BUSTED
Longer URLs perform worse
TECHNICAL
LOW Impact
BEGINNER
The Myth
"Shorter URLs rank better than longer ones."
The Truth
URL length has no significant impact on rankings. Google can handle long URLs just fine. The correlation people see is that simpler URLs often indicate cleaner site architecture. For users, shorter URLs are easier to share and remember. Keep URLs descriptive and clean, but don't stress about length specifically.
OFFICIAL
John Mueller, Google
URL length is not a ranking factor.
STUDY
Backlinko Study
Slight correlation exists but likely confounded by other factors.
DInsight from @dejanseo
"Short URLs are nice for users, not for Google. Don't create cryptic URLs trying to be short. Clarity beats brevity."