A descriptive URL does exactly what it says on the tin, it describes what a website is about in the URL itself for example:

• www.urlhelp.co.za/descriptive/

In the example above, the URL clearly indicates to the visitor that they will be viewing a page about descriptive URLs. They are like static URLs but have the added benefit of using keywords associated with the webpage in the name of the URL, which is particularly good for SEO purposes.

Descriptive URLs are encouraged for the following reasons:

• Search engines tend to use the content of URLs when it comes to determining their ranking. It is therefore essential that the URL reflect keywords and be search engine friendly. A descriptive URL will do that.
• A descriptive URL is an excellent booster of anchor texts. When it comes to linking to a page, and if the visitor uses the URL rather than a hyperlink, the SEO ranking will be boosted.
• Having a descriptive URL can make it easier for visitors to navigate your site. By having a URL that shows descriptive names it will make it easier for users to identify where a page is located and how pages are categorised.
• When it comes to search engine results pages (SERPs), descriptive URLS can be a massive benefit because SERPs tend to highlight keywords found in the URL. This can encourage users to visit your page among a myriad of search results.

Lastly, when it comes to social media and link sharing, a descriptive URL is important because link shortening for Twitter can eradicate what a URL stands for. Therefore, having a descriptive URL that pops up when they hover over a shortened link can encourage click-throughs.

Search Engine Optimization explained.

Keyword Assessment | Meta Data | Webmaster Tools | Google Analytics | Monthly Reporting | Robots.txt | .htaccess | Favicon | Site Map | Search Engines | Google Maps | Forms and E-mails | Footer Link | Google Search Engine | Picture Tagging | Directory Page | Social Media | Heading Tags | Indexed Pages | Robots | Sitemap | HTML Errors | Search Engine Errors | Broken Links | Pages and Content | Search Engines | Picture Tagging | Flash and iFrames | Hierarchy | Forms and Emails | Add Media | Static URLs | Descriptive URLs | Duplicate Content | Plagiarism Check | Positive Content | Negative Content | Character Coding | Downloadable Files | Optimize Graphics | Optimize Navigation | Incoming Links | Outgoing Links | Page Content | Meta Data | Rich Content | Reduce Bounce Rate | Social Media | Analyze Competitors | Website Security | 3rd Party Tracking