WordPress permalink settings

WordPress permalink settings

WordPress is a popular content management system that powers over 40% of websites on the internet. One of the essential features of WordPress is the ability to customize the URLs of your posts and pages, known as permalinks. In this article, we’ll discuss what WordPress permalinks are, why they are essential, and how to customize your permalink settings.

What are WordPress Permalinks?

Permalinks are the URLs that WordPress uses to link to your content. By default, WordPress uses a structure that includes the date and post ID in the URL. However, you can customize your permalink structure to include the post title, category, or any other information that you find relevant.

Why Are WordPress Permalinks Important?

Permalinks are essential for SEO because they provide information to search engines about the content of your page. A well-structured permalink makes it easier for search engines to understand what your content is about and can improve your search engine rankings.

Permalinks are also important for user experience. A user-friendly permalink that includes the post title is easier to read and understand than a URL with a bunch of numbers and letters. A clear and concise permalink structure can help users navigate your website more easily and improve their overall experience.

Permalink Settings in WordPress

WordPress offers several options for Permalink settings, which can be accessed by navigating to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard. Here are the different Permalink settings that WordPress offers:

Plain

The Plain Permalink setting is the default setting in WordPress. It is the simplest Permalink structure, and it consists of the post ID followed by the post title. For example, if you have a post with the ID 123 and the title “How to Create a WordPress Website,” the Permalink will look like this: https://yoursite.com/?p=123.

The Plain Permalink structure is not recommended for SEO as it does not include any keywords in the URL. It also does not provide any information about the content of the post to users.

Day and Name

The Day and Name Permalink structure includes the day, month, year, and post name in the URL. For example, if you have a post with the title “How to Create a WordPress Website” published on January 1, 2023, the Permalink will look like this: https://yoursite.com/2023/01/01/how-to-create-a-wordpress-website/.

The Day and Name Permalink structure is useful for websites that publish daily news or blogs. It helps to provide context to users about when the content was published.

Month and Name

The Month and Name Permalink structure is similar to the Day and Name structure, but it only includes the month, year, and post name in the URL. For example, if you have a post with the title “How to Create a WordPress Website” published in January 2023, the Permalink will look like this: https://yoursite.com/2023/01/how-to-create-a-wordpress-website/.

The Month and Name Permalink structure is useful for websites that publish monthly news or blogs. It helps to provide context to users about when the content was published.

Numeric

The Numeric Permalink structure includes only the post ID in the URL. For example, if you have a post with the ID 123 and the title “How to Create a WordPress Website,” the Permalink will look like this: https://yoursite.com/archives/123.

The Numeric Permalink structure is not recommended for SEO as it does not include any keywords in the URL. It also does not provide any information about the content of the post to users.

Post Name

The Post Name Permalink structure includes only the post name in the URL. For example, if you have a post with the title “How to Create a WordPress Website,” the Permalink will look like this: https://yoursite.com/how-to-create-a-wordpress-website/.

How to Customize WordPress Permalink Settings?

To customize your WordPress permalink settings, follow these steps:

Step 1: Login to your WordPress dashboard and go to Settings > Permalinks.

Step 2: Select the permalink structure that you want to use from the options available. WordPress offers several common structures, including:

• Plain: This structure uses the default WordPress format that includes the post ID in the URL.
• Day and name: This structure includes the date and post name in the URL.
• Month and name: This structure includes the month, year, and post name in the URL.
• Numeric: This structure includes the post ID only in the URL.
• Custom Structure: This structure allows you to create your own permalink structure using custom tags.

Step 3: If you choose the custom structure option, you can use the following tags to create your own structure:

• %year% – The year of the post, four digits.
• %monthnum% – The month of the post, with leading zeros.
• %day% – The day of the post, with leading zeros.
• %postname% – The post’s slug (permalink).
• %category% – The category that the post belongs to.
• %author% – The author’s username.

Step 4: Once you have selected your desired permalink structure, click the “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the page.

Conclusion

Customizing your WordPress permalink settings is an essential step in optimizing your website for SEO and improving user experience. By using a clear and concise permalink structure that includes relevant information about your content, you can make it easier for search engines and users to understand what your website is all about. By following the steps outlined above, you can customize your WordPress permalink settings in just a few minutes and start reaping the benefits of a well-structured URL structure.