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URLs Use Underscores Instead of Hyphens

URLs use underscores instead of hyphens, which can reduce keyword relevance for search engines.

By Seoxpert Editorial · Published

Why it matters

Google interprets hyphens as word separators but sees underscores as joining words. This affects how keywords in URLs are understood and indexed. Using underscores can reduce the visibility of relevant keywords in search results.

Impact

Leaving underscores in URLs may decrease keyword relevance and slightly impact SEO performance.

How it's detected

An automated crawler scans URL paths and flags any containing underscores instead of hyphens.

Common causes

  • •Manual creation of URLs with underscores in CMS or code
  • •Legacy URL structures from older site versions
  • •Automated slug generation using underscores by default
  • •Lack of awareness of SEO best practices for URLs

How to fix it

Update your site's URL slugs to use hyphens instead of underscores (e.g., /seo-tips instead of /seo_tips). Implement 301 redirects from the old underscore URLs to the new hyphenated versions to preserve SEO value. Update all internal links to reference the new URLs.

Code examples

301 Redirect from underscore to hyphen URL (Nginx)

rewrite ^/seo_tips$ /seo-tips permanent;

301 Redirect from underscore to hyphen URL (.htaccess)

Redirect 301 /seo_tips /seo-tips

FAQ

Does Google treat underscores and hyphens differently in URLs?

Yes, Google treats hyphens as word separators and underscores as word joiners, affecting keyword recognition.

Will changing underscores to hyphens affect my site's SEO?

Changing to hyphens improves keyword clarity, but always use 301 redirects to maintain SEO value.

Do I need to update internal links after changing URLs?

Yes, update all internal links to point to the new hyphenated URLs to avoid broken links.

Is it necessary to fix all URLs with underscores?

It's best practice for SEO, but the impact is generally low unless keyword relevance is critical.

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