In search engine optimisation, a URL slug is an integral element of the formula for driving traffic to your website. It is a basic part of SEO optimisation, but one that is often forgotten. Google states that an SEO slug contributes significantly to the ranking of your web page. To ensure you have your slug and website SEO fully optimised, contact Amire or browse our list of services.
What is a slug in SEO?
A slug in SEO is a descriptive text that identifies a page, post or category within a website. Unlike other metadata, the slug forms part of your URL. Slugs can be automatically generated based on the post title or other criteria. Getting the slug right is vitally important because Google and other web crawlers use it to read your page. The slug informs web crawlers what information your page contains and should accurately reflect the page’s content.
The slug is the part of your URL that comes after the “/”. An example of a page slug would be https://www.amire.com.au/services, where the slug is “services”. In some cases, you may require a more descriptive slug, such as https://neilpatel.com/blog/17-seo-myths-that-you-should-never-follow/.
In the first example, the slug is for a page on a website, and the word “services” is all that is required to describe the function of that page. In the second example, the slug is for a blog post and needs to be more descriptive. A one-word slug, in this case, will not suffice in describing the purpose of the page.
What does Google say makes an excellent descriptive slug?
Google is quite specific about the size and quality of an excellent slug. They state that a slug should be:
- The right length – Backlinko states that URLs with characters between 50 and 60 long are ranked the highest on Google. This is between 3 and 5 words. The idea is that the shorter your slug is, the better, as long as it is clear, descriptive and keyword-focused.
- Contain keywords – The URL slug must contain at least one of the keywords you’re trying to rank for. If you use a long-tail keyword such as “best paella in Barcelona”, the slug “best-paella-barcelona” is perfect. Including the target keyword in the URL slug enhances both user experience and search engine understanding of page relevance.
- Be descriptive – The URL slug should give users a clear idea of what the page is about. Tools like Yoast SEO provide SEO analysis to ensure the URL slug contains the target keyword.
Why is an SEO slug important for search engines?
An SEO slug should be easy to read for both search engines and humans. Good URL slugs are important for SEO as they enhance user understanding and search engine optimization.
It is one of the factors taken into consideration by search engines when they crawl your site. The quality of a slug affects your rankings and can make the difference between a top spot on page one or lingering somewhere on page five.
Good URL slugs can enhance user experience and search engine rankings. SEO slugs are one of the elements shown to readers when they search for a topic. A URL slug should inform the reader what content the page contains and whether it can help them. The URL https://www.amire.com.au/blog/png-vs-jpg-which-is-best-for-your-website has a slug that clearly shows the reader that this page will help them decide whether to use PNG or JPSs for their website.
Creating a user-friendly URL slug
Keep it simple. You’re writing for humans, too, and your URL slug needs to be easy to understand at a glance. Creating SEO-friendly URLs is crucial for both user navigation and search engine optimisation.
Long URLs with many stop words, capital letters and a mixture of hyphens and slashes make them hard to read. The slug, as a crucial part of the URL, should be easy to read and understand. Your slugs should stick to the following guidelines:
- Use dashes to separate words for ease of reading.
- Remove alphanumerics and special symbols.
- Use all lowercase letters.
- Remove stop words such as “a”, “at”, “the” and “it”. While Google won’t penalise you for using them, a slug is just easy to read without them.
Optimising Slugs for Mobile SEO
In the age of mobile browsing, optimising your URL slugs for mobile users is more important than ever. A concise, clear page’s slug not only helps search engines crawl your site efficiently but also ensures that mobile users can quickly understand the exact address of your page when viewing it on smaller screens. Long, cluttered URL slugs can be harder to navigate on mobile devices, potentially deterring users from engaging with your content.
Understanding why a URL slug is important for mobile SEO can enhance user experience and search rankings. When creating URL slugs, ensure they are short, descriptive and relevant based on solid keyword research. They should also fit well in mobile search results for a seamless browsing experience. By prioritising mobile-friendly URL slugs, you can boost your search rankings and user satisfaction.
URL Slugs are a one-time wonder
Bear in mind that you can use each slug only once. So, if you write about food and use the slug “cooking”, you will not be able to use that slug elsewhere on your website. In this case, it is preferable to use a descriptive slug such as “cooking-techniques”, “cooking-lessons” or “cooking-paella”. Changing URL slugs can impact your SEO, so it’s crucial to update internal links and implement redirects to maintain page authority.
Getting your SEO slug perfect is pretty simple if you follow the guidelines set out here. If your slugs aren’t up to scratch, you can change them but make sure you add a redirection from the old URL to the new one; otherwise, traffic to your post may be lost.
Contact Amire today
If you’re struggling to optimise slugs, or to find the right keywords for current posts, get in touch with an SEO expert such as Amire.
