By default, WordPress uses ‘/category/’ as the prefix for all category page URLs.
However, you can customize this. Changing the category base prefix can enhance your site’s organization and appearance.
If you’re looking to modify the category base prefix, you’ve come to the right place. This article will walk you through the necessary steps.
What is the Category Base Prefix and Should You Change It?
Each category on your WordPress site has its own dedicated page and RSS feed. You can access all posts categorized under a specific category by visiting its archive page.
By default, WordPress assigns ‘category’ as the base prefix for category page URLs. This distinction helps separate category and tag archives from regular pages and posts.
For instance, if you have a category named ‘News,’ its URL will appear as follows:
http://example.com/category/news/
In the same way, WordPress assigns tag prefixes to URLs for tag archives.
http://example.com/tag/iphone/
This SEO-friendly URL structure aids both users and search engines in understanding the type of page being visited.
Most websites do not require a change to the base prefix. However, if you’re developing a niche site and prefer a different term for your categories, you can adjust the category base prefix accordingly.
How to Change the Category Base Prefix in WordPress
Changing the category base prefix in WordPress is a straightforward process.
To begin, navigate to Settings » Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard and scroll down to the ‘Optional’ section.
In the ‘Category base’ field, you can enter your desired prefix to appear alongside the category base option. You can also modify the tag base prefix if needed.
For instance, you could use ‘topics’ as your new prefix. Consequently, your category URLs would appear as follows:
http://example.com/topics/news/
Be sure to click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your new settings.
How to Remove the Category Base Prefix from URLs
Many users have inquired about completely removing the category base prefix from WordPress URLs. This would change your category URLs to look like this:
http://example.com/news/
However, we advise against removing the category base prefix.
The category base prefix is essential for helping both users and search engines differentiate between posts/pages and categories. Eliminating the prefix can lead to ambiguous URLs, which negatively impacts user experience and WordPress SEO.
You may also encounter technical problems with various WordPress plugins.
For instance, if you have both a category and a page with the same name, or if you are using %postname% as your URL structure for individual posts, your website may encounter an endless redirect loop, preventing the pages from loading.
If you still wish to proceed with this setup, you can utilize the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin.
AIOSEO is the premier SEO plugin for WordPress, making it incredibly simple to optimize your site for search engines. Additionally, it offers a one-click option to remove the category base prefix.
In this tutorial, we will be using the AIOSEO Pro license, which features the ability to eliminate the category base along with other powerful tools like the redirection manager and link assistant. There is also a free version of AIOSEO available for you to explore.
First, you need to install and activate the AIOSEO plugin. For detailed guidance, please refer to our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.
After activation, you will encounter the AIOSEO setup wizard. Just click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button. If you need assistance, you can check our guide on setting up All in One SEO for WordPress.
Next, navigate to All in One SEO Search » Appearance in your WordPress admin dashboard and select the ‘Taxonomies’ tab.
Next, navigate to the ‘Categories’ section and select the ‘Advanced’ tab. Here, simply toggle the ‘Remove Category Base Prefix’ option to ‘Yes’.
Remember to click the ‘Save Changes’ button when you finish.
Configuring Redirects After Changing the Category Base Prefix
If you’re changing or removing the category base prefix on a new WordPress site, there’s no additional action needed.
However, if you’re making changes to an existing website, users trying to access the old category page will encounter a 404 error.
To resolve this issue, you must set up a redirect to ensure both search engines and visitors are directed to the correct category page on your site.
The simplest method to establish redirection in WordPress is by using the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin. You can access it fromAll in One SEO » Redirectsin the WordPress admin panel, then click the ‘Activate Redirects’ button.
Once activated, proceed to the ‘Redirects’ tab to configure your redirection.
Just enter the URL you wish to redirect in the ‘Source URL’ field and the new destination URL in the ‘Target URL’ field.
For the Redirect Type, choose ‘301 Moved Permanently’ from the dropdown menu. This option will ensure that your old category pages are permanently redirected to their new locations.
Remember to click the ‘Add Redirect’ button once you have completed the setup.
For further information, check out our beginner’s guide on creating 301 redirects in WordPress.
Now, all your users and search engines will be directed to the correct URLs with your updated category prefix.
That’s it!
We hope this article has helped you understand how to change the category base prefix in WordPress. You may also want to explore our guides on excluding a category from your WordPress homepage and adding categories to a custom post type in WordPress.
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