URL structure optimization is crucial for improved rankings as it helps create concise and user-friendly URLs. Keeping URLs short and simple is essential for several reasons. First, it improves the user experience by making URLs easier to read, remember, and share. Additionally, search engines prefer shorter URLs as they are generally seen as more concise and focused. Including only the necessary keywords in the URL, removing unnecessary parameters or numbers, and using hyphens to separate words can contribute to a clean and optimized URL structure. By having clear and succinct URLs, websites can enhance their search engine rankings, increase click-through rates, and improve overall user engagement.