Permalinks: What They Are & How to Structure Them for Max SEO Value
Probably the first one, right?
Great slugs should include the keywords targeted in the post. Take our example above: "sponsored-tweets-guide."
From this permalink, the reader (and Google) know the page is a guide to sponsored tweets and targets the keyword "sponsored tweets." This makes it easier for readers to find and share your content.
In addition, using keywords with high monthly search volume (MSV) in your slug can help you increase your ranking.
That's why when using a content management system (CMS) like CMS Hub or WordPress, you want to think about your permalink structure early on in your web development process.
What's the difference between a permalink and a URL?
A URL is a web address that directs to a page or file. It can include a domain name only, or also a path, slug, and other information depending on the page you are accessing.
On the other hand, a permalink refers to a specific URL structure — a tool made popular by bloggers for sharing and SEO purposes. While every permalink is a URL, not every URL is a permalink.
The Best Permalink Structures
With several permalink structures to choose from, think about your content and your audience to determine what format will work best.
For instance, a news site can greatly benefit from having a slug that includes a date and title. This lets readers know quickly by scanning what the post is about and when it was written.
On the flip side, if you manage a blog that prioritizes evergreen content and has pages that get constantly updated, you'll likely want to avoid having any dates in your titles.
That can signal to readers that your content is old and therefore, irrelevant. Instead, have a simple slug that only includes your article title.
It's all about using a structure that will benefit you (and your users) in the long run. Once you decide on a permalink structure, you can set it up in your CMS.
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