From Dates to Keywords: A Blog URL & 301 Redirect Strategy
Client: A 5-year-old food blog with 1,000+ posts.
Challenges We Faced
The client’s blog was “stuck” due to an outdated and messy URL structure:
Messy URL Structure
The site used the default WordPress permalink structure: …/2025/11/14/post-name/. This is long, unhelpful, and buries the keyword.
No Logical Hierarchy
The site was “flat,” with no clear “silo” structure for Google to understand their topical authority.
Keyword-Rich URL Creation Failure
The most important keywords were hidden behind dates.
404 Errors
The client had manually changed some URLs, creating 404s and losing valuable “link juice.”
No Redirect Strategy for Old Posts
Old URLs weren’t properly redirected, causing lost traffic and broken links across the blog.
Fix Your Site Structure
“Are your old, messy URLs hurting your rankings? Our url structure optimization services will safely migrate your site to a clean, keyword-rich structure.”
Our Approach – How We Solved These Challenges
Comprehensive URL Structure Analysis
We used Screaming Frog to crawl and map all 1,000+ blog post URLs.
Customized SEO Strategy
We designed a new, logical URL structure: …/recipes/cookie-recipes/chocolate-chip-cookies/. This created a clear “silo.”
URL Rewrite & 301 Redirects
This was the most critical step. Our url structure optimization company created and implemented a 1-to-1 301 Redirect Mapping plan for all 1,000+ posts to safely pass link equity.
Keyword Research & URL Mapping
We cleaned up all the slugs (e.g., changing /my-best-cookie-recipe-1/ to /chocolate-chip-cookies/).
Results
| Metric | Before | After | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Traffic | 60,000/mo (stagnant) | 95,000/mo (growing) | +58% |
| 404 Errors (GSC) | 200+ | 3 | -98.5% |
| Rankings for “Category” Keywords | Avg. Pos. 15 | Avg. Pos. 6 | +9 spots |
Free URL Structure Audit
“Not sure if your URLs are optimized? Book a Free URL Analysis and let our url structure optimization company build your redirect plan!”
Advice for Marketers & Brand Owners
- Don’t use dates in your URLs. A clean, keyword-focused URL is far better for users and SEO.
- A 301 Redirect Mapping plan is not optional when changing URLs. It is the only way to preserve your rankings and link equity.
- A logical URL Structure (e.g., /category/sub-category/post/) builds topical authority and improves user experience.
Extra Factors That Made It Work
- The 1-to-1 301 Redirect Mapping was the key to a safe and successful migration.
- Using Screaming Frog to validate all redirects after the launch to ensure no 404s were created.
- The new UI/UX & Breadcrumb Analysis (implementing breadcrumbs) improved user navigation and internal linking.
