What's inside this article:
About Custom URL
What are the benefits of creating a Custom URL?
Creating an effective Custom URL for a page has the following benefits:
- Improved user experience, as it is clear where the user will go after clicking the link.
- URLs that include keywords might be ranked more highly by search engines.
- Consistent use of effective URLs boosts the authority of your domain for search engines.
Which pages can have a Custom URL?
You can create a Custom URL for the following page types:
- Sections
- Infopages
- Category archives
We strongly recommend creating a Custom URL for all the above listed pages. However, it is not possible to create a Custom URL for your website's homepage.
Why is it not recommended to use the default URL?
The default URL for Sections, Infopages, and Category archives is p/ or z/ followed by a string of numbers, as in the example below:
- https://showcase.pangea-cms.com/p/1234.html
Using the default URL is not recommended for the following reasons:
- URLs that do not contain human-readable text are not highly ranked by search engines.
- URLs that do not communicate the page contents appear less trustworthy and are less likely to be opened.
Can I create a Custom URL in any language?
Yes. Custom URL supports Unicode, so you can create a Custom URL using characters from any language. Examples of Custom URLs with Unicode support include:
- https://www.mashaalradio.com/خبرونه
- https://www.azadliq.org/azərbaycan_xəbərlər
- https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/საქართველო
What is best practice for creating a Custom URL?
For information about best practice for creating a Custom URL, go to the following section:
Will the default URL still work after I create a Custom URL?
Yes. The default URL will redirect to the Custom URL. However, the Custom URL is automatically marked as the Canonical URL for the page. The Canonical URL is considered the original version of the URL by search engines (applies for pages with multiple URLs).
Can I change an existing Custom URL?
While it is possible to change Custom URLs in Pangea CMS, this action is generally not recommended. If a page has already been indexed by search engines, changing the URL will cause broken links from results pages. It might take several months before search engines to recognize the new URL.
The option to change a Custom URL is intended for fixing typos immediately after creating the URL. For more information, go to the following section:
Can a page have more than one Custom URL?
No. Each page can have only one Custom URL.
Create a Custom URL
To create a Custom URL:
- Go to Settings > Custom URL in the top menu.
- Hit New Custom URL.
- Enter the desired string in the Custom URL box. To review the rules and recommendations, go to the following section:
- Choose your preferred option in the drop-down menu:
- Link to Section: Create a Custom URL for a Section or Infopage.
- Link to Zone: Create a Custom URL for a Category archive.
- In the Sections / Zones drop-down menu, select the specific page that will use the Custom URL.
NOTE: Items are listed in alphabetical order according to page name. To see Infopages, you need to scroll to the bottom of the Sections list.
- Hit Save.
Your chosen Custom URL is now applied.
Rules and recommendations
We recommend following the guidelines below for creating Custom URLs:
- Search engines crawl and index URLs, so it is important to include keywords at the beginning of the URL that reflect the page content.
- Do not include redundant words with no semantic value, such as the and a.
- You can create Custom URLs using English or the local language for your website. However, it is important to use the same language consistently across the whole website.
Examples of effective Custom URLs are as follows:
- https://www.rferl.org/russia-invades-ukraine
- https://pressroom.rferl.org/journalists-in-trouble
- https://www.rferl.org/subscribe
The following additional rules apply for creating a Custom URL in Pangea CMS:
- The string must start with a letter.
- The string can only include letters, numbers, dashes (-), and underscores (_).
- Custom URL supports Unicode, so you can enter characters from any language.
- Each Custom URL must be unique. You cannot use the same Custom URL for more than one page.
- The following strings are reserved for special website pages and cannot be applied as a Custom URL:
- api
- mobapp
- podcast
- rss
- staticreport
Manage existing Custom URLs
You can manage all existing Custom URLs for your website via Settings > Custom URL in the top menu.
If necessary, search for a specific Custom URL. Enter text from the Custom URL string or from the page name into the box, then hit Search URL.
The following options are available for each Custom URL under Actions:
- Edit: Edit the Custom URL string. This option is intended for fixing typos immediately after creating the Custom URL and is not recommended for pages that have been published for a longer time. For details, go to the following section:
- View: Open the page on the public website.
- History: View a history of changes to the Custom URL.
- Delete: Remove the Custom URL from the page. This option is intended for pages that have already been deleted or removed from the public website. If you use this option for a published page, the page URL switches back to the default URL. Using this option does not delete the page.
