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Which WordPress permalink structure should you choose?
WordPress offers Plain, Day and name, Month and name, Numeric, Post name, and Custom structure options. Choose based on what the URL needs to communicate, and whether that information will remain useful over time.
| Structure | What it communicates | When it may fit |
|---|---|---|
| Post name | A descriptive path based on the content name | A new site that wants readable, durable addresses without date or hierarchy segments |
| Day and name or Month and name | Publication timing as well as the content name | A site where the date is useful context, such as an archive organized around publication time |
| Custom structure | Whatever hierarchy or other path elements the pattern encodes | A site with a genuine organizational need for those elements; each added segment becomes part of the URL scheme |
| Plain or Numeric | A query or numeric identifier rather than a descriptive content path | Only when the site’s needs justify that less descriptive address |
These are available WordPress settings, not a ranking of options that works for every site. Google recommends simple, descriptive URLs; that makes Post name a reasonable default when you want a readable path and have no specific need for dates or hierarchy. The recommendation does not establish that omitting dates or choosing Post name improves rankings. See WordPress’s permalink options and Google’s URL structure guidance.
How to set the permalink structure
- In the WordPress dashboard, open Settings → Permalinks.
- Select Post name, another listed option, or enter a pattern under Custom structure.
- Choose Save Changes. WordPress says the selected structure takes effect after saving.
For a custom pattern, WordPress says to end it with %post_id% or %postname% so WordPress can target an individual post. Use custom segments only when they serve a real organizational purpose. Details are in the permalink settings documentation and WordPress’s custom permalink documentation.
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How to make an individual post slug readable
A permalink structure sets the pattern; the slug is the part that identifies a particular post. WordPress pre-populates a URL-friendly slug from the post or page title, but it is worth checking the result in the editor. WordPress documents the relevant controls in its page and post settings sidebar guide.
- Use a few meaningful words that describe the page in the language your audience uses.
- Separate words with hyphens. Google Search Central says, “Use hyphens to separate words.”
- Remove parameters that do not change the content when practical, and avoid opaque identifiers when a descriptive path will do.
These are clarity and usability practices, not guarantees of a ranking change. Google’s URL guidance recommends simple, descriptive addresses and using the audience’s language.
Should you change an existing site’s URL structure?
Usually, do not change an established site’s permalink structure just to make URLs look different. WordPress describes permalinks as permanent addresses and says a post URL should not change. Existing URLs may already be referenced by readers and other sites; changing them without handling the old paths can break those references.
If a move is genuinely necessary, plan redirects from old addresses to their new destinations and update links you control. WordPress Learn covers redirecting links in its permalink settings lesson. The WordPress documentation’s point is stability—not a claim that changing a URL always causes a particular search outcome.
What to do if pretty permalinks do not work
If you save a readable structure but its URLs fail, the dashboard setting may not be the only requirement. WordPress says pretty permalink behavior depends on appropriate web-server configuration. If that configuration is missing, contact your hosting provider; changing the setting again cannot by itself fix a server-level problem. See WordPress’s permalink troubleshooting guidance.
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