Optimizing URL Slugs

Maybe you’ve heard of a URL slug when discussing optimizing URLs. But what exactly is a URL slug? What part of the URL is that referring to? Today, we’ll be covering what a URL slug is, how to edit it, and how to optimize them for SEO.

What is a URL Slug?

A URL slug is the portion of a URL that comes after the domain extension or subfolder. This would be the last part of the URL, that explains (if optimized), which page a user is on.

How to Edit URL Slugs

Editing URL slugs will depend on the CMS (content management system) you are using. If you are on WordPress, to do that in the new Gutenberg editor, do the following:

1. Click on the title of the post.
2. Afterwards, the field containing the URL of the post will appear above the title.
3. Select the “Edit” button to the right and change the slug of your post.
4. Select the “Save” button after you’re done editing.

Another popular CMS is Wix. To change your URL slug:

1. Choose the relevant page you’d like to edit under “Pages”.
2. Select the “Show More” icon.
3. Select “SEO (Google)”.
4. Edit your URL slug then press “Enter” on your keyboard.

If you are on a different CMS, a quick Google search will point you in the right direction.

Optimizing URL Slugs for SEO

Now that you know how to edit your URL slug, what should you edit them to be?

Optimized URLs are all about providing a positive user experience.

Are you more likely to click on or remember a URL that looks like this: www.website.com/blog/post-129-hjhofgwh/

Or this: www.website.com/blog/chocolate-cake-recipe

The answer is probably the latter version since it’s more descriptive. The main things to keep in mind for optimizing URL slugs are to consider your users and to include your primary keyword.

Create URL Slugs for Users

It’s important to always be thinking about your users. Why else are you creating content? For people to read, of course!

Use the URL slug to explain what page a user is on and to help describe the content. Don’t go overboard with too many characters here though. A URL that is too long can be just as ineffective as a non-descriptive URL.

Include the Primary Keyword

Additionally, you should include your primary keyword in the URL slug. Google and other search engines look at the URL of a page to help understand what a page is about.

If it isn’t possible to include the primary keyword, which may be the case, a partial match of that in the URL may suffice.

Key Takeaways

URL slugs are commonplace in SEO. Never forget to set an optimized URL slug when creating content, as it can have an impact on your SEO efforts.

• A URL slug is the final section of a URL.
• Editing a URL slug is pretty straightforward. If you don’t know how to do that, a quick Google search will point you in the right direction.
• Create URL slugs with users in mind.
• Don’t forget to include your primary keyword in the URL.