What is a Permalink?
A URL that stays the same permanently, so it works as a stable reference.
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Quick Answer
A permalink is a URL specifically designed not to change. The term comes from blogging, where each post needs a fixed URL so links to it keep working over time. Permalinks are about stability and permanence; a permalink is, by definition, expected to keep pointing to the same content for as long as possible.
Full Definition
The word permalink is short for “permanent link.” It refers to a URL whose path is committed to be stable. The page at the permalink may evolve, but the URL itself stays fixed. This matters in any context where the URL is shared or saved: bookmarks, social posts, citations, search results, links from other sites.
Permalinks are most commonly associated with content management systems and blogs, where each post automatically gets a permalink based on its title or date. They can also describe individual social media posts, comments, news articles, and any other content that benefits from a stable address.
Why It Matters
URLs that change are a quiet but real problem. A blog post moved to a new URL breaks every link pointing to it. A news article rearranged into a new site structure becomes harder to find. A bookmarked page that has moved leaves the visitor with a 404. Permalinks are the discipline of avoiding all of that by keeping URLs stable.
For SEO, permalinks matter because Google indexes URLs. A page whose URL changes loses its accumulated ranking authority unless redirects are set up. A stable permalink preserves SEO value over time.
How ShortifyMe Handles It
ShortifyMe short links function as permalinks by default. Once you create a short link, the URL stays the same for as long as the link is active. The destination can change (on a paid plan, you can repoint a link to a new URL), but the short link itself does not change. A printed flyer or shared link keeps working even when the underlying destination has moved.
The exception: if a custom domain is removed from a ShortifyMe account, short links on that domain stop working until a redirect is set up. Short links on the default ShortifyMe domain are not affected.
Related Terms
URL Shortener
A tool that turns a long web address into a clean, short, shareable link.
301 Redirect
A permanent redirect from one URL to another, used when content moves to a new address.
Redirect
A rule that automatically sends visitors from one URL to another.
Frequently Asked Questions
A short link works as a permalink as long as the shortener keeps it active. With ShortifyMe, short links stay active indefinitely on the default domain, so they function as permalinks.
A permalink is a URL with a commitment to stability. A regular URL may or may not stay the same. The intent is what makes a URL a permalink, plus the practices behind keeping it stable.
Ideally not, but in practice URLs sometimes have to change. When they do, the right approach is to set up a 301 redirect from the old permalink to the new one, preserving links and SEO.
More from the ShortifyMe Glossary
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