- \n
- Open admin panel. Go to System > Setting. Then click on the edit button corresponding to the store from the store listing page.<\/li>\n
- In the edit system setting page open the \u2018Server\u2019 tab.<\/li>\n
- In the server, the tab selects the \u2018Yes\u2019 radio button corresponding to \u2018Use SEO URL\u2019 and then clicks on the save button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"opencart](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/11111.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBy doing this admin will be able to use SEO URLs.<\/p>\n
Recommended Read:<\/strong>\u00a0Top 10 Opencart Extensions to Boost Customer Experience<\/a><\/p>\n
Pages in Opencart have the option to add SEO Friendly URLs<\/h2>\n
![\"add-seo-url-on-pages-in-opencart\"](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Add-SEO-URL-on-Pages-in-Opencart.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIn Opencart there is a default option to create SEO-friendly URLs for the following page:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Product page<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Category page<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Manufacturer page<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Information page<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For all these above pages there is an option on their respective edit page to enter SEO URL.<\/p>\n
Recommended Read:<\/strong>\u00a0Top 10 Features to Consider While Creating a Marketplace on the OpenCart Platform<\/a><\/p>\n
Product Page<\/h3>\n
To save the SEO URL of any product page go to Catalog > Products in the admin panel. Click on the edit button corresponding to the product name.
\nIn the edit product page click on the \u2018Data<\/strong>\u2019 tab. In the Data tab, there is an option for \u2018SEO Keyword<\/strong>\u2019. Enter the SEO URL of the product and then save.
\nRefer below screen:<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"OpenCart](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/22222.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nCategory Page<\/h3>\n
To save the SEO URL of any category page go to Catalog > Categories in the admin panel. Click on the edit button corresponding to the category.
\nIn the edit category page click on the \u2018Data<\/strong>\u2019 tab. In the Data tab, there is an option for \u2018SEO URL<\/strong>\u201d. Enter SEO URL of category and then save.
\nRefer below screen:<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"OpenCart](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/3333.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nManufacturer Page<\/h3>\n
To save the SEO URL of any manufacturer page go to Catalog > Manufacturers in the admin panel. Click on the edit button corresponding to the manufacturer.
\nOn the edit manufacturer page, there is an option for \u2018SEO URL<\/strong>\u201d. Enter the SEO URL of the manufacturer and then save.<\/p>\nRefer below screen:<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"Opencart](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/44444.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nRecommended Read:<\/strong>\u00a0What are the merits and demerits of using an OpenCart platform?<\/a><\/p>\n
Information Page<\/h3>\n
To save the SEO URL of any information page go to Catalog > Information in the admin panel. Click on the edit button corresponding to the information page.<\/p>\n
On the edit, the information page clicks on the \u2018Data\u2019 tab. In the Data tab, there is an option for \u2018SEO URL\u201d. Enter the SEO URL of the information page and then save.<\/p>\n
Refer below screen:<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"OpenCart](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/00000.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nNote:<\/strong> Admin can also save SEO URL while adding a new product, category, manufacturer and information page.<\/p>\n
If the admin wants to create an SEO URL for any custom pages then he\/she has to make changes accordingly (explained below in the same document).<\/p>\n
Technical Flow for URLs<\/h3>\n
In Opencart (version 2.x) when the user hit any URL (SEO or non-SEO) it calls the controller file seo_url.php located at catalogue\/controller\/startup. This file is called to find the SEO URL.<\/p>\n
Note:<\/strong>\u00a0The SEO URL of each page is stored in the \u2018url_alias\u2019 table in the database.<\/p>\n
If the customer hit any non-SEO URL then it calls the seo_url.php file. In this file, there is code which searches the SEO URL of the Non-SEO URL in the \u2018keyword\u2019 column of the url_alias table corresponding to the \u2018query\u2019 column<\/p>\n
url_alias Table in the Database<\/h3>\n
url_alias table is used to save SEO URLs of all pages. There are the following 3 columns in the table by default:<\/p>\n
- \n
- url_alias_id: Primary key of the table.<\/li>\n
- Query: contains the id of different pages like product_id, category_id, and other pages.<\/li>\n
- Keyword: contains SEO URL keyword of the corresponding page<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
SEO URL creation for other than default pages<\/h2>\n
If the admin has created landing pages and wants to serve an SEO URL for the page. For this first have to make an entry of the page in the url_alias table.<\/p>\n
Example 1:<\/strong>
\nIf the admin has created the \u2018Sports\u2019 landing page then he has to make an entry in the url_alias table as:<\/p>\n- \n
- In query column: sport_id=1<\/li>\n
- In\u00a0 keyword column: sports<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Admin also has to make changes in controller file seo_url.php for sport_id.\u00a0 Admin has to add a condition for sport_id same as product_id and category_id.<\/p>\n
Now if admin enter URL \u201chost\/index.php?route=product\/landing_page&sport_id=1\u201d then code will search seo keyword in url_alias table corresponding to sport_id=1 and then serve URL \u2018host\/sports\u2019.<\/p>\n
Example 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n
In this example, we will create an SEO URL for the blog page.<\/p>\n
For this we have to add a condition in the controller file and make an entry in the url_alias table corresponding to blog_id:<\/p>\n
Refer below screenshot seo_url.php file:<\/p>\n
![\"OpenCart](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Picture1-2.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nRecommended Read:<\/strong>\u00a0How can you change the currency format in an OpenCart platform?<\/a><\/p>\n
Screenshot of url_alias table<\/h3>\n
![\"OpenCart](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Picture2.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nURL Redirections in Opencart<\/h3>\n
In Opencart if the admin wants to create new SEO URLs and wants 301 (permanent redirection) or 302 (temporary redirection) redirect on a new URL then the admin has to make the following changes in the controller file and url_alias table.<\/p>\n
![\"url-redirections-in-opencart\"](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/URL-Redirections-in-Opencart.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n- \n
- Create a new column old_keyword in url_alias table of type \u2018varchar<\/strong>\u2019.<\/li>\n
- Handel condition in the controller file to search in old_keyword column if user search for old URL.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Example:<\/strong> To redirect from the old URL of the \u2018termes and conditions<\/strong>\u2019 page to the new URL.
\nIf the admin wants to redirect any information page from the old URL to the new then he has to make an entry in the url_alias table. Refer to the below screenshot:<\/p>\n![\"SEO](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Picture3.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHere<\/p>\n
- \n
- the old keyword is: shop\/terms-conditions.html<\/li>\n
- new keyword: help\/terms-conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Controller file changes: In seo_url.php controller admin has to handle conditions if enter URL did not found in the keyword column.
\nThe first system will search entered URL in the keyword column. If not found then will search in the old_keyword column. If found then will redirect to the corresponding new URL.
\nPlease refer to the below screenshot:<\/p>\n![\"SEO](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Picture8.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nURL Redirections in Opencart for Deleted Pages<\/h3>\n
If the admin wants to redirect the URL of deleted categories, products or any other pages on the home page then he can make changes in the controller file accordingly.<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong> Here we will 301 redirect URLs of deleted categories<\/p>\n
Steps to redirect URL of deleted categories:<\/p>\n
![\"SEO](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Picture7.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n- \n
- Create a file and define an array with the key as deleted category URL and value as URL to which admin wants to redirect. Refer to the below screenshot for creating an array of deleted categories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Note:<\/strong> Here we have defined blank value because we want to redirect deleted categories URLs to the home page<\/p>\n
- \n
- Add a condition in the seo_url.php controller to redirect from deleted category URL to the new URL.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"SEO](\"https:\/\/www.knowband.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Picture6.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIn this code first, we have included a file containing URLs of deleted categories and then checked if the entered URL is in the defined array or not. If yes then redirected to a new URL else redirected to the not found page.<\/p>\n
In the End:<\/h2>\n
A variety of OpenCart modules and extensions, both free and paid, are available from Knowband<\/a> to boost your store’s operation. To know in detail about the OpenCart platforms, modules available or any functionality related to the platform feel free to drop us an email at support@Knowband.com.<\/p>\n
- Add a condition in the seo_url.php controller to redirect from deleted category URL to the new URL.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Create a file and define an array with the key as deleted category URL and value as URL to which admin wants to redirect. Refer to the below screenshot for creating an array of deleted categories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Handel condition in the controller file to search in old_keyword column if user search for old URL.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- Create a new column old_keyword in url_alias table of type \u2018varchar<\/strong>\u2019.<\/li>\n
- Category page<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Product page<\/strong><\/li>\n