Would there be any SEO implications, if I had a URL, which did not fully reflect a page's Directory Path?

Question

URL example:

www.example.com/floral-canvas-prints/daffodil-canvas-prints

Let's say I am looking to implement the above Product Category URL. It is fairly clear that the page would be about 'Floral Canvas Prints'.

One of the obvious issues here, is the duplicate use of 'canvas-prints', within the 2 directories. Firstly, is this actually an issue? If so, what kind of issue would this be? Does it really affect SEO, from a technical stand point, or is it more of an indirect issue. For example, duplicate words, extends a URL and increases the chances of people forgetting the URL; to return to the site in the future?

I know I could use variations, such as:

www.example.com/floral/daffodil-canvas-prints

or

www.example.com/floral-canvas-prints/daffodils

My issue here, is that whilst these variants convey what each page is, the context becomes lost as soon as you look at each directory in isolation.

This brings me to my own approach. Is there anything wrong with simply scrapping multiple directories, within the URL altogether, and focusing on longer descriptive directory names?

For example:

www.example.com/wall-art/floral-canvas-prints/daffodil-canvas-prints

… would simply be:

www.example.com/daffodil-canvas-prints

Despite having this shortened URL, the on page Breadcrumbs would still have the following path shown:

Wall Art > Floral Canvas Prints > Daffodil Canvas Prints

My only concern would be, that the page's attempt at targeting Keywords, such as Daffodil Canvas Wall Art, may be impacted. A small impact, maybe, but an impact nonetheless. Would I be right?

I realise that the URL is a small factor, within the grand scheme of things, but I would like to atleast try and 'tick all the boxes' as I work from the ground up.

Answer 1

The last name in a URI should be the subject of the URL. URIs are mainly for machine use, not humans, but humans deal with URIs and you should make them as logical as possible.

So, the end subject is "floral canvas prints" and, this case, "Daffodil" so you should go in that order and not use redundant wording. floral-canvas-prints -> daffodils. We already know they are floral canvas prints.

You have more than one sub category of floral canvas prints so reserve those words for the parent.

A different example of what you are thinking of doing: you wouldn't do humans/male-human/rob-human would you?