Knowledgebase

Introduction

The URL of a page helps both visitors and search engines understand what the page is about.

WordPress allows you to customize your URL structure using Permalinks.

SEO-friendly URLs are generally easier to read, easier to share and can improve search engine visibility.

This guide explains how to configure SEO-friendly URLs in WordPress.

What Is a Permalink?

A permalink is the permanent web address of a page or post.

Example of a poor URL:

https://yourdomain.co.za/?p=123

Example of a better URL:

https://yourdomain.co.za/web-hosting-services/

The second example clearly describes the content of the page.

Why Are SEO-Friendly URLs Important?

SEO-friendly URLs help:

• Improve readability
• Improve user experience
• Make links easier to share
• Help search engines understand page content

They are considered a basic SEO best practice.

Step 1 – Log Into WordPress

Open your browser and visit:

https://yourdomain.co.za/wp-admin

(Replace yourdomain.co.za with your own domain name.)

Enter your WordPress username and password.

Click: Log In

Step 2 – Open Permalink Settings

From the WordPress Dashboard

Click: Settings

Then click: Permalinks

The Permalink Settings page will open.

Step 3 – Select a URL Structure

WordPress provides several permalink options.

Examples include:

• Plain
• Day and Name
• Month and Name
• Post Name

For most websites, it is recommended to select:

Post Name

This creates clean and readable URLs.

Step 4 – Save the Changes

Click: Save Changes

WordPress will update your permalink structure.

Step 5 – Review Existing URLs

Visit a page or post on your website.

The URL should now display a descriptive address.

Example:

https://yourdomain.co.za/contact-us/

rather than:

https://yourdomain.co.za/?page_id=45

Creating SEO-Friendly Page URLs

When editing a page or post:

Locate: Permalink

or

Locate: URL Slug

Enter a short, descriptive URL.

Example:

web-hosting

rather than:

page123

Best Practices for URLs

When creating URLs:

• Keep them short.
• Make them descriptive.
• Use hyphens between words.
• Include relevant keywords naturally.
• Avoid unnecessary words.

Good example:

https://yourdomain.co.za/business-hosting/

Poor example:

https://yourdomain.co.za/page123-business-hosting-cheap-hosting-special-offer/

Avoid Changing Existing URLs Unnecessarily

If a page is already indexed by search engines or shared publicly, changing the URL may affect:

• Search rankings
• Existing links
• Bookmarks

If URLs must be changed, consider creating redirects.

Common Problems

Pages Return a 404 Error

After changing permalink settings:

Click: Settings

Then click: Permalinks

Click: Save Changes

This often refreshes WordPress rewrite rules.

URLs Still Look Incorrect

Clear:

• Website cache
• Browser cache

Then test again.

Existing Links Stop Working

Changing permalink structures on an established website may require redirects to be configured.

Conclusion

SEO-friendly URLs help visitors and search engines understand your content more easily.

Using descriptive permalinks is a simple but effective SEO improvement that every WordPress website should implement.