What is a permalink?

A permalink is a permanent, unchanging URL that points to a specific blog post, article or webpage and is therefore consistent over time. Permalinks are important for SEO because they provide search engines and users with a clear, well-structured and recognizable link structure.

Building permalinks

Permalinks usually consist of the domain, any subdirectories and an extension that points to the specific resource. For example, an agency website permalink for a blog post about SEO measures might look like this:

https://www.example.com/blog/seo-measures

The structure of permalinks can vary depending on how a website is organized and which platform is used. Some content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress, allow customization of permalinks to make them more search engine friendly or user friendly.

Why are permalinks important for SEO?

There are several reasons why well-designed permalinks can have a positive impact on a website’s search engine optimization (SEO):

• Readability: A clearly structured and easy-to-read URL is easier for users and search engines to interpret and understand. This can help the website rank higher in search results.
• Search Terms: When relevant keywords are included in the permalinks, this can help search engines better rank the content and show users more relevant search results.
• Permanence: Because permalink URLs do not change, all references to a specific web page remain intact, even if the web page structure or content is updated.

Permalinks in WordPress

WordPress is a popular CMS that makes designing permalinks very easy. Different structures for the URLs can be selected in the settings. These include simple, date-based, numeric, or customizable options. For example, one can choose to include the post category and title in the permalink for improved SEO performance.