Best guidelines for SEO friendly URLs in OpenCart

Getting your website noticed on Google is not just about the words on your page. The links people click on, known as URLs, are just as important. A clean and simple URL helps search engines understand your site, and it also gives your visitors confidence that they are heading to the right place.

If you are running an online shop with OpenCart, it is worth taking a little time to make sure your URLs are working in your favour. Here are some straightforward guidelines to follow.

1. Turn on SEO URLs in OpenCart

OpenCart does not create SEO-friendly URLs by default, but you can fix this quickly.

• Go to your website’s root folder and rename the file called htaccess.txt to .htaccess.
• Log into your OpenCart admin area, go to System → Settings → Server, and turn on Use SEO URLs.

This step removes all the messy extra characters in your links and replaces them with cleaner, search-friendly versions.

2. Keep URLs short and clear

A good URL should be easy to read. Instead of something like:

• Incorrect: /index.php?route=product/product&path=20&product_id=45
• Correct: /red-running-shoes

Stick to a few words, focus on the product or category name, and avoid unnecessary words like “the” or “and”.

3. Add keywords but do not overdo it

Using keywords in your URLs can help with rankings, but keep it natural. For example:

• Correct: /wooden-dining-table
• Incorrect: /wooden-dining-table-wood-furniture-buy-now-online

The first looks clear and professional. The second feels forced and untrustworthy.

4. Use hyphens between words

Search engines treat hyphens as spaces, which makes them the best choice for separating words.

• Correct: /charity-donation-form
• Incorrect: /charity_donation_form

5. Match URLs with page titles

Consistency helps both users and search engines. If your product is called “Eco Friendly Bamboo Toothbrush”, then the URL should be:

• /eco-friendly-bamboo-toothbrush

6. Avoid duplicate URLs

OpenCart can create more than one URL for the same product, especially if you list it in multiple categories. This can confuse search engines. To avoid this, set a canonical URL so there is one main version of each page.

7. Do not change URLs too often

Once Google has indexed a page, changing its URL can affect your rankings. If you really do need to update a link, set up a 301 redirect so visitors and search engines are sent to the right place.

8. Use Categories Where Helpful

If you sell a wide range of products, including categories in your URLs can give more context. For example:

• /furniture/sofas/leather-sofa

This tells both Google and your visitors exactly what they will find on the page. Try to keep it simple and avoid going too deep with lots of slashes.

9. Skip unnecessary words

Small words like “the”, “of” and “for” usually do not add much value. For example:

• /the-best-shoes-for-runners

can be simplified to:

• /best-shoes-runners

10. Always use HTTPS

A secure site builds trust with your visitors and is also a ranking factor for Google. Make sure your shop runs on HTTPS so every URL starts with https://.

Final thoughts

Getting your URLs right in OpenCart is one of the simplest ways to improve your SEO. Clean, descriptive and keyword-friendly links can make a big difference to how your shop performs in search results. They also make your site easier to use and more trustworthy for customers.