What is a permalink in WordPress? A comprehensive guide
A permalink in WordPress is basically nothing more than the URL of a single post or website, also known as a permanent link. This link, which you enter in the address bar of a browser, enables direct access to a specific article.
The structure of a permalink mainly consists of two parts: the domain of the website and the page slug. An example of a good permalink would be https://www.deinedomain.ch/meine-neue-webseite/. Here is the breakdown:
- Domain: https://www.deinedomain.ch
- Page slug: /my-new-website/
It is very important that your permalinks are well structured. Ineffective or incorrect permalinks can lead to broken links and a high bounce rate. This article therefore explains the importance of the permalink structure and how you can optimize it.
Why is a permalink important?
Permalinks have a significant impact on the user-friendliness of your website. Clear and easy-to-understand permalinks are more appealing and more likely to be clicked than confusing or spammy links. The URL alone already gives readers an impression of the content of your site and signals trustworthiness.
Permalinks are also crucial for a solid website structure and improving search engine optimization (SEO). A well thought-out page hierarchy makes navigation easier for users and search engine crawlers.
To create a custom permalink in WordPress, you need to change the default structure. To do this, navigate to "Settings" in the dashboard and select "Permalinks". Under "General settings", activate the option "Custom structure" and select tags such as "tegory%" and "%postname%". After saving, the permalinks will display the category and the post name.
Optimization of permalinks in WordPress for SEO
The first step to creating an SEO-friendly permalink is to choose the best structure tag for your website. Common tags are "post name", "category and name", "tag and name" and "month and name". Make sure to keep the slug short, concise and search engine friendly.
Remember that the way you structure your permalinks will affect the chances of your content ranking prominently in search engine results. These tips are part of a comprehensive SEO strategy for your website.
How to set up an individual permalink in WordPress
The predefined permalink structure of WordPress is not particularly search engine friendly, as it uses the post number from your website's database with the URL structure: https://www.deinedomain.ch/?p=12.
If you want a customized permalink structure, you will need to adjust the settings. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to "Settings" in the sidebar menu and select "Permalinks".

- In the "General settings", select the option "Custom structure" and activate the tags "tegory%" and "%postname%". Depending on the type of your website, other options can also be selected.

- Scroll down and confirm the changes you have made by clicking on "Save changes".
Now your permalinks will no longer only display the archive number, but also the category and the post name. Example: https://orcwebhosting.ch/docs/was-ist-eine-kategorie-in-wordpress/
Conclusion:
A well-structured permalink is not only crucial for the functionality of your website, but also plays a key role in user-friendliness and search engine optimization. Clear and concise permalinks help to increase the attractiveness of your content and increase the likelihood of clicks. By customizing the permalink structure in WordPress, you can ensure that your URLs are informative and engaging.
ORC Webhosting - Excellent support: When managing your website, whether in terms of permalinks or other aspects, a reliable web hosting service is crucial. ORC Webhosting is not only characterized by first-class hosting solutions, but also offers excellent support. The experienced team at ORC Webhosting is always on hand to answer your questions and concerns to ensure that your online presence runs smoothly.