Clarification about rank_math_permalink entries in database - Support

Wakesquare
1 week, 3 days ago

Rank Math free

Hi,
while reviewing my WordPress database I found around 59 entries in wp_postmeta with the key rank_math_permalink.

A few notes:

I have more than 200 posts, but only a small number of them contain this meta key.

Some of these values refer to old/obsolete slugs (for example /wake-market/) which no longer exist on my site.

In some cases I also see duplicates (same slug but different post_id).

My questions are:

Is it normal that only some posts have this rank_math_permalink meta key?

Are these old/duplicate values used by Rank Math for internal redirects or canonical handling?

Is there a safe way to clean/remove obsolete rank_math_permalink values without causing SEO issues?

Additionally, I already noticed the tools under Status & Tools → Database Tools (Remove Transients, Recreate Tables, Remove Redirects). Would you recommend running them in this case to clean up old references?

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

RankBot
1 week, 3 days ago
Hello,

We apologize for the issue you are facing regarding the rank_math_permalink entries in your database. Thank you for raising this concern.

To address your questions:
1. Is it normal that only some posts have this rank_math_permalink meta key?
  Yes, it is normal for only some posts to have the rank_math_permalink meta key. This key is used by Rank Math to store permalink information for posts that have been modified or have specific settings applied. Not all posts will necessarily have this key, especially if they haven’t undergone changes that require it.
2. Are these old/duplicate values used by Rank Math for internal redirects or canonical handling?
  The old or duplicate values may be remnants from previous permalink structures or changes made to your posts. Rank Math uses this data to manage redirects and canonical URLs, but if the slugs no longer exist, they may not be actively used. However, it’s best to ensure that your redirects are correctly set up to avoid any SEO issues.
3. Is there a safe way to clean/remove obsolete rank_math_permalink values without causing SEO issues?
  It is advisable to proceed with caution when removing these entries. You can manually review and delete obsolete entries, but ensure that you have proper redirects in place for any URLs that were previously active. If you’re unsure, it might be best to consult with a professional or use the Rank Math support service for assistance.
4. Would you recommend running the tools under Status & Tools → Database Tools?
  Running the tools like "Remove Transients" and "Remove Redirects" can help clean up your database, but be cautious with "Remove Redirects" as it will delete all existing redirects. If you have set up specific redirects that you want to keep, make sure to back them up before proceeding. The "Recreate Tables" option can also be useful if you suspect any issues with the database structure.
For a comprehensive cleanup and to ensure everything is set up correctly according to the latest SEO standards, we recommend considering our professional setup service at Rank Math Services. This service requires a PRO subscription and can help ensure your plugin setup is fully correct.

If you have further questions or need more assistance, please reply to this ticket, and a human agent from our team will assist you further.

Thank you for your understanding!

Sources:
Solving Redirection Issues Using Rank Math SEO Plugin » Rank Math

This is an automated reply from Rank Math Support Bot. Your ticket has been assigned to a human agent and we will get back to you shortly.
Wakesquare
1 week, 3 days ago

Rank Math free

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I’d like to clarify my case with more details, because I want to be 100% sure if I should update the rank_math_permalink values to match the current post_name or keep them as they are.

Situation in my database

I have ~220 posts/pages in total.

Only 59 entries in wp_postmeta have the meta key rank_math_permalink.

Among these 59 entries:

Some rank_math_permalink values are different from the current post_name. Example (generic):

Post ID = 1874 → post_name = shop, rank_math_permalink = wake-market.

Post ID = 801 → post_name = guida-wakeboard, rank_math_permalink = dove-nasce-il-wakeboard.
(and similar other cases, total 12).

In most other posts that have this meta key, the rank_math_permalink value is exactly the same as post_name (so they are coherent).

A few cases exist where two different posts have the same rank_math_permalink value but different post_name.

My questions

Are the values where rank_math_permalink <> post_name actually used by Rank Math for anything (redirects, canonical handling), or are they just historical remnants?

If the posts are published and currently reachable only via their post_name slug, is it safe to update the rank_math_permalink values so they match the current slug, to avoid inconsistency?

In case Rank Math still needs these old values for internal redirects, does the plugin automatically create the correct redirect (old slug → new slug), or should I manage these redirects manually before cleaning/updating?

Finally, is there any official best practice from Rank Math for handling rank_math_permalink cleanup (similar to the tools for removing transients or redirects), or should I only edit/delete these entries manually with caution?

Rakibuzzaman Siam
6 days, 16 hours ago

Hello,

Please ignore the reply from the RankBot. Our plugin no longer uses rank_math_permalink meta key for posts and pages. It is only used for the authors.

Can you please confirm if you’ve imported the data from any other SEO plugin? If so, most probably this meta key was imported from there.

However, you can remove the meta key or ignore it, as it will not be used for any functionality of our plugin.

Hope that helps, and please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any other questions.

Thank you.

Wakesquare
5 days, 19 hours ago

Rank Math free

Hi Rakibuzzaman,

Thank you for clarifying that rank_math_permalink is no longer used for posts and pages, and that it can be safely ignored or removed. I would like to take this opportunity to ask a few additional questions regarding the Rank Math data in my database, to ensure a clean and safe setup.

Context:

In 2019, I migrated from Yoast SEO to Rank Math on this site. During the migration, I imported data from Yoast as prompted.

Current Rank Math modules/tools active: ACF, Image SEO, Redirections, Schema, Sitemap, WooCommerce, React Setting UI.

Database overview:

Tables:

wp_rank_math_redirections

wp_rank_math_redirections_cache

wp_options (40 Rank Math-related):

_transient_rank_math_feed_posts_v2
_transient_rank_math_first_submenu_id
_transient_timeout_rank_math_feed_posts_v2
_transient_timeout_rank_math_wporg_plugin_info
rank_math_aioseo_block_posts
rank_math_already_upgraded
rank_math_analytics_all_services
rank_math_analytics_installed
rank_math_analytics_last_updated
rank_math_analytics_permissions
rank_math_backups
rank_math_ca_data
rank_math_content_ai_viewed
rank_math_db_version
rank_math_google_analytic_options
rank_math_google_analytic_profile
rank_math_google_oauth_tokens
rank_math_install_date
rank_math_is_configured
rank_math_known_post_types
rank_math_modules
rank_math_notifications
rank_math_old_schema_data
rank_math_pro_notice_added
rank_math_pro_notice_date
rank_math_pro_notice_delayed
rank_math_react_settings_ui
rank_math_registration_skip
rank_math_review_notice_added
rank_math_review_notice_date
rank_math_review_posts_converted
rank_math_sitemap_cache_files
rank_math_version
rank_math_wizard_completed
rank_math_wpml_data_converted
rank_math_yoast_block_posts
rank-math-options-general
rank-math-options-instant-indexing
rank-math-options-sitemap
rank-math-options-titles

wp_postmeta (4341 rows, main Rank Math meta_keys):

rank_math_seo_score (713)
rank_math_description (416)
rank_math_internal_links_processed (320)
rank_math_focus_keyword (277)
rank_math_contentai_score (274)
rank_math_primary_category (274)
rank_math_title (233)
rank_math_primary_product_cat (205)
_atbdp_feature_rank (202)
rank_math_primary_at_biz_dir-category (202)
rank_math_primary_at_biz_dir-location (202)
rank_math_primary_woo-feed-brand (154)
rank_math_robots (147)
rank_math_primary_product_brand (125)
rank_math_analytic_object_id (68)
rank_math_twitter_use_facebook (60)
rank_math_twitter_card_type (60)
rank_math_twitter_enable_image_overlay (60)
rank_math_twitter_image_overlay (60)
rank_math_facebook_image_overlay (60)
rank_math_facebook_enable_image_overlay (60)
rank_math_advanced_robots (60)
rank_math_permalink (59)
rank_math_pillar_content (23)
rank_math_og_content_image (13)
rank_math_rich_snippet (13)
rank_math_ca_keyword (1)

Questions:

Considering the above, is it possible that other meta_keys in wp_postmeta or other Rank Math-related post types/tables are residual data from previous configurations or imports (e.g., Yoast), and could be safely removed?

If we decide to clean/remove unused or obsolete Rank Math meta_keys, will Rank Math automatically recreate any necessary meta_keys upon activation of its functions, or do we risk losing data needed for analytics, Schema, or SEO scoring?

Could you also clarify if the meta_key awb_toc_trees_cache is in any way related to Rank Math functionality, or is it entirely unrelated (it is currently used with a custom filter to integrate Avada Table of Contents with Rank Math TOC list)?

Are there any official best practices or recommended steps for cleaning up historical/obsolete Rank Math data in the database, beyond the existing tools under Status & Tools → Database Tools?

I can provide full access for direct verification if needed. I want to ensure that any cleanup will not cause SEO or functional issues on the live site.

Thank you in advance for your guidance and advice.

Best regards,
Federico

Ike
1 day, 22 hours ago

Helo,

Numerous entries like rank_math_robots, rank_math_seo_scor, rank_math_focus_keyword, etc., are actively used for SEO scoring, link counting, schema, content analysis, and more.

Deleting these without a clear reason may break module functionality or cause data loss. Rank Math will not necessarily regenerate all deleted keys automatically unless triggered by specific actions.

The awb_toc_trees_cache meta key sounds like it’s related to the Avada Table of Contents integration, not Rank Math core. If it’s working as intended, feel free to leave it intact.

We hope this helps. Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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