Setting Up Permalinks for SEO-Friendly URLs in WordPress

Permalinks are the permanent URLs of your posts, pages, and other content on your WordPress site. Setting them up correctly can improve SEO, making your site easier to navigate for users and search engines. This guide explains how to choose an SEO-friendly permalink structure in WordPress.

Step 1: Access Permalink Settings

1. Log into Your WordPress Dashboard

   • Go to your WordPress Dashboard by visiting yourdomain.com/wp-admin.

2. Navigate to Settings > Permalinks

   • In the left-hand menu, go to Settings > Permalinks to open the permalink settings.

Step 2: Choose an SEO-Friendly Permalink Structure

Selecting the right structure is key for both SEO and user readability.

1. Select “Post Name”

   • In the Common Settings section, choose Post name. This structure displays URLs in a clean, readable format, like yourdomain.com/sample-post, and is recommended for most sites.

2. Custom Structures (Optional)

   • If you prefer a more customized structure, use the Custom Structure option:
     • /%category%/%postname%/ – This includes the category in the URL, like yourdomain.com/category/sample-post.
     • /%year%/%monthnum%/%postname%/ – This includes the year and month, which may be helpful for news or time-sensitive content.

3. Avoid Default and Numeric Options

   • Avoid using the Plain or Numeric options as they don’t describe the content and are not optimized for search engines.

Tip: Keep URLs short and descriptive for better readability and SEO.

Step 3: Save Changes

Once you’ve selected your preferred structure:

1. Click “Save Changes”

   • Scroll down and click Save Changes to update your permalink structure.

2. Verify Links

   • After saving, go to a few pages or posts on your site to make sure they’re loading with the new URL structure.

Note: Changing the permalink structure for existing content may break links. Set up redirects if needed to avoid broken links for visitors and search engines.

Troubleshooting Common Permalink Issues

1. 404 Errors After Changing Permalinks

   • If you get 404 errors on existing content after changing permalinks, try regenerating your .htaccess file. Go back to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes without making further changes, which should reset the .htaccess file.

2. Using a Redirect Plugin

   • If changing permalinks affects older posts, you can install a redirect plugin like Redirection to set up redirects from old URLs to the new structure. This keeps your site’s links intact for both visitors and search engines.

Additional Tips for SEO-Friendly URLs

• Avoid Special Characters and Capitalization: Stick to lowercase letters, hyphens, and numbers for clean URLs.
• Be Consistent: Once you choose a structure, keep it consistent to avoid link issues and confusion.
• Avoid Date-Based URLs for Evergreen Content: If your content isn’t time-sensitive, avoid using dates, which can make content look outdated.

By following these steps, you can set up SEO-friendly permalinks to improve your site’s navigation and search engine performance. For further assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team.