How to Mask URL for Subdomain in WordPress

Masking a URL for a subdomain in WordPress can be a valuable technique for improving user experience and maintaining brand consistency. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of masking a URL for a subdomain in WordPress. This guide is designed to be SEO-friendly, providing you with all the necessary steps and information to achieve your goal.

What is URL Masking?

URL masking allows you to display a different URL in the address bar of the browser while the actual content is served from another URL. This technique is often used to keep URLs clean and user-friendly, or to maintain a consistent brand image.

Why Mask URLs for Subdomains?

• Brand Consistency: Maintain a uniform brand image across different subdomains.
• User Experience: Simplify URLs to make them more user-friendly.
• SEO Benefits: Clean URLs can improve click-through rates and search engine rankings.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mask URL for Subdomain in WordPress

Step 1: Set Up the Subdomain

Before you can mask a URL, you need to have a subdomain set up. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Log in to Your Hosting Account: Access your hosting control panel.
2. Navigate to Subdomains Section: Look for the subdomains option, usually found under the domain management section.
3. Create a New Subdomain: Enter the name of your subdomain (e.g., blog.yourdomain.com) and specify the directory it should point to.
4. Save Changes: Click on the create or save button to finalize the setup.

Step 2: Install and Activate a Plugin

To mask a URL in WordPress, you can use a plugin. One of the most popular plugins for this purpose is “Pretty Links.”

1. Go to Plugins > Add New: In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the plugins section.
2. Search for Pretty Links: Type “Pretty Links” in the search bar.
3. Install and Activate: Click on the install button and then activate the plugin.

Step 3: Create a Pretty Link

Once the plugin is activated, you can create a masked URL.

1. Navigate to Pretty Links > Add New: In your WordPress dashboard, go to the Pretty Links section and click on “Add New.”
2. Enter Target URL: In the target URL field, enter the actual URL of the subdomain you want to mask.
3. Enter Pretty Link: In the Pretty Link field, enter the URL you want to display (e.g., yourdomain.com/blog).
4. Set Options: Configure any additional options such as redirection type and tracking.
5. Create: Click on the create button to finalize the process.

Step 4: Verify the Masked URL

After creating the masked URL, it’s important to verify that it works correctly.

1. Open a New Browser Tab: Open a new tab in your browser.
2. Enter the Masked URL: Type in the masked URL you created.
3. Check Redirection: Ensure that the masked URL redirects to the correct subdomain and that the address bar displays the masked URL.

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