A permalink is a permanent, unchanging URL that points to a specific blog post, article, or web page 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.
Structure of permalinks
Permalinks usually consist of the domain, any subdirectories, and an extension that points to the specific resource. For example, the permalink of an agency website for a blog post about SEO measures might look like this:
https://www.example.com/blog/seo-massnahmen
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 you to customize 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 readable URL is easier for users and search engines to interpret and understand. This can help the website rank higher in search results.
- Search terms: If relevant keywords are included in the permalinks, this can help search engines rank the content better and show users more appropriate search results.
- Consistency: Since the URLs of permalinks do not change, all references to a particular web page remain intact, even if the structure of the web page or the content is updated.
Permalinks in WordPress
WordPress is a popular CMS that makes designing permalinks very easy. Various structures for the URLs can be selected in the settings. These include simple, date-based, numeric or customizable options. For example, you can choose to include the category and post title in the permalink, for improved SEO performance.
