How to Improve the Search URL Slug of a WordPress Site via cPanel?

SEO-friendly URLs are beneficial for indexing. But, the secret to search engine ranking lies in the platform’s default search URL structure. We will show you how cPanel users can improve the search URL slug of any WordPress site (http://www.example.com/?s=search-term) to raise its overall SEO status.

With a few adjustments, your search URL slugs will be more in tune with your site’s permalinks format. We have talked about configuring the Functions File and changing the .htaccess file. The idea is to change the site’s present search URL slug:
http://www.example.com/?s=search-term into this http://www.example.com/search/search-term.

Rearrange Site’s Function File

1. Log in to your user account of cPanel.

2. Go to the FILES section and click on File Manager.

The File Manager interface will open.

3. Browse functions.php file by following the path public_html>>wp-content >> themes.

4. Right-click the functions.php file and select Edit.

The file will open in the editor window.

5. Paste the given code at the end of the file.

/**
* Change search page slug.
*/

function wp_change_search_url() {
    if ( is_search() && ! empty( $_GET['s'] ) ) {
        wp_redirect( home_url( "/search/" ) . urlencode( get_query_var( 's' ) ) );
        exit();
    }  
}
add_action( 'template_redirect', 'wp_change_search_url' );

6. Click Save Changes and Close the editor.

It should change the structure of the search URL slug to the most optimum level.

Improve Search URL Slug with .htaccess

1. Log in to your cPanel account.

2. Open File Manager and edit the .htaccess file.

3. Paste this code at the end of the file:

# Change WordPress search URL slug
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} \\?s=([^&]+) [NC]
RewriteRule ^$ /search/%1/? [NC,R,L]

4. Click Save Changes and Close the editor.

By applying any one of the methods, cPanel users can effectively amend the search URL slug of a WordPress site and improve the SEO.