CMS: Creating Unique Dynamic Page URLs

12 min read

The URL slug structure of your dynamic pages determines both the type of dynamic page (list or item) and the actual URL slugs used by each version of a dynamic item page.

A URL slug represents the exact web address of a specific page on your website. It's the part of the URL that follows your main domain name and helps humans and search engines know what the content is about.

You may need to add variables to your dynamic item page's URL slug structure to ensure each collection item gets its own unique web address. These variables act as placeholders that are replaced by the actual field values of your collection items.

Screenshot of the URL slug structure for a dynamic item page.

In this article, learn more about:

About URL slugs and URL slug structures

URL slugs are the characters in the URL (web address) that appear after your domain name. They help humans and search engines understand what the page's content is about. URL slug structures determine how the actual URL slugs are constructed and what 'type' of dynamic page is used (list or item).

For example, in the URL: www.your-domain.com/felines/large/bengal

The URL slug is: /felines/large/bengal
The editable URL slug structure is: felines/{category-field}/{primary-field}

In the SEO tab of your page settings, you can edit the following default URL slug structures:

Dynamic list pages: https://www.{your-domain.com}/{collection-name}
Dynamic item pages: https://www.{your-domain.com}/{collection-name}/{primary-field}
Note: CMS adds -1 after the collection name with whichever type of dynamic page you create 2nd. You can remove this as long as the slug structure does not conflict with another used on your site.

In your collection, the Page Link fields have the same name as their corresponding dynamic pages. A Flag icon

appears next to your primary field and SLUG appears next to the name of each field used in a URL slug.

Screenshot showing the Page Link fields, the primary field, and fields used in the slug.

URL slug structures define dynamic page URLs

Whenever you create a dynamic page, its Page Link field is added to your collection. The Page Link field generates the URLs for each item by combining the characters and variables used in the dynamic page's URL slug structure. By default, dynamic item pages add the collection's primary field to the URL slug structure. Fields used in the URL slugs are converted to lowercase letters with dashes replacing any spaces.

When you add a variable to the slug structure, you choose a collection field that the variable represents. Any variables that exist in the slug structure are replaced by the actual field values for each item. This allows you to use field values from collection items in their dynamic page URLs.

From your collection, you can also modify the URL slug used by a specific item's dynamic item page version. This gives you more control over the exact URLs of your items. If your site is connected to a domain, when you modify the URL slug for a specific item, the old URL automatically redirects to the new one. This ensures that when visitors and search engines go to the old links, they're taken to the new links. If you do not have a connected domain, the old URLs will no longer work and a 404 error page loads instead.

In the example below:

A variable representing the 'Category' field was added to the URL slug structure of the dynamic item page used to display a single item. As a result, the values in the 'Category' field are added to each item's Page Link field to create the URL slugs for each version of the dynamic item page.

Screenshot of the Page Link fields used for a dynamic item page.

Using variables to change the dynamic page type

Each Page Link field in your collection represents a specific dynamic page and each value in the field represents an item's URL slug. When you add variables to change a dynamic page's URL slug structure, the Page Link field values adjust accordingly.

If multiple collection items have the same value in this Page Link field, the CMS determines that these items should share the same dynamic item page. So, if this was a dynamic list page, the page converts to a dynamic item page.

This dynamic item page will have a different version for each unique Page Link value (URL slug). Each version will list the items that share the same URL slug if the page has a repeater, gallery, or table connected to the dynamic page dataset.

In the example below:

A variable representing a 'Category' field was added to the URL slug structure of a dynamic list page. This converted the dynamic list page to a dynamic item page because the Page Link field value is no longer unique to each item.

Screenshot of a dynamic item page that was converted to a dynamic item page.

In the example below:

The Page Link field now has 2 unique URL slugs. So, its dynamic item page now has 2 versions:

1 version at /felines/large listing the 2 items that share this URL slug
1 version at /felines/medium listing the 3 items that share this URL slug.

Screenshot of a Page Link field for a dynamic item page.

Learn more about creating dynamic pages that list items by category.

Why you should add variables to dynamic page URLs

For a dynamic item page to have a dedicated version for each collection item, the page's Page Link field needs a unique URL slug. Otherwise, the page cannot exist for each item. You may need to add variables to the URL slug structure, to ensure each item has a unique URL slug.

If multiple items in your collection have the same value in their primary field, and you do not add a variable to the dynamic item page's URL slug structure, only 1 URL is generated for multiple items. This is because the primary field is used in the dynamic item page's URL slug structure by default. Since only 1 URL is created for both items, only 1 item will have a dedicated version of the dynamic item page, the other will not.

Example:

If your dynamic item page URL slug structure ends with /team/{primary-field}, and 2 items in the collection have "Sara" in the primary field, only 1 URL is generated for /team/sara. So only 1 version of the dynamic item page is created for only 1 of the 2 collection items.

To solve this, you could add a variable field to the URL slug structure to create unique URL slugs for each item. For example, add a "phone" field if each item has a different value in a "phone" field. The URL would then be /team/sara/{phone} so each item gets its own unique dynamic item page URL.

You can also modify the Page Link field for one of the "Sara" items so that each has a unique URL ending. In this case, unique URLs are generated from both items and they both get their own unique versions of the dynamic item page.

URL slug structures cannot conflict with existing slug structures

The URL slug structure cannot already be used by other existing pages on your site. To be unique, the URL slug structure cannot have the same prefix (e.g. {Collection name}) and the same number of variables as another page on your site, even if the variables are different.

The CMS will not allow you to save changes to the URL slug structure if it conflicts with an existing one. So, when updating the URL slug structures of your dynamic pages, make sure they do not have the same number of variables after the same prefix.

Show me an example of conflicting URL slug structures that cannot be used

Adding variables to dynamic page URL slug structures

Go to the SEO tab of the relevant dynamic page in your editor to check the URL slug structure. You can then manually edit the structure and add variable fields that change based on each collection item's actual field value.

Important:

If you want the old URLs to automatically redirect to the new ones you create by adding variables, make sure your site first has a connected domain. If your site does not have a domain connected, the old URLs will no longer work and instead, will load 404 error pages.

Wix Editor

Studio Editor

Go to your editor.
Click Pages & Menuon the left side of the editor.
Click Dynamic Pages.
Hover over the relevant dynamic page and click the More Actions icon on the right.
Click SEO.
Edit the URL slug structure field:
1. Click Edit next to the URL slug structure field and choose what you want to do:
  - Add Variable: Click + Add Variable and choose a text or number field to use its values in the URL slug structure.
  - Add static values: Click the field and enter the static values you want to use in the URL slug structure. Use only English letters, numbers or dashes.
2. Click Save.

Screenshot of saving changes to the URL slug structure of a dynamic item page.

Click Replace URLs to confirm the changes. The dynamic page's previous URLs will be deleted and will no longer work. Instead, the new URLs will be generated for the dynamic page.

Editing URL slugs for specific dynamic item pages

From your collection, you can customize the end of the URL used by specific dynamic item pages. If your site has a domain connected to it, when you change the URL slug, the old URL will automatically redirect to the new URL. If you haven't connected a domain to your site, the old URL will no longer work after you change it and a 404 page will load instead.

Important:

Make sure you've connected a domain to your site before updating URL slugs for specific items. This ensures the old URLs will redirect to the new ones.

To edit an item's URL slug:

Go to CMS in your site's dashboard. Alternatively, you can click CMS in your editor, then click Your Collections.
Click the relevant collection.
Click the relevant Page Link field for the relevant item.
Note: By default, the Page Link field is titled: {Collection name} (Item)