When you create a website in WordPress, your page and post URLs matter more than you might think. A well-structured URL helps search engines understand your content and makes it easier for visitors to read and share your links. That’s where WordPress permalinks settings come in.
These settings let you control how your website’s links look. If you’re using confusing or messy URLs, it can hurt your SEO and user experience. Hence, in this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about permalinks. So, let’s get started.
What are WordPress Permalinks?
Permalinks are the permanent URLs of your website’s pages and posts. They help people and search engines find and understand your content. A clear and simple permalink makes it easier for visitors to remember and share your links.
By default, WordPress permalinks settings use a plain structure, which looks something like this:
yourwebsite.com/?p=123
This default format isn’t user-friendly or good for SEO. Thankfully, WordPress lets you change it to something more readable. Here are some common permalink structures:
- Post Name: yourwebsite.com/my-post-title/ (Best for SEO)
- Day and Name: yourwebsite.com/2024/03/03/my-post-title/
- Month and Name: yourwebsite.com/2024/03/my-post-title/
- Numeric: yourwebsite.com/archives/123
Choosing the right permalink structure improves your website’s organization, search rankings, and user experience.
Selecting an optimized WordPress theme bundle can further enhance your site's structure, ensuring better performance and seamless navigation.
In the next section, we’ll discuss why SEO-friendly permalinks matter and how they can impact your site’s performance
Why SEO-Friendly Permalinks Matter?
SEO-friendly permalinks help search engines understand what your page is about. When your URLs include relevant keywords, like in WordPress permalink settings, they improve your chances of ranking higher in search results.
Readable URLs also make it easier for visitors to know what to expect before clicking a link.
A clean, simple URL like: yourwebsite.com/best-wordpress-plugins/ looks much better than yourwebsite.com/?p=123, right?
Plus, short and clear permalinks make sharing easier. Whether someone posts your link on social media or another website, a well-structured URL increases clicks and builds trust. Implementing local SEO practices ensures your URLs are optimized for search engines, making it easier for local customers to find your business online.
Steps To Change The Permalink Settings In WordPress
Changing your WordPress permalinks settings is simple and can make a big difference in how your site looks and performs.
If you’re still using the default structure, it’s a good idea to switch to something more SEO-friendly. Here’s how you can do it step by step:
Step 1: Open the Permalink Settings
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- In the left-hand menu, go to Settings > Permalinks.
Step 2: Choose a Permalink StructureU
You’ll see different options, including:
- Plain: yourwebsite.com/?p=123
- Day and Name: yourwebsite.com/2024/03/03/post-title/
- Month and Name: yourwebsite.com/2024/03/post-title/
- Numeric: yourwebsite.com/archives/123
- Post Name: yourwebsite.com/post-title/ (Best for SEO)
- Custom Structure: This lets you create your own URL format.
For most websites, Post Name is the best option because it’s short, clean, and easy to read.
Step 3: Save Your Changes
After selecting your preferred structure, scroll down and click Save Changes. That’s it! Your new permalink settings are now active. If you’ve changed permalinks on an existing site, make sure to set up redirects to avoid broken links. Implementing effective content optimization tips can further enhance your site’s SEO by ensuring URLs are structured for better readability and search engine ranking. In the next section, we’ll explore various structures of permalinks.
Different Structures of Permalinks
WordPress gives you several options when setting up your WordPress permalinks settings. Each structure affects how your URLs look and function. Let’s go over the different types so you can choose the best one for your site.
Plain
- This is the default setting in WordPress. It looks like this:
- yourwebsite.com/?p=123
- It’s not user-friendly or SEO-friendly because it doesn’t tell search engines or visitors anything about the page.
Day and Name
- This structure includes the full date and post title.
- Example: yourwebsite.com/2024/03/03/post-title/
- It’s useful for news sites but can make URLs long and cluttered.
Month and Name
- Similar to the previous option but without the day.
- Example: yourwebsite.com/2024/03/post-title/
- This is slightly cleaner but still not ideal for SEO unless your content is time sensitive.
Numeric
- This format uses numbers instead of words
- Example: yourwebsite.com/archives/123
- It doesn’t help with SEO or readability, so it’s not recommended.
Post Name
- This is the most popular option for blogs and business websites:
- Example: yourwebsite.com/post-title/
- It’s short, clean, and great for SEO because it includes keywords.
Custom Structure
- This allows you to create a unique URL pattern.
- For example: yourwebsite.com/category/post-title/.
This structure is useful for organizing content in a way that fits your site’s needs.
Custom Permalinks: How To Setup and Optimize
Customizing your WordPress permalinks settings lets you create cleaner, more organized URLs that improve SEO and user experience. If you want more control over how your links look, setting up a custom permalink structure is a great option.
How to Create a Custom Permalink Structure
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Click Settings > Permalinks.
- Select Custom Structure and enter your preferred format.
- Use available tags like:
- %postname% – Adds the post title
- %category% – Includes the post category
- %author% – Displays the author’s name
- Click save changes, and your new structure will be applied.
Using Category and Tag Base Settings
WordPress allows you to customize category and tag URLs for better navigation.
- Go to settings > Permalinks and find the Category base and Tag base options.
- Change "category" to something shorter, like "topics" (yourwebsite.com/topics/post-title/).
- click save changes to update your site’s structure.
Adding Keywords for Better SEO
Including relevant keywords in your URLs helps search engines understand your content. Instead of a generic URL like yourwebsite.com/?p=123, you should use:yourwebsite.com/best-wordpress-plugins/
Short, keyword-rich URLs improve rankings and make links more clickable. And It also helps you rank higher in the SERPs.
Common Permalink Issues and Ways To Fix Them
Changing your WordPress permalinks settings can sometimes lead to issues like broken links, 404 errors, or duplicate URLs. Don’t worry—these problems are common and easy to fix. Let’s go over some solutions.
Broken Links After Changing Permalinks
When you update your permalink structure, old links may stop working. To fix this, set up 301 redirects using a plugin like Redirection. This ensures that visitors and search engines are sent to the correct pages instead of getting an error.
Fixing 404 Errors with Redirects
If visitors see a 404 error after clicking an old link, it means WordPress isn’t recognizing the new URL. You can fix this by:
- Go to Settings > Permalinks and click on save changes (even if you haven’t made any edits).
- Using a redirect plugin to point old URLs to the correct new ones.
Permalinks Not Updating Correctly
Sometimes, changes to permalinks don’t take effect. Try these solutions:
- Clear your cache if you’re using a caching plugin.
- Reset your .htaccess file by renaming it and saving permalinks again—WordPress will create a new one.
Handling Duplicate URLs
Duplicate URLs can confuse search engines and negatively impact rankings. To resolve this, use canonical tags to guide search engines on which URL to prioritize. Additionally, setting up a proper permalink structure helps prevent unnecessary variations, ensuring clean and functional URLs. By following these best practices, you create a better user experience and strengthen your SEO efforts. Choosing the best WordPress templates can further enhance your site's performance, offering optimized designs that support seamless navigation and search engine visibility..
Conclusion
Setting up your WordPress permalinks settings the right way can make a big difference in your site’s SEO and user experience. Clean, keyword-rich URLs help search engines understand your content while making it easier for visitors to navigate.
Whether you’re using the post name structure or a custom permalink, choosing the right format ensures better rankings and readability. Don’t forget to fix broken links, set up redirects, and avoid duplicate URLs.