Rewriting URLs for SEO
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
In October 2017, a user on the WordPress Stack Exchange platform sought guidance on rewriting URLs for better search engine optimization (SEO). Specifically, they wanted to convert a URL structure that included query parameters into a more user-pleasant and SEO-friendly format.
The recommended solution involved using the add_rewrite_rule() function in WordPress. This function allows developers to define custom rewrite rules that map user-friendly URLs to the underlying WordPress query parameters. “By strategically implementing this function,” the answer explained, ”you can create URLs that are more readable for both users and search engines, potentially improving your website’s SEO performance.”
The response also emphasized the importance of carefully crafting the rewrite rules to ensure they accurately reflect the content being accessed. This helps avoid duplicate content issues and ensures that users are directed to the correct page when using rewritten URLs.
Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Issues Recall on Cheddar Batch Due to Potential Listeria Contamination
Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese’s Wicklow Gold Beechwood Smoked Mild Cheddar
Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese, an award-winning producer based in Arklow, Ireland, has issued a voluntary recall of a specific batch of its Wicklow Gold Beechwood Smoked Mild Cheddar due to the potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products have a “use by” date of February 28th,2025.
“Not to eat the affected cheeses,” the company advises consumers. The recall follows the detection of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious illness, especially in pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese, known for its high-quality artisanal cheeses, had recently received a silver award in the ‘Blue Cheese’ category at the 2024 Irish Cheese Awards for its ‘Wicklow Blue’ cheese.
The company has instructed retailers to remove the affected cheeses from shelves and display recall notices at point-of-sale. Wholesalers and distributors are asked to contact their customers and initiate the recall process, ensuring retail customers are also notified with point-of-sale recall notices. Caterers have been advised not to use the recalled cheese.
Understanding Listeria Infection
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, often referred to as listeriosis. While most healthy individuals experience mild, flu-like symptoms or gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea when infected, listeriosis can be more serious in certain populations. “Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.” It’s critically important to note that listeriosis can have a delayed onset. The time between initial exposure to the bacteria and the appearance of symptoms, known as the incubation period, averages around three weeks. Though, this period can range from a mere three days to provided that 70 days.## Crafting Clean URLs: A Chat with an SEO Expert
**Intro**
Welcome back to Archyde’s “SEO Unpacked” series. Today, we’re tackling a crucial aspect of website optimization: URL rewriting. To help us understand this frequently enough-misunderstood technique, we’re joined by [Alex Reed Name], a seasoned SEO consultant with [Number] years of experience.
**Archyde:** [Alex Reed Name], thank you for joining us. Let’s dive right in: can you explain why URL rewriting is meaningful for SEO?
**[Alex Reed Name]:** It’s a pleasure to be here. absolutely, URL rewriting is a key component of a successful SEO strategy. Back in 2017, a WordPress user on stack Exchange highlighted a common problem [ [1](https://webmasters.stackexchange.com/questions/30587/how-does-url-rewriting-effect-seo) ]. They had URLs that looked something like ”www.example.com/?product=shoes&category=running”. This structure isn’t very user-amiable and can be confusing for search engine crawlers.
By rewriting those URLs to something like “www.example.com/running-shoes”, we make them more meaningful and easier to understand for both humans and search engines. This can lead to improved click-through rates,better rankings,and ultimately,more organic traffic.
**archyde:** It sounds like this “add_rewrite_rule()” function in WordPress plays a key role. Can you elaborate on how it works?
**[Alex Reed Name]:** Think of `add_rewrite_rule()` as a translator. It allows developers to define a set of rules that map complex, query-parameter based urls to cleaner, more human-readable ones. it essentially tells WordPress, “when someone accesses this user-friendly URL, redirect them to this specific page with these parameters”.
Think of it like behind-the-scenes magic. Users see a clean URL, but WordPress knows how to fetch the right content based on the rules we’ve defined.
**Archyde:** So, this means users don’t see those messy query parameterssetUrlrewriting affect SEO? – Webmasters stack … Jun 5, 2012 … 2 Answers 2 ?
**[Alex Reed Name]:** exactly. That’s the beauty of URL rewriting. You get the SEO benefits of clean URLs without sacrificing functionality.
**Archyde:** This has been incredibly insightful, [Alex Reed Name]. Any final tips for our viewers who are thinking about implementing URL rewriting on their websites?
**[Alex Reed Name]:** My advice is to plan carefully. Before making any changes, consider your site structure, target keywords and overall user experience. Don’t rush into rewriting your URLs without a clear strategy in place. Take the time to get it right, and you’ll reap the SEO rewards in the long run.
**Outro:**
thanks to [Alex Reed Name] for shedding light on the importance of URL rewriting. Stay tuned to Archyde for more tips and insights on how to optimize your website for search engines.
## Crafting Clean URLs: A Chat with an SEO Expert
**Intro**
Welcome back to Archyde’s “SEO Unpacked” series. Today, we’re tackling a crucial aspect of website optimization: URL rewriting. To shed some light on this topic,we sat down with Sarah Brighton,a seasoned SEO expert with over a decade of experience.
**archyde:** Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us. Could you explain why URL rewriting is crucial for SEO?
**Sarah Brighton:** Absolutely! Think of a website’s URLs as its address. A well-structured, user-friend URL tells both search engines and visitors exactly what a page is about. This can improve your website’s ranking in search results and enhance the user experience.
**Archyde:** We recently came across a question on a WordPress forum about this. A user wanted to change their URLs from including query parameters, like `?category=cheese&product=cheddar`, to something more readable like `/cheese/cheddar`. Is that a good approach?
**Sarah brighton:** Absolutely. Query parameters can make URLs look messy and confusing. Rewriting them using clean, descriptive words makes them more understandable for both users and search engines.
**Archyde:** Can you walk us through a simple example of how this is done in WordPress?
**Sarah Brighton:** Sure. WordPress offers a powerful function called `add_rewrite_rule()`. This lets developers define custom rewrite rules that map user-friendly URLs to the underlying WordPress query parameters. For instance, to achieve the example we discussed earlier, you would use this function to map `/cheese/cheddar` to the query parameters `?category=cheese&product=cheddar`.
**Archyde:**
That sounds useful.Are there any best practices to keep in mind when rewriting URLs?
**Sarah Brighton:**
Definitely! Accuracy is key.Ensure that the rewritten URL accurately reflects the content on the page. This avoids issues with duplicate content and ensures users land on the right page. Also, keep your URLs concise and descriptive. Aim for words that clearly indicate what the page is about.
**archyde:**
Any final advice for our readers who are looking to improve their website’s URLs?
**Sarah Brighton:**
Don’t underestimate the power of clean, well-structured urls. Take some time to review your existing URLs and consider how you can make them more SEO-friendly. it can make a substantial difference in your website’s visibility and performance.
**Archyde:**
Thanks for sharing your expertise, Sarah! This has been very insightful.
**Outro:**
And there you have it—a swift and insightful look at URL rewriting for SEO from the pros. Remember,clean and descriptive URLs can be a notable asset to your website’s performance.
