Changing the URL (slug) of a post that already ranks is nerve-wracking. Done carelessly, it can cause 404 errors, broken links, and lost traffic. Done right, you usually keep your rankings.
I generally advise against changing URLs just to add a keyword. But sometimes you have to: a partner asks you to remove a brand term, a post is rewritten for a new topic, or the old slug contains a year that is now out of date. I once had to remove a keyword from a ranking URL at an affiliate manager’s request and kept my position by following these 4 steps.
Step 1: Change the Slug and Set Up a 301 Redirect
In the block editor, open the post, go to the Post sidebar, click the URL under Link, and edit the slug. Then update the post.
WordPress often redirects the old slug to the new one automatically for posts, but do not rely on it. Create a permanent 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one, so visitors, search engines, and link authority all move to the new address:
- Rank Math: go to Rank Math SEO > Redirections, click Add New, enter the old URL as the source and the new URL as the destination, choose 301, and save.
- Redirection plugin: go to Tools > Redirection, enter the source and target URLs, and click Add Redirect.
- Yoast SEO Premium: it offers to create the redirect automatically when you change a slug.
More options: the best WordPress redirection plugins. Test the old URL in your browser; it should land on the new post.
Step 2: Update Your Internal Links
Redirects work, but internal links should point straight to the new URL. To find posts linking to the old URL:
- Search your WordPress Posts screen or use a search-and-replace plugin such as Better Search Replace (back up first).
- In Google Search Console, open Links, then Top linked pages under Internal links, and click the old URL to see which pages link to it.
Updating internal links also avoids redirect chains, which slow down crawling. See how to interlink blog posts.
Step 3: Ask Google to Recrawl the New URL
In Google Search Console, paste the new URL into the URL Inspection bar at the top, wait for the check, and click Request indexing. Your sitemap will also update automatically with the new URL if you use an SEO plugin.
Step 4: Update External Links You Control
Update the link anywhere you control it: your social profiles, email sequences, YouTube descriptions, guest posts, and any pages that link to the post. If important sites link to the old URL, consider asking them to update it. The redirect will keep working either way.
What to Expect
Rankings often stay the same or recover within days to a few weeks once Google processes the redirect. Keep the redirect in place permanently, never delete it.
When You Should Not Change a URL
- Just to add a keyword to a page that already ranks well.
- To remove a date if the post still ranks; update the content and title instead.
- Repeatedly; every change adds risk.
For better ways to improve a ranking post, follow our on-page SEO checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing a URL hurt my SEO?
There can be a short dip, but with a proper 301 redirect and updated internal links, rankings usually recover quickly.
Does WordPress redirect old post URLs automatically?
Often yes for posts, because WordPress remembers old slugs. It is still safer to add a 301 redirect yourself, especially for pages.
How long should I keep a redirect?
Permanently. Removing it later breaks any links and bookmarks that still use the old URL.
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