What is a permalink? My explanation and guide

A permalink is the full URL of a Web site. In this article, I discuss what a permalink is and how I use it for a website’s SEO.

What is a permalink?

A permalink is the full URL. It consists of your domain name and an addition. The suffix indicates the exact location where a visitor is located. It is the URL that visitors see when they move through a site. The name comes from the word “permanent. Permalinks are therefore permanent, even if the content on the Web page is updated. (1)

Consequences of changing permalinks

It is crucial to be careful when changing permalinks. When you want to change a permalink, it must be done carefully. It is important to make the new link refer to the correct web page. It happens that referencing from the new permalink leads to an old or nonexistent page. The visitor does not see the correct page or gets a “404 page not found” message. This is not conducive to website usability. Thus, it is crucial to have permalinks correctly point to each other in case of a permalink change.

SEO and permalinks

Permalinks are among one of the factors Google uses to rank a website. A permalink should be structured and clear to the visitor. It is important to reflect the title of a web page in the permalink. This gives a good indication of the content found on a web page.

The URL should be concise and clear. This is important because Google must be able to read and accurately index the permalink. Google’s guidelines emphasize two points:

1. URLs with a structured hierarchy are easier to crawl.
2. URLs that contain relevant keywords rank better.

Hierarchy refers to the steps the visitor takes on a Web site. First the visitor sees the landing page, then he/she clicks through to a web page with a different topic. The URL then shows the route by which the visitor found the topic. Within SEO, this is also called breadcrumbs. This is a breadcrumb trail that shows the path the visitor has taken. This gives the visitor overview and peace of mind. (2)

What is a permalink (examples)?

Some examples of permalinks (which also happen to be of interest to readers of this article):

https://ralfvanveen.com/techniek/url-structuur/seo/

Rich Snippets

What versions of a permalink are there?

There are (briefly) four versions of a permalink. The examples for this can be found below.

https://ralfvanveen.com (with HTTPS, without WWW.)

https://www.ralfvanveen.com (with HTTPS, with WWW.)

https://ralfvanveen.com (without HTTPS, without WWW.)

https://www.ralfvanveen.com (without HTTPS, with WWW.)

Optimize Permalink

Thus, it is important to structure the permalink as concisely and clearly as possible. When the permalink is optimized, it has a positive effect on the online findability of the web page or website. Google indexes the web page or website. With this, Google determines the ranking of the web page or website within the organic search results. This leads to more organic traffic. It is therefore important to optimize the permalink! In brief, the things that a permalink should meet:

Optimize Permalink

A quality permalink for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for a website’s findability and usability. A well-designed permalink can be valuable to both search engines and users. Here are some important aspects a quality permalink should meet:(3)

1. Relevant and descriptive: The permalink should be relevant to the content of the page and provide a clear description of what visitors can expect. This helps both users and search engines quickly understand the context of the page.
2. Use of keywords: Integrating important keywords that the page focuses on can help improve SEO. This makes it easier for search engines to index the page for relevant searches.
3. Short and simple: A concise and simple permalink is easier to remember and share. Long URLs can be intimidating and are often abbreviated by users or platforms, which can reduce effectiveness.
4. Use of hyphens: To separate words in a URL, it is recommended to use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_). Search engines such as Google treat hyphens as spaces, which helps in interpreting the words correctly.
5. Avoid dynamic parameters: If possible, avoid using URLs with dynamic parameters such as “?id=123.” These can be difficult for search engines and users to interpret. Instead, use an SEO-friendly structure that reflects the site’s hierarchy and content.
6. Consistency: Provide a uniform structure in permalinks across the site. This helps users understand the structure of the website and improves crawlability for search engines.
7. Future-proof: Avoid using dates or specific numbers that can quickly become irrelevant. A permalink should ideally be timeless so that the page remains relevant over the long term.
8. SSL usage: Make sure the permalink starts with HTTPS instead of HTTP. This is not only a ranking factor for Google, but it also increases user confidence in the security of the site.
9. Avoid deep URLs: Try not to place the permalink too deep in the website structure. A site that is too deep can make it more difficult for search engines to index the page.
10. Use of language and locale: For multilingual websites, consider using the appropriate language or region specification in the permalink to be more relevant to local searches.

Optimizing permalinks for SEO is an ongoing process that requires regular evaluation and adjustment. By following these guidelines, you can improve the visibility and accessibility of your website.