WooCommerce: How to Repopulate Slugs with New Product Names (Beginner-Friendly Guide)
So, you’ve changed your product names in WooCommerce, but your URLs (slugs) are still reflecting the *old* names? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! This is a common issue, especially when you’re refining your product listings for better SEO or simply fixing typos. This guide will walk you through how to repopulate those slugs with your shiny new product names, ensuring your website is well-optimized and user-friendly.
What is a Slug Anyway?
Think of a slug as the address of your product page. It’s the part of the URL that comes after your domain name and usually includes the product name. For example, if your website is `myawesomeproducts.com` and you sell a “Red T-Shirt”, the slug might be `myawesomeproducts.com/product/red-t-shirt`.
Why are Slugs Important?
Slugs are vital for several reasons:
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Search engines like Google use slugs to understand what your page is about. A well-optimized slug helps them index your products correctly.
- User Experience: A clear and descriptive slug makes it easier for users to understand where they are on your site and share links.
- Readability: Clean slugs are simply easier to read and remember, both for humans and search engines.
- You edit the product.
- Click the “Edit” button next to the Permalink.
- Change the slug to `ceramic-coffee-mug-12oz`.
- Update the product.
- You have a small number of products.
- You need to make specific, targeted changes to individual slugs.
- “Regenerate Slugs” based on product titles.
- Control how slugs are generated (e.g., lowercase, remove stop words like “a”, “the”, “and”).
- Preview the new slugs before applying them.
- Backup Your Database: *Always* back up your website’s database before making bulk changes like this. If something goes wrong, you can restore your site to its previous state.
- Test on a Staging Site: If possible, test the plugin and slug regeneration process on a staging environment (a copy of your live site) before applying it to your live website.
- Review the Changes: After the plugin has updated the slugs, review a sample of your product pages to ensure the slugs are generated correctly and look good.
The Problem: Old Product Names, Old Slugs
Imagine you initially named your product “Awesome Red Tee” but later realized “Red Cotton T-Shirt” is more descriptive and search-friendly. You update the product name in WooCommerce, but the slug remains `myawesomeproducts.com/product/awesome-red-tee`. This is a missed opportunity!
Option 1: Manually Updating Slugs (The Quick Fix for a Few Products)
If you only have a few products to update, the manual method is the easiest and fastest approach.
1. Edit the Product: Go to your WooCommerce admin area and navigate to Products > All Products. Find the product you want to update and click “Edit”.
2. Find the Slug Field: Under the product title, you’ll see a field labeled “Permalink”. This is where the slug resides. Click the “Edit” button next to it.
3. Update the Slug: Replace the old slug with a new one that reflects your updated product name. For “Red Cotton T-Shirt”, a good slug would be `red-cotton-t-shirt`. Important: Use hyphens (-) to separate words in the slug, and keep it concise.
4. Save Changes: Click “OK” and then “Update” to save the product with the new slug.
Example:
Let’s say you initially called your product “Deluxe Coffee Mug” and the slug was `deluxe-coffee-mug`. After keyword research, you decide “Ceramic Coffee Mug – 12oz” is a better name.
When to Use This Method:
Option 2: Using a Plugin (Bulk Update and Automation)
If you have a large number of products, manually updating slugs is a time-consuming nightmare. That’s where plugins come in handy. Several plugins can help you bulk-update slugs based on your product titles. One popular choice is “SEO Ultimate”. However, always research and choose a plugin with good reviews and active support. We’ll demonstrate the principle using a theoretical approach, as plugin functionality can vary.
How a Plugin Works (Typically):
1. Install and Activate: Install and activate your chosen SEO plugin.
2. Find the Slug Management Tool: Look for a section in the plugin settings related to slug management or URL optimization.
3. Choose Your Settings: You’ll usually find options to:
4. Run the Update: Execute the slug regeneration process. The plugin will automatically update all (or selected) product slugs based on your chosen settings.
Important Considerations When Using Plugins:
Option 3: Coding Solution (For Developers and Advanced Users)
For developers comfortable with PHP and WooCommerce’s API, you can write a custom script to update slugs. This provides the most control but requires technical expertise.
Here’s a basic example (use with caution and adapt to your specific needs):
<?php
// Ensure WordPress is loaded
if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
exit; // Exit if accessed directly
}
// Get all product IDs
$product_ids = get_posts( array(
‘post_type’ => ‘product’,
‘numberposts’ => -1, // Get all products
‘fields’ => ‘ids’, // Only retrieve IDs for performance
));
if ( ! empty( $product_ids ) ) {
foreach ( $product_ids as $product_id ) {
$product = wc_get_product( $product_id );
if ( $product ) {
$product_name = $product->get_name();
$new_slug = sanitize_title( $product_name ); // Generate a slug from the product name
//Update post’s slug
wp_update_post( array(
‘ID’ => $product_id,
‘post_name’ => $new_slug,
) );
echo “Updated slug for product ID: ” . $product_id . ” to: ” . $new_slug . “
“;
}
}
} else {
echo “No products found.”;
}
?>
Explanation:
1. Get All Product IDs: The script retrieves the IDs of all products in your WooCommerce store.
2. Loop Through Products: It then loops through each product ID.
3. Get Product Name: Inside the loop, it gets the product name.
4. Generate Slug: The `sanitize_title()` function generates a URL-friendly slug from the product name (converting to lowercase, replacing spaces with hyphens, etc.).
5. Update the Slug: The `wp_update_post()` function updates the product’s `post_name` (slug) with the new slug.
6. Important notice: The code shows the basics.
7. Before doing this: Back up your database.
How to Use This Script:
1. Create a PHP file: Create a new PHP file (e.g., `update-product-slugs.php`) and paste the code into it.
2. Upload to your server: Upload this file to your WordPress theme directory or a custom plugin directory.
3. Access the file through your browser: Open the file in your web browser (e.g., `yourwebsite.com/wp-content/themes/your-theme/update-product-slugs.php`).
4. Delete the file: Remove the file from your server once you’re done to prevent unauthorized access.
WARNING: This script directly modifies your database. Use it *only* if you understand the code and have a backup. Mistakes can break your website! THIS CODE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Handling Redirects (Very Important!)
Whenever you change a product slug, the old URL will no longer work, leading to “404 Not Found” errors. This is bad for user experience and SEO. To fix this, you need to set up redirects.
- What are Redirects? Redirects automatically forward visitors from the old URL to the new one.
- How to Implement Redirects:
- Use a Plugin: The easiest way is to use a redirect plugin like “Redirection”. These plugins allow you to easily create redirects from your old product slugs to your new ones.
- .htaccess (Advanced): If you’re comfortable with server configuration, you can add redirect rules to your `.htaccess` file. However, this is more complex and prone to errors.
Example using the “Redirection” plugin:
1. Install and activate the “Redirection” plugin.
2. Go to Tools > Redirection.
3. In the “Source URL” field, enter the *old* product slug (e.g., `/awesome-red-tee`).
4. In the “Target URL” field, enter the *new* product slug (e.g., `/red-cotton-t-shirt`).
5. Click “Add Redirect”.
Repeat this process for each product slug you changed.
Why Redirects are Crucial:
- Preserve SEO: Redirects tell search engines that the page has moved, allowing them to transfer any link equity from the old URL to the new one.
- Avoid 404 Errors: Redirects ensure that visitors who click on old links (from search engines, social media, or other websites) are automatically taken to the correct product page.
- Improve User Experience: A seamless transition to the new URL keeps users happy and prevents frustration.
In summary, repopulating your WooCommerce slugs with new product names is a worthwhile task that can significantly improve your website’s SEO and user experience. Choose the method that best suits your technical skills and the size of your product catalog, and don’t forget to implement redirects to avoid those dreaded 404 errors!
