WordPress Preferred URL (What, Importance, How-To, and Professional Tips)

WordPress Preferred URL refers to the default URL of a WordPress website. In simple words, let’s explain Two use cases of Preferred URLs.

1. On Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), users see sites’ preferred URLs in search results.
2. A site’s URLs are redirected to the default, pre-set preferred URL.

So, let’s explain more about preferred URLs in WordPress.

WordPress Preferred URL

• Introduction

The preferred URL is the final destination of a site’s various URL versions.

Remember that users trying to access a page using various protocols end up accessing the page at the Preferred URL. Simply put, a preferred URL is the final location of a resource.

Let’s describe the subject in other words.

The URL version loaded after all redirect chains is called the “preferred URL.” In other words, search a site on Google and see the URL structure on search pages. The one you see is the preferred URL of a WordPress website.

• Preferred URL in WordPress

Usually, the WordPress Settings page helps users see the WordPress Preferred URL. Users can set a default URL while setting up WordPress.

Remember that changing the WordPress Preferred URL is not a matter of clicking. If you change parameters in the WordPress dashboard on the Settings page, you’ll undoubtedly create problems.

Let’s learn how Preferred URLs work in WordPress in case of SEO rankings or Technical maneuvers.

• If you change the WordPress preferred URL, you’re changing the WordPress database, which can create redirect issues.
• Google indexes your site’s previous preferred URL. If you change the preferred URL, Google can de-rank your site unless you point it out again.
• The pointing backlinks on other sites will stop working if no redirects are configured. Now, WordPress can create automated redirects if a page or post’s URL is changed. However, you’ll need to check if WordPress has configured automated redirects. In case of manual requirements, you should proceed and configure manual redirects.

Note: Remember to check settings after you’ve installed WordPress and make changes accordingly at the start.

• Importance of WordPress Preferred URL

If a preferred URL is not set, users could lose organic traffic.

Hence, at different protocols, such as WWW or without WWW, Google treats a page differently and considers that if a page is accessible through multiple protocols, the particular resource is a different page on a domain.

Let’s clarify the matter in more detail.

• A preferred URL defines and sets the final destination of a domain name’s different URL versions.
• Once a preferred URL is set, search engines don’t create issues, such as canonical issues by Google Search Console (GSC). Such errors imply that a single content is loaded at different URL structures, which could be better for a site’s SEO status.
• A preferred version of the domain’s URL helps users redirect from all versions.
• The preferred URL helps website owners keep a preferred URL structure on Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).
• Once a preferred URL is set, users don’t need extra maneuvers to set a preferred URL structure in WordPress.
• Focus on setting a preferred URL once you’ve created a WordPress website. Changing or setting one later can create database issues.

Note: Avoid the WordPress database issues at all costs. Fixing database issues costs more and requires extensive knowledge of WordPress.

• How to handle Preferred URLs?

Note: The following information can affect how users deal with WordPress Preferred URL. If you need to learn how to proceed, don’t make any changes (s).

How to check the Preferred URL?

Let’s learn how to check the preferred URL in WordPress. Once you find the default URL, further action becomes fruitful in WordPress.

Step (1): First, use a redirect-checking tool to check for URL redirection. Once you have entered your site’s URL in a redirect checker, you can see the domain’s final redirection destination. You’ll need to use a redirect-checking tool online.

Step (2): Enter your site’s URL versions. For example, the URL versions refer to the site’s address with or without “www.” Similarly, check different protocols, such as HTTP and HTTPs.

Note: Considering the URL versions, a domain has four URLs – two relating to “www” and two coming from including or removing HTTP from a domain name.

How to choose a Preferred URL?

Choosing a specific URL structure depends on personal preference.

In most cases, WordPress sets a preferred URL as “without www” once it is installed for the first time. If your site has SSL installation, its preferred URL becomes one without “www” loaded at HTTPs.

Let’s address additional measures.

• If you don’t like the WordPress default preferred URL, you can still make a change. However, you must change the WordPress dashboard, database, and configurative files. Also, you’ll need to set proper redirects after you’ve changed the WordPress preferred URL. However, you should keep WordPress’s preferred URL the same if your site has become old enough. In this case, a WordPress site is indexed in Google, so changing the preferred URL can create more problems.
• When choosing a preferred URL structure, you should consider the target audience. Your domain’s URL structure should be easily memorable.
• Setting a preferred URL in various platforms is a different approach from each other. For example, changing WordPress preferred URL is easy; however, changing the desired URL in WordPress.com is another story.

How do you set a Preferred URL in WordPress?

Step 1: First, change the URL on the Settings page in the WordPress dashboard.

Step 2: Check database entries for old URLs and change the URLs accordingly. Please seek professional advice if you need to learn how to do this.

Step 3: Set proper redirects in WP-config.php, HTaccess, and the WordPress dashboard. See if a single redirect works. If yes, set one and proceed. There is no need to set multiple redirects.

Step 4: Test your site’s redirects. In this case, you must use an Online redirect Checking Tool. Google is your friend.

Step 5: While checking redirects, ensure you have tested various versions of your site’s URL, such as the one with “www” or without it. Similarly, test your site’s URL with HTTP or with HTTPs.

• Preferred URL with “WWW” or without “WWW”

Remember, setting a preferred URL with or without “WWW” is a matter of personal preference.

In most cases, once a WordPress site has been started, you can see which URL version is automatically configured. Here, you can float with pre-settings in WordPress.

On the other hand, as described above, you can start over from scratch to change your site’s preferred domain. In this case, make the necessary changes and test your site’s settings once the process has been completed.

• Preferred URL with “HTTP” or with “HTTPs”

HTTPs are always better than HTTPs. HTTPs describe how your sites can handle, keep secure, and protect sensitive data communication.

In this case, if your site’s SSL works fine, the chances of HTTPs are high.

On the other hand, remember to ensure your site’s SSL is appropriately installed. Second, the HTTP redirects are correctly configured.

If, for example – there is a problem with SSL and HTTPs redirects, the first thing you will need to do is:

• To check for SSL installation. Ask your web host support agents about this.
• And second, see if the redirects are correctly set.

Let’s proceed to describe other matters now.

• WordPress verification in Google Search Console

Once SSL, redirects, and preferred URL settings are configured correctly, you must check whether the Google Search Console account has the correct values.

In this case, you can proceed further with the following use cases:

• Remove the old property and start over from scratch to set a preferred URL in Google Search Console.
• If you are setting a new GSC account, enter the URL version you have already set as a preferred one.

Note: Users should do the same for their Google Analytics account once set. Ensure the URL version in Google Search Console matches the one in Google Analytics.

• Risks involved in changing Preferred URLs for established Websites

Here is a list of risks you can face if you change your preferred URL for established sites.

• Google can de-index your site. In this case, you will lose all traffic, organic visibility, and search traffic impressions.
• Before problems on search pages occur, improper redirects can take your site down. Period.
• Database issues, such as duplicate content, may occur due to HTTP protocols. In this case, database tables may hold values that load at HTTP and HTTPs.

Common Challenges

Let’s talk about common challenges when changing preferred URLs in WordPress.

SEO Rankings

Search engines may drop sites with different preferred URLs if noticed suddenly instead of in the previous settings.

Moreover, it may take several weeks or months for search pages to come back up. This can cause search traffic to go down for months. This happens mostly when preferred URLs for established sites are changed.

Website Down Times

WordPress sites can go down if something goes wrong, such as protocol errors.

In this case, you should always follow:

• Test the process on a staging website before applying the routine to the live website.
• Test everything once the process of changing the preferred URL has been completed.

Redirects Issues

Your site can be loaded at different URLs if no proper redirects are set.

This will cause duplicate content issues in the eyes of search engines, such as Google.

Google Search Console alerts and errors

Although some gaps don’t count as errors, Google Search Console will categorize such gaps as mistakes. For example, a redirect is not an error, but Google will count it as a mistake.

However, redirects can create problems. So, if not treated well, a redirect is a potential error.

WordPress Maintenance Issues

You must check WordPress for maintenance issues whenever you change something sensitive in WordPress, such as preferred URL or database values.

In this case, after changing your site’s preferred URL, here is a list of factors you should check for maintenance:

• Check your site’s database values to ensure no resource can load at HTTP and HTTPs. Use the plugin “Better Search Replace” to change the WordPress database without changing the source codes. However, the process is too sensitive and requires extra attention. Please ask developers for assistance in this case.
• It would help if you cleaned the WordPress database after changing the preferred URL in WordPress. This will help you speed up your WordPress website.
• If errors have occurred on the screen, such as a White Screen of Death in WordPress, you should immediately fix the gaps and perform all the processes on a staging website before you are ready to implement everything on the live website.

Incoming and Outgoing Links

In case of misconfiguration when setting up a preferred URL, incoming and outgoing links may stop working.

In most cases, this happens only if the redirects are not working correctly.

So, to fix such issues, ask your site’s Support Team. If you would like to proceed independently, follow the following steps carefully.

• First, check the redirects are adequately configured in WordPress.
• If the redirects are working correctly, find all the links returning errors. It would help if you used a Chrome extension to see incoming and outgoing links in WordPress.
• To fix the problem, change the links manually in WordPress. If you have a big site with hundreds of links, you should still prefer manual changes. Automation, in this case, can hurt WordPress links even more.

Risks involved in changing WordPress Core Files

Changing WordPress core files is only recommended in some cases. However, you can proceed if you know how to do it correctly.

In this case, first, learn how changing WordPress core files works.

In such scenarios, there are several consequences when changing the WordPress core files.

• You will make changes manually each time a new update is applied to WordPress. For example, if you have changed the WordPress “wp-config.php” file, you must change it each time WordPress is updated.
• Your site may crash if you need to learn how to change, save, and re-adjust WordPress core files manually.
• A single syntax error can take the whole site down in WordPress. While CSS code snippets are more accessible to modify, they can have severe consequences if not treated correctly.

Professional Tips

• If you’ve changed the WordPress Site Address in the dashboard, you should also change the site address field in the WordPress database. Users can access the database via PHP. My Admin is available in the Hosting cPanel area. PHP My Admin provides access to manage the WordPress database via a web dashboard, which is helpful for those who need to learn how to manage the WordPress database via source code or SQL.
• Once you’ve changed WordPress URLs in the database, you should also check duplicate protocol URLs. For example, the WordPress database may hold URLs accessible through HTTP and HTTP protocols. This issue creates problems in WordPress and causes canonical or duplicate content problems.
• If you’re setting a preferred URL in Google Search Console, use the one already set in the WordPress dashboard. You can verify the site address on the Settings page in the dashboard. Consider URL versions like URLs with “www” or “HTTPs.”
• If your site’s URLs are not redirecting to the preferred URL version, you’ll need to set a force redirect in WordPress. In this case, setting a force redirect in WordPress requires changing WordPress’ core files, such as HTaccess and WP-config.php files.
• WordPress’s preferred URL, site address in the dashboard, redirect destination, and URL version on search engine pages should match. If these URLs don’t match, the chances of mis-happening are high in such scenarios.
• Changing site URLs and versions is necessary after migrating from one location to another. You must also change WordPress URLs if you’re transferring WordPress from a local system to an online web server. If you’re going to host some content on a new domain name, you’ll need to change WordPress URLs and database values.
• Changing the WordPress installation directory requires users to change the URL of the WordPress site. This process is technical and requires special attention.
• Other maneuvers, such as installing or renewing SSL in WordPress, involve paying attention to WordPress URLs. For example, after you’ve migrated our site protocol from HTTP to HTTPs, ensure you’ve checked your site’s URLs, site addresses, and preferred URLs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the WordPress Preferred URL?

A preferred URL is the final redirect destination of WordPress URL versions. More straightforwardly, it is the one you’d like search engines to index.

To check your site’s preferred URL, use a “redirect checking tool on Google” or see the WordPress dashboard. The dashboard’s Settings page helps you find your site’s preferred URL.

How to change the Preferred URL?

Changing the Preferred URL in WordPress is risky and requires experts’ opinions. It has many complications.

Changing a preferred URL starts with changes to the WordPress dashboard. You’ll need to change the entry on the Settings page in the dashboard.

Moreover, once you’ve made the change, you’ll need to check for the following measures:

1. Make changes to WordPress database entries, which require experts’ assistance.
2. Set proper redirects
3. If needed, make changes to WordPress core configurative files, such as “wp-config.php.” For more information, ask your site’s Support Team or consult the WordPress Support Team.

What happens if something goes wrong while changing the preferred URL in WordPress?

If something goes wrong, WordPress can take down everything. Hence, changing a URL structure is risky; something unusual will harm your site’s stability, access levels, and database maintenance.

Problems can include a “white screen of death,” the site’s main page not loading, or errors on the front end of WordPress.

If such mishaps happen, consult WordPress specialists for more information and a fix.

What is the default URL for WordPress?

For WordPress installation, the default URL is the root address where the WordPress installation exists.

For example, if a WordPress installation exists in the Web Root, you can access WordPress simply by typing a domain name. However, there is another condition.

For example, if the WordPress installation exists in a subdirectory, you must add the URL to the folder URL to access WordPress. This happens mostly in multi-WordPress site setups.

What is a Preferred URL?

As its name suggests, a preferred URL is the default version of a domain name. It is set up, chosen, and handled when creating a WordPress website.

In most cases, WordPress selects a URL version without “www” by default. So, in this case, a site’s address becomes “https://sitedomainname.com/.”

What is the WordPress address site URL?

WordPress’ address Site URL refers to the root where WordPress stores its core content, such as Theme files, Plugin scripts, and core directories. WordPress content refers to a server’s core files, media, and sub-directories.

In most cases, WordPress installation takes place at the root of a web hosting plan. However, You can change the settings; we don’t recommend changing the directory structure for WordPress installation.

What is my WordPress URL?

The WordPress site is accessible at the domain root. However, to access the WordPress login page, you must navigate to /wp-admin/.

You can also access the WordPress login page at /wp-login.php/.

Summary (Over to You)

That’s it.

In this resource, here is a list of lessons you should have learned.

• Changing WordPress preferred URL after you’ve started a WordPress site is risky.
• If, for some reason, you’re going to change WordPress preferred URL, make sure you’ve set proper redirects for old resources.
• Changing preferred URLs in WordPress can create database issues or remove your site entirely.
• If you’ve set redirects, it could create errors or alerts in Google Search Console.
• Never rely on automation to change preferred URLs in WordPress. Automation can cause you to lose access to your WordPress site if something goes wrong. In such scenarios, getting back to the WordPress dashboard becomes a headache. Such scenarios require extensive WordPress knowledge, money, and time to fix various aspects of WordPress.

For more information, ask our specialists. We can help you learn how WordPress Preferred URL works, provide WordPress Care Plans, provide technical SEO work, or sign up for a custom plan.