=== Change Author Base ===
Contributors: rathly
Donate link: https://rathly.com/contact-us/
Tags: permalinks, author pages, seo, custom urls, url rewrite
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 6.7.1
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Take control of your WordPress author URLs by customizing the default 'author' base to match your brand.

== Description ==

Change Author Base puts you in control of your WordPress author page URLs. The default WordPress author URLs (example.com/author/username) might not match your brand or website structure. Our plugin lets you change author URLs to something that fits your needs, like 'team', 'about-us', or any other custom base you want.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdH2bHLMFmc]

= Key Features =

* Edit author slugs through your WordPress dashboard
* See URL changes in real-time as you type
* Keep your permalinks clean and organized
* Work seamlessly with WordPress multisite
* Make changes without touching code
* Build SEO-friendly author URLs
* Clean up special characters automatically
* Install and set up in one click

= Perfect For =

* Law firms showing attorney profiles
* Medical practices listing providers
* Marketing agencies featuring team members
* News sites with multiple writers
* Business websites with staff pages
* Blogs with multiple contributors

= Technical Advantages =

* Builds Google E-E-A-T through professional author pages
* Keeps your site speed high
* Makes URLs clean and readable
* Handles URL changes without errors
* Takes care of special characters
* Clean uninstallation

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin files to the `/wp-content/plugins/change-author-base` directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen directly.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' screen in WordPress.
3. Go to Settings → Permalinks to configure your custom author base.
4. Enter your desired author base (e.g., "about-us", "team", "writers").
5. Click "Save Changes".

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Will this help my SEO? =

Yes. Custom author URLs help search engines understand your site structure better. Just set up 301 redirects if you're changing URLs on a live site.

= Do I need to code anything? =

No coding needed. Just point and click in your WordPress dashboard.

= Does it work with my theme? =

Yes. The plugin works with any WordPress theme that follows standard coding practices.

= What if I turn off the plugin? =

Your URLs go back to the WordPress default (author/username). Your content stays safe.

== Screenshots ==

1. Change Author Base settings in the Permalinks page
2. Example of custom author URL structure
3. Plugin settings link in the plugins list

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.1 =
* Fixed settings save functionality
* Added live URL preview
* Improved error handling

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release

== Upgrade Notice ==

= 1.0.1 =
This version fixes the settings save functionality and adds a live URL preview. Upgrade recommended.

== Additional Information ==

* For support, visit: [Rathly Contact](https://rathly.com/contact-us/)
* Documentation: [Plugin Documentation](https://rathly.com/plugins/change-author-base/)
* GitHub repository: [GitHub](https://github.com/harrylaurel/Change-Author-Base)

The plugin is actively maintained and tested with the latest versions of WordPress and PHP.