How can developers ensure consistency in character encoding when working with URLs in PHP?

Developers can ensure consistency in character encoding when working with URLs in PHP by using the `urlencode()` function to encode any special characters in the URL. This function will convert characters that are not allowed in a URL into a format that can be safely transmitted. By consistently encoding URLs in this way, developers can avoid issues with special characters causing errors or unexpected behavior in their applications.

$url = "https://www.example.com/page?name=" . urlencode("John Doe");
echo $url;