How do I set up a friendly URL in WordPress?

Setting up a friendly URL in WordPress is straightforward. You simply need to go to the settings, select ‘Permalinks’, and choose the ‘post name’ option. This setting ensures your URLs are clear and easy to read, which is beneficial for both users and search engines.

Full Explanation

WordPress allows you to customize how your URLs appear through its permalink settings. By navigating to the Settings menu and clicking on ‘Permalinks’, you can access the permalink structure options. The key setting to choose is the ‘post name’, which formats URLs based on the title of your post or page. This makes URLs more descriptive, easier to remember, and better optimized for SEO.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Login to your WordPress dashboard.
Go to Settings in the sidebar.
Select Permalinks from the submenu.
In the Permalink Settings page, choose the post name option.
Save your changes to apply the new URL structure.
For individual pages or posts, you can also click on the URL field to customize the permalink before publishing or updating.

Real Examples

When you set the permalink structure to ‘post name’, your URLs will look something like: https://yourwebsite.com/sample-post-title. WordPress will display an example right within the Permalinks settings to show you exactly how your URLs will appear. Furthermore, when editing a page or post, you can directly modify the slug part of the URL for better relevance or clarity.

Common Mistakes

Not selecting the ‘post name’ option, resulting in URL structures that include numbers or other less friendly formats.
Forgetting to save the changes after selecting the new permalink structure.
Ignoring the ability to customize individual permalinks on the post or page level to make URLs more relevant.

FAQs

Q: Where do I find the permalink settings in WordPress?
A: Go to the Settings menu in your dashboard and click on Permalinks.

Q: Why should I choose the ‘post name’ option?
A: It creates clean, simple URLs that are easier to read and better for SEO.

Q: Can I change the URL of a single page or post?
A: Yes, when editing the content, you can click on the URL and update the permalink to make it more relevant.

Key Takeaways

Setting friendly URLs improves both user experience and SEO.
Use the ‘post name’ permalink option in WordPress settings for optimal URL structure.
Remember to customize individual post and page URLs when needed.