About URL aliases

​

About URL aliases

A URL alias is when you create a specific, descriptive URL for a page you’ve created. There are three main benefits of using a URL alias:

1. You can create a more descriptive and meaningful URL for users

2. The URL alias is read by search engines, as such it is an important part of search engine optimisation (SEO)

3. Your website will look more professional

Exercise 7.1: Updating a page’s URL alias

In this exercise you’ll learn how to update a page’s URL alias.

1. Add a Standard Page: go to Content → Add content → Standard Page

2. Fill out the required fields, such as Title and Body, then in the right-hand side of the form, click to expand the URL Alias section

   ​​

3. Uncheck Generate automatic URL Alias​

4. Make sure the "URL alias" field is empty

5. Mark the content to be Published

6. Save the page

7. Navigate to the page you saved - note the URL

Your content should have a URL something like http://example.com/node/100. In this example “node/100” is the Drupal path for the page.

Exercise 7.2: Create a URL Alias

In this exercise you’ll learn how to create a URL alias.

1. Return to edit the page from the previous exercise

2. Set a custom URL alias, such as /important-content-page (you may create your own)

3. Save the page. What’s the new URL for your page? Does the node/100 path still work? (The node ID number - 100 - will differ for you.)

4. Next, return to Edit the page from step 1

5. Under the URL Alias section on the right-hand side, check the Generate automatic URL alias box

6. Save the page - compare the results

7. Check if the internal path (such as node/100) still works

8. Check if the manually entered URL alias from step 2 is still functional

9. Ask your trainer any questions