of the device or browser, the URL is easily accessible and visible. Whether you're browsing the web on a computer, smartphone, or tablet, you can always quickly and easily find the URL of the page you're visiting.
Google search page URL
After entering a query into the bar and pressing Enter, the user is taken to a search results page. The URL for this page is located in the address bar and is unique to your query. The URL contains "https://www.google.com/search" and a number of parameters following it that define your query, such as keyword, language settings, and more.
Copying and sharing this URL will allow others to see identical search results. However, it's worth noting that some information, such as personalized results based on browsing history, won't be available to people who use your URL.
How do I find the URL of a photo on a website?
Finding the URL of an image on a website is just as easy, though the process may vary slightly depending on your browser. In most cases, you can simply right-click on the image you're interested in and select "Copy Image Address" or "Copy Image URL." This will copy the direct URL of the image to your clipboard.
Not all images have direct URLs that can be copied. In some cases, an image may be part of a larger page element or embedded in some other way, making its direct URL difficult to find.
Additionally, it's important to be mindful of copyright and privacy issues when copying and sharing image URLs . Always make sure you have the appropriate permissions to share images you find online.
With the ability to find Google search page URLs and image URLs, you can better use the web, share specific search results, and images that inspire or interest you.
How do I copy a URL?
Copying a URL in a browser is a simple process that doesn't differ significantly across browsers and platforms. Whether you're using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge, the method for copying a URL is the same.
On PCs and Macs, simply click in your browser's address bar (the place where you type URLs). The entire URL should be highlighted. You can then copy the highlighted URL by pressing CTRL+C on a PC or Command+C on a Mac. If you prefer using a mouse, you can also right-click on the highlighted URL and select "Copy."
On mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, the process is just as simple. Tap the address bar to highlight the entire URL, then tap "Copy" when it appears on the screen.
How do I share a URL?
Sharing a URL is also easy. Once you've copied the URL, you can paste it (CTRL+V on PC, Command+V on Mac, or "Paste" on mobile devices) anywhere that accepts text. This could be a text field in an email, a social media post , a text document, a text field in a notes app, and so on.
It's important to remember internet etiquette and privacy when sharing URLs . Some URLs can lead to private, sensitive, or copyrighted content, so always make sure you have the appropriate permissions to share them and that the person you're sharing the URL with has permission to view it.
Page URL – Friendly and Unfriendly URLs
Friendly URLs are important when it comes to ranking your site in Google. Reasons to embrace friendly links:
• they are easier to remember and allow you to quickly understand the topic of a given tab;
• they generate greater trust among users;
• web robots can easily recognize the structure of the website and correctly index its content.
What do friendly URLs look like? How do you create a URL?
Friendly URL Examples
Below are friendly URLs that will rank well in Google search :
When implementing friendly addresses, remember to:
• using safe characters – omit special characters and those used in Polish: @, ą, ę, ć, ź, !, ?, >, [, space, =, );
• an organized menu and clear website navigation – it is important to use the appropriate hierarchy of subpages: naszafirma.pl/blog/artykuł, and not naszafirma.pl/galeria/artykuł;
• using a hyphen – instead of spaces or other separators: o-nas, not onas or o_nas;
• readability and conciseness of the URL – it is worth shortening subpage addresses whenever possible, e.g. https://naszafirma.pl/o-nas/nasz-zespol/sekretariat/ – a better variant would be https://naszafirma.pl/sekretariat/;
• 301 redirection – from the old URL to the new one, so that previously acquired links do not lose their value, leading to an empty page with a 404 error;
• consistency – sticking to the strategy established at the beginning for changing the URL to a friendly one. If the design of our website allows for setting friendly addresses, then it should be done. Of course, complex online stores have their own specifics, and in their case, implementing a friendly URL is not as simple as in the case of HTML or WordPress-based websites.
Therefore, large e-commerce websites will not always be able to meet all the guidelines discussed above.
Example of a hostile URL
Also read our guide "What is SEO and how does it work?"
URL FAQs
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a standardized format for addressing resources on the internet. Simply put, it's a unique network address that indicates the exact location of a specific web page, file, image, or video on a server, allowing a browser to display it correctly.
A domain is merely a component of a URL. A domain is a unique, human-friendly name for a website (e.g., verseo.pl). A URL, in turn, is the complete path to a resource, which, in addition to the domain itself, includes the network protocol and often subdomains, directory paths, and parameters (e.g., [https://verseo.pl/blog/artykul-o-seo/](https://verseo.pl/blog/artykul-o-seo/)).
A full, extended URL consists of several key segments:
- Protocol: (e.g. http:// or secure https://) defines how data is exchanged between a browser and a server.
- Subdomain: (optional, e.g. blog. in the address blog.strona.pl).
- Main domain and extension: (e.g. verseo.pl).
- Path (directories): indicates the folder structure on the server (e.g. /blog/).
- File or document name: specific subpage (e.g. /url-what-is/).
- Parameters (Query string): additional data added after the question mark ?, used, for example, to track traffic or sort products.
A friendly URL is an address that's readable, understandable, and easy to remember for both users and search engine crawlers. Instead of a string of random characters and numbers (e.g., sklep.pl/index.php?id_prod=423&cat=7), a friendly URL clearly describes the page's content (e.g., sklep.pl/buty-sportowe-meskie/).
URL design has a significant impact on a website's visibility in search engines. Friendly URLs help Google crawlers better understand the structure and subject matter of a site. Furthermore, including a relevant keyword in a URL provides search engines with an additional ranking signal and increases the chances of a higher position in search results.
When creating address structures on a website, it is worth sticking to a few rules of thumb:
- Use lowercase letters (servers may be case sensitive).
- Instead of spaces or underscores _, use hyphens (dashes -) to separate words.
- Avoid using Polish diacritics (ą, ę, ś, ć, etc.) and special characters.
- Make sure that the addresses are as short and concise as possible and logically reflect the structure of the subpages.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- A URL is a unique identifier for a resource on the web. It consists of an http/https scheme, a hostname with a domain, the path to the resource, and optional parameters.
- The URL is located in the address bar at the top of the browser. In Chrome, you can see the full URL by clicking the lock icon, and in Safari, by dragging the bar down.
- The Google search page URL contains query parameters. Copying them allows others to see identical search results.
- The image URL can be found by right-clicking and "Copy image address." Please be mindful of copyright when sharing.
- Copy the URL by clicking the bar and pressing CTRL+C on PC or Command+C on Mac. On mobile devices, tap the bar and select "Copy."
- Share a URL by pasting CTRL+V or Command+V into email, social media, or a document.
- Friendly URLs are easier to remember, build trust, and help search engine spiders index your page.
- When creating user-friendly URLs, you need to organize your menu, maintain a hierarchy of subpages, shorten URLs, and stick to a strategy. Large e-commerce stores can't always meet all the guidelines.
