How can I preserve the forward slash in the custom URL slug for my Category Collection in Webflow? I want to format my blog categories like this: "site.com/blog/category/category-name". The current format is "site.com/blog-category/category-name" and I want to mirror the SEO authority's blog URL structure.
TL;DR
- Create static folders and pages (e.g., /blog/category) to simulate nested URLs visually using Collection Lists.
- Link to dynamic CMS pages via simplified slugs (e.g., /blog-category/category-name), or use a reverse proxy externally to rewrite URLs for deeper nesting.
Webflow does not allow nested folders with CMS Collections, so you cannot add a forward slash (/) within a Collection slug like blog/category/category-name. However, there's a workaround using static pages and Collection Lists to achieve a similar URL structure visually and functionally.
1. Understand Webflow’s CMS URL Limitations
- CMS Collection URLs must reside at a single folder level, such as /blog-category/.
- You can't nest collection slugs like /blog/category/.
- Slashes are interpreted as folder separators, and Webflow restricts CMS slugs to one folder deep.
2. Use Static Folder Structure for Visual URL Matching
- Create a static folder named
/blogby clicking the + Folder icon in the Pages panel. - Inside the blog folder, create another static page called
category(e.g.,/blog/category). - On the
/blog/categorypage, add a Collection List that pulls in your Blog Categories.
3. Link to Filtered Blog Posts by Category
- On your
/blog/categorystatic page, show a list of categories using a Collection List. - Link each item to a dynamic category template page, using the structure
/blog/category-name. - This doesn't exactly match the desired slug (
/blog/category/category-name), but you can visually simulate it.
4. Optional: Use Reverse Proxy (Advanced)
- If you're using Webflow with a reverse proxy (e.g., via NGINX or Cloudflare Workers), you can rewrite URLs so
/blog/category/category-namemaps internally to/blog-category/category-name. - This requires technical setup outside of Webflow and a custom hosting environment.
5. Monitor SEO and Redirects If Needed
- If you change URLs, use 301 redirects from the old format to the new one in Project Settings → SEO → 301 Redirects.
- Ensure your desired URL structure is enforced consistently in internal linking and the sitemap.
Summary
Webflow does not support nested slugs like /blog/category/category-name for CMS Collections. To simulate this structure:
- Use static folders and pages (
/blog/category) with Collection Lists. - Link to dynamic CMS pages using simplified routes like
/blog-category/category-name. - For full URL control, an external reverse proxy can rewrite paths, but this requires advanced setup outside Webflow.
