URL paths

Available on
Faculty Sites
Sites+

The path is the part of a URL that comes at the end following the hostname, and is the exact location of a page, post, file, or other web content. A path can contain multiple levels divided by forward slashes.

https://my-site.sites.iastate.edu/about-our-team

https://my-site.sites.iastate.edu/projects/digital-accessibility-user-studies

Usually the path is generated automatically based on the title of the page. So a page called About Our Team will have the automatic path /about-our-team.

Not all content types support custom URL paths.

When to use a custom path

Most of the time, the automatic path works just fine and does not need to change. But sometimes a custom path improves site organization and user experience.

Make a long URL easier to remember

A particularly important page that's widely shared may benefit from a shorter path.

Organize pages

Complex websites may have a content strategy that groups pages into sections. Setting a custom path with a second level makes it easier to display shared content or sub-navigation. In this example, all pages in the /history group can share a common banner and sub-navigation.

Example:

https://my-site.iastate.edu/history/overview
https://my-site.iastate.edu/history/timeline
https;//my-site.iastate.edu/history/maps

How to set a custom path

  1. Open the URL Path Settings field at the bottom of the add/edit form. 
  2. Uncheck the Automatic URL path box to enable the Custom URL path field below.
  3. Enter the custom URL path. Be sure it begins with a single /. 
  4. Save

FAQ

If I share a link to my page but later change it to a custom path, with my old links break?

No. Your website is aware of the change and will redirect users to the new path.

If I change the name of my page, what happens to the path?

If the page is set to use the automatic URL path, then the path will change to match the page title. If this occurs, the old link will still work.

If the page is using a custom URL path, changing the name of the page will have no effect on the custom path.

I am using a custom path. How do I go back to using the automatic path?

Just check the Automatic URL path checkbox and save.