What is a URL Slug & How to Create the Best Slugs for SEO

The Importance of Slug in SEO

In search engine optimization (SEO), a slug is the part of a URL that identifies a specific page or post on a website. It’s the part of the URL that comes after the domain name and contains keywords related to particular page or the content on the page.

Slugs are important for SEO because they help search engines understand what the page is about, and they also provide a clear and concise way for users to identify the content they’re looking for.

A well-crafted slug can improve the visibility and ranking of a page in search engine results pages (SERPs), making it more likely that people will find and click on the page.

Additionally, having a descriptive and relevant page slug name can also improve the user experience by providing clear and understandable URLs that are easy to remember and share with potential visitors.

Why is a URL Slug Important for SEO Ranking?

A URL slug plays an essential role in improving the search engine ranking of a webpage. A slug is the part of a URL that comes after the domain name and contains keywords relevant to the web page‘s content.

Including relevant keywords in the slug can help search engines understand the topic of the page and its relevance to specific search queries.

A well-crafted slug can also make the URL and new page more readable and understandable to users, improving the user experience and encouraging clicks.

The URL slug is one of many on-page SEO factors that search engines consider when determining a page’s ranking in the search engine results page of results.

In summary, a relevant, concise, and optimized URL slug can help improve a webpage’s search engine ranking and visibility, making it easier for users to find the content they’re looking for.

What is the difference between a URL Slug and a URL?

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a web address that identifies the location of a webpage or resource on the internet.

It typically consists of several components, including the protocol (such as HTTP or HTTPS), the domain name, and the path to the resource.

A URL slug, on the other hand, is a specific part of the URL that comes after the domain name and describes the content of the page.

It often includes relevant keywords and is used to make the entire URL much more readable and understandable for users.

While a URL is the complete web address that identifies the location of a webpage or resource to web servers, a URL slug is just a way smaller, more specific component of the URL that is used to describe the content of the page.

To summarize, a URL slug is part of a full URL structure, while a URL refers to the complete web address.

How to Create the Best URL Slugs for SEO

To create the best URL slugs for SEO, you should follow some best practices that can improve the visibility and ranking of your web pages. Here are some tips:

Keep it short and simple

A short and simple URL slug is easy to remember and share, and it’s more likely to be clicked on by users. Avoid using long and complex slugs.

Include relevant keywords

The slug should include relevant keywords that accurately describe the content of the page. This can help search engines understand the topic of the page and its relevance to specific search queries.

Use hyphens to separate words

Hyphens are preferred over underscores to separate words in the URL slug. They make the slug easier to read and understand for users and search engines.

Remove stop words

Stop words such as “and”, “the”, “a”, etc., are common words that don’t add much value to the slug. Removing them can make the slug more concise and focused.

Avoid using numbers

Unlike in the title or the content of your web page or blog post, using numbers in the slug can make it look spammy and less trustworthy. Instead, try to use descriptive words that accurately describe the content of the page.

Don’t change slugs unnecessarily

Changing the slug of a page can cause 404 errors and affect the page’s ranking. So, it’s better to choose a slug that accurately reflects the content of the page from the start and stick with it.

How to Edit a Slug in WordPress for a New Post

In WordPress, you can easily edit the URL slug for a new post by following these steps:

1. Create a new post: Log in to your WordPress dashboard, click on “Posts” in the sidebar, and select “Add New” to create a new post.

2. Add your content: Write your post content and add any images or media that you want to include.

3. Edit the slug: Scroll down to the “Permalink” section and click on “Edit” next to the URL slug. You can then edit the slug to make it more SEO-friendly.

4. Save changes: After editing the slug, click on “Save Draft” or “Publish” to save your changes.

If you’re using the Yoast SEO plugin, you can edit the slug right in the Yoast box under your post. You will see a preview of this once you add the new slug.

Incorporate Target Keywords

One important aspect of creating a great URL slug for SEO is incorporating your target keywords into it. Your target keywords should be relevant to the content of the page and reflect what users are searching for. Here are some tips on incorporating target keywords into your new URL slug:

Use the target keyword in the slug

Your target keyword should be included in the slug, ideally at the beginning, to indicate the topic of the page.

Keep it focused

Avoid stuffing too many keywords into the slug, as this can make it look spammy and less trustworthy. Instead, focus on one or two target keywords that accurately describe the content of the page.

Use natural language

Your URL slug should read like a natural sentence and not look like it was written solely for search engines. Make sure your target keywords are incorporated naturally into the slug.

Consider long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are more specific and targeted phrases that can be used in the URL slug to improve the relevance of the page to a specific search query.

Research your target keywords

Before choosing your target keywords, do some research to identify the most relevant and popular keywords related to your content. You can use keyword research tools to help you with this.

Relation to Google’s Indexing process

The URL slug plays an important role in Google’s indexing process. When Google crawls a website, it uses the URL slug as one of the signals to determine the content and relevance of the page.

A well-structured and optimized URL slug can make it easier for Google to understand what the page is about and improve its chances of ranking in search results for relevant queries.

In addition, the URL slug can also affect the way Google displays search results. Google sometimes uses the URL slug as the link text in search results, which means that a well-written and descriptive URL slug can help attract clicks and improve the user experience.

However, it’s important to note that the URL slug is just one of many factors that Google considers when indexing and ranking pages. Other important factors include the quality and relevance of the content, the website’s authority and credibility, and the user experience.

Do Slugs Impact Rankings?

The URL slug is one of many factors that can impact a website’s rankings in search engine results.

A well-structured and optimized URL slug can provide valuable information to search engines about the content and relevance of the page, which can help improve its chances of ranking for relevant queries.

However, it’s important to note that the URL slug is just one of many factors that search engines consider when ranking pages.

Other important factors include the quality and relevance of the content, the website’s authority and credibility, the user experience, and many other technical and non-technical factors.

Therefore, while a well-optimized URL slug can certainly help improve a website’s SEO and visibility, it’s not a guarantee of high rankings on its own.

It’s important to take a holistic approach to SEO and consider all of the factors that can impact a website’s ranking in search results.

Keep Your Slugs Short

Keeping your URL slugs short is an important aspect of optimizing them for SEO. Shorter slugs are easier to read and remember for users, and they also help search engines understand the content of the page more quickly.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your slugs under 60 characters in length. This ensures that the slug is concise and to the point, while also including relevant keywords to help improve its relevance to search queries.

Shorter slugs are also easier to share on social media and other platforms, as they take up less space and are less likely to be truncated.

However, it’s important to balance the length of your slug with its readability and relevance. If a longer slug makes sense, is more descriptive, and accurately reflects the content of the page, it may be worth using even if it exceeds the recommended character limit.

Overall, keeping your slugs short is an important aspect of optimizing them for SEO, but it’s also important to prioritize relevance and readability when creating your URL structure.

Avoid Dating Your Slugs

Avoiding dating your URL slugs is another important aspect of optimizing them for SEO.

Including dates in your URL slugs can make them look outdated and irrelevant, especially if they are related to time-sensitive content such as news or events.

Using dates in your slugs can also make them less evergreen, which means that they may become less relevant over time and be less likely to appear in search results.

Instead of using dates, consider using descriptive keywords that accurately reflect the content of the page. This will make your slugs more timeless and relevant, and increase their chances of ranking in search results over time.

It’s also important to avoid using numbers or special characters in your slugs, as these can make them more difficult to read and remember for users.

Avoiding dating your URL slugs is an important aspect of optimizing them for SEO. Using descriptive keywords instead of dates will make your slugs more relevant and evergreen, and increase their chances of appearing in search results over time.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, a URL slug is an important part of a website’s address that tells people and search engines what a page is about.

A good URL slug is short, includes relevant keywords, uses hyphens to separate words, and avoids numbers.

Keeping slugs under 60 characters and making them easy to read and remember can help a page show up higher in search results.

By choosing descriptive words for the slugs, more people will be able to find the website when they search for things online.