Category: WordPress • Est. reading time: 2 minutes
A permalink is the permanent web address for a page or post, the part after your domain. Settings > Permalinks decides how those addresses are built, and it is worth getting right early, because changing it on an established site can break old links and dent your search rankings.
Common Settings
Plain looks like ?p=123 and tells a human nothing. Skip it. Day and name and Month and name bake the date into the URL, which we avoid for evergreen content because it looks stale as the calendar turns. Numeric uses a post ID. Post name is the one we recommend for almost everyone: readable, descriptive, and no date to go stale. Custom Structure is for advanced users.
Optional: Category and Tag Bases
You can set a custom prefix for category and tag URLs. Leave these empty and WordPress uses sensible defaults. Most sites never need them.
Our standard: choose Post name, set it before you publish much, keep URLs lowercase with hyphens, and keep years and dates out so your content stays timeless. If you change permalinks on a live site, set up redirects from the old addresses.
Want a Hand With This?
URLs are a small setting with an outsized effect on how findable you are. Learn the basics in our live classes at allydrez.com/learn-how-to-use-wordpress, or reach us at support@allydrez.com or 1-321-209-2004.