URL slug

What is a URL slug?

A URL slug is the part of a web address that comes after the domain name and identifies a specific page on a website. It typically appears at the end of the URL and uses words that describe the page's content. For example, in the URL "example.com/blog/what-is-seo", the slug is "what-is-seo". URL slugs make web addresses more meaningful to both users and search engines by providing context about the page content rather than using random characters or ID numbers.

How do URL slugs affect SEO?

Well-crafted URL slugs significantly impact your SEO performance. Search engines use slugs to understand what a page is about, and they display them in search results. Keyword-rich, descriptive slugs can improve your rankings for relevant searches because they signal page relevance to search engines. They also improve click-through rates since users can quickly understand what they'll find on your page before clicking. A clear, keyword-optimized slug creates a better user experience, which indirectly benefits your search rankings as engagement metrics improve.

What makes an effective URL slug?

An effective URL slug is concise, descriptive, and readable. It should contain your primary keyword near the beginning while remaining short enough to be easily shared and remembered. Good slugs use hyphens to separate words (not underscores or spaces), contain only lowercase letters and numbers, and avoid special characters. They should make sense to humans at a glance while also being optimized for search engines. The best slugs accurately represent the page content in just a few carefully chosen words.

How do you create and optimize URL slugs?

Most content management systems let you customize your URL slugs when creating new content. In WordPress, you'll find this option in the "Permalink" section when editing a post. For existing content, carefully consider the SEO impact before changing slugs, as this breaks existing links unless you set up proper redirects. When creating new slugs, start by identifying your primary keyword, then create a short phrase that includes it. Remove unnecessary words like "a," "the," or "and," and replace spaces with hyphens. For local businesses, consider including location information in slugs for location-specific pages.

What common URL slug mistakes should you avoid?

The most damaging URL slug mistake is changing them without implementing 301 redirects, which breaks existing links and harms SEO. Avoid automatically generating slugs from titles without editing them, as this often creates excessively long URLs with unnecessary words. Don't stuff multiple keywords into slugs or use special characters, uppercase letters, or underscores, as these practices create confusion and potential technical issues. Avoid using dates in slugs for evergreen content, as this makes content seem outdated over time. Finally, don't create generic slugs like "page1" or "article" that provide no context about the content they lead to.