URL uses underscores instead of hyphens: what it is, why it matters, and how to fix it
This URL uses underscores (_) as word separators instead of hyphens (-). Google treats hyphens as word separators but joins underscored words together.
Where this fits: crawlability in SEO
Why url uses underscores instead of hyphens hurts your rankings
Google's Matt Cutts confirmed that Google treats hyphens as word separators but does not do the same for underscores. A URL like /my_page is interpreted as 'mypage' rather than 'my page', reducing the keyword signal from the URL. While this is a minor factor, it is an easy optimization to implement.
This is a low-severity issue: a polish item. Fix it in batches during scheduled maintenance; the win is cumulative quality, not a step change.
How to fix it
Replace underscores with hyphens in URL paths. Set up 301 redirects from the old underscore URLs to the new hyphenated versions. Update all internal links and sitemaps to use the new URLs.
Frequently asked questions
What does "URL uses underscores instead of hyphens" mean?
This URL uses underscores (_) as word separators instead of hyphens (-). Google treats hyphens as word separators but joins underscored words together.
Why does url uses underscores instead of hyphens matter for SEO?
Google's Matt Cutts confirmed that Google treats hyphens as word separators but does not do the same for underscores. A URL like /my_page is interpreted as 'mypage' rather than 'my page', reducing the keyword signal from the URL. While this is a minor factor, it is an easy optimization to implement.
How do I fix url uses underscores instead of hyphens?
Replace underscores with hyphens in URL paths. Set up 301 redirects from the old underscore URLs to the new hyphenated versions. Update all internal links and sitemaps to use the new URLs.
How serious is this issue?
This is a low-severity issue: a polish item. Fix it in batches during scheduled maintenance; the win is cumulative quality, not a step change. It belongs to the crawlability family of checks.
How do I find every page affected by this on my site?
Run a free Dr Urls audit: it crawls your site, detects url uses underscores instead of hyphens on every affected page, shows example URLs, and generates a ready-to-use fix task. Re-scan after fixing to verify the issue is gone.
Does your site have this issue?
A free Dr Urls audit crawls your site, finds every page affected by url uses underscores instead of hyphens, and hands you a ready-made fix task.
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