What is a URL Slug and how to make it SEO-friendly

In the world of SEO, even the smallest details matter. One such detail that often gets overlooked is the URL slug. A well-optimized URL slug can improve your search engine ranking and provide a better user experience.

If you’ve never heard that term before, don’t worry, I’ll explain it all simply and with real-life examples. We’ll also go over how to create slugs that will help boost your SEO.

What is a URL Slug?

A URL slug is the part of the URL that comes after the last slash. For example, in this URL: https://www.example.com/seo-strategies-2025 The part "seo-strategies-2025" is the slug.

Think of it like a nickname for your page, giving a hint about what you'll find when you click on it. The goal is for the slug to be short, simple, and descriptive.

Why is it important for SEO?

URL slugs play a crucial role in SEO for 4 main reasons:

1. They help search engines understand page content: A URL slug is one of the key factors search engines use to understand what a page is about. Including relevant keywords in your slug can help Google and other search engines index your content correctly.

2. They enhance user experience: URL slugs are also visible to users, so having a clean and descriptive slug improves click-through rates. Users are more likely to click on a URL that clearly explains what they will find on the page. Clear and descriptive slugs help users trust the link and increase the click-through rate.

3. Higher click-through rate (CTR): A descriptive slug can make the URL look more appealing in search results, increasing the chance people will click.

4. Avoids duplicate content: Unique slugs for each page avoid duplicate content issues, which helps SEO.

For example:

• A URL like Jilia.com/seo-tips is far more clickable and understandable than Jilia.com/p=2343.

Expert insights from Google :

“URLs with words that are relevant to your site’s content and structure are friendlier for visitors navigating your site.”

How to write SEO-friendly URL slug ?

Now that we know why URL slugs matter, let’s explore how to create them. Following these best practices will help you write slugs that improve both SEO and user experience.

1. Make it readable and clear

Your slug should clearly tell what the page is about. Avoid numbers, weird characters, or random symbols that don’t add any value. The goal is for people to know what they’ll find before they even click.

For example :

https://www.webflow.com/blog/seo-strategies

is better than :

https://www.webflow.com/blog/jggh254

2. Include relevant keywords

A good slug should include keywords that describe the content of the page. Of course, don’t overdo it with keywords, but they should be specific enough to let people (and Google) know what the page is about.

Example:
If you have a page on "How to choose a good web hosting service," your slug should look like this: https://www.wordpress.com/web-hosting
Avoid vague slugs like: https://www.wordpress.com/how-to-choose-a-service

3. Keep it short

Shorter slugs are easier to read, and Google prefers shorter URLs. There’s no exact perfect length, but aim for about 3 to 5 words. And most importantly, make it precise! A super long slug might get cut off in search results, and that’s not great for the user experience.

Example:

• Too long:  https://www.example.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-website-seo-in-2025

• Just right: https://www.example.com/blog/improve-seo-website

4. Avoid dates or unnecessary numbers

Try not to add dates or numbers into your slug because that can make your content look outdated over time. For example, if you’re writing an article on "The Best SEO Tips for 2025," don’t include "2025" in the slug. If you update the article a few years later, you’ll be stuck with a dated URL.

Example:

• Bad: https://www.inblog.com/10-seo-tips-2025

• Good: https://www.inblog.com/seo-tips

5. Use hyphens (-) to separate words

Hyphens are Google’s best friend. When you separate words in your slug, use hyphens, not underscores (_). Hyphens help search engines better understand each word.

Example:

• Correct: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/seo-strategies

• Incorrect: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/seo_strategies_2025

6. Always use lowercase letters

Capital letters in a URL can cause issues. For example, a URL with uppercase letters might be interpreted as a completely different page from the same URL in lowercase, which can lead to 404 errors or duplicate content. So, always stick to lowercase!

Example:

• Correct:  https://www.medium.com/blog/seo-strategies

• Incorrect:  https://www.medium.com/blog/Seo-Strategies

7. Update old slugs when needed

If you already have pages with slugs that don’t follow these best practices, it might be worth updating them. But be careful, especially if those pages are already indexed by Google. When you change a slug, make sure you set up redirects so you don’t lose traffic or SEO.

Example of a redirect:
If you change the URL from https://www.medium.com/blog/old-article  to https://www.medium.com/blog/new-article, don’t forget to redirect the old URL to the new one.

8. Remove unnecessary words

Common words like "and," "the," "of," "a" don’t add value to your URL and only make it longer. Removing them keeps the slug short, clean, and more effective for SEO.

Good example: ghost.com/improve-seo
Bad example: ghost.com/how-to-improve-the-seo-of-your-website

9. Avoid special characters and accents

Using special characters in URLs, such as &, %, @, ?, =, #, can cause issues with readability and functionality. Some browsers and web servers may misinterpret these characters, leading to broken links or unnecessary encoding that makes the URL look messy.

Good example: medium.com/optimization-site
Bad example: medium.com/optimisation-site&@

For example, a URL containing “&” might be converted into “%26”, making it difficult to read and share. Similarly, accented letters like é, ñ, or ü can be problematic because they may not be properly recognized across all systems, requiring conversion into encoded characters that can make the URL appear confusing or unstructured.

10. Use simple words and avoid jargon

Not everyone visiting your website is an SEO expert. Use clear, simple words in your URLs so that anyone can quickly understand what the page is about. Avoid technical jargon that might confuse visitors.

Good example: inblog.com/write-better-blogs
Bad example:  inblog.com/content-marketing-strategy-framework

Instead, opt for straightforward, commonly used words that accurately describe the page’s content. This makes it easier for both users and search engines to understand what the page is about. Simple, intuitive URLs improve click-through rates (CTR) and overall engagement.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too Long URLs: Slugs that are way too long can get cut off in search results and are harder to read.

• Duplicate Slugs: If you have multiple pages with identical slugs, it can confuse both Google and users.

• Poor Structure: Make sure your pages have a logical URL structure. For example, if you have a blog with subcategories, use a structure like this: https://www.example.com/blog/seo/optimizing-site.

  Example of poor vs good URL structure:

  Good : https://www.example.com/blog/seo/optimizing-site
  Bad : https://www.example.com/optimizing-site-seo-blog

Seo-friendly url examples :

• Optimized URL for a blog post
  Bad : webflow.com/article?id=123
  Good : webflow.com/seo-friendly-url-guide

• Optimized URL for a product page
  Bad : nike.com/product.php?item=456
  Good : nike.com/nike-air-max-sneakers

• Optimized URL for a category page
  Bad : fila.com/cat?=12
  Good : fila.com/sports-shoes

• Optimized URL for a service page
  Bad : shopify.com/service?type=marketing
  Good : shopify.com/digital-marketing

CMS tools that give you control over your URL slug

• InBlog: A SEO-friendly platform that lets you easily modify and create your URL slugs while publishing content.

  Also, it offers a feature that generates slug suggestions, helping you create SEO-friendly URLs with ease.

You just need to click on “Generate SEO-friendly URL” to use this feature in InBlog:

And it will automatically generate an SEO-friendly slug for you:

Feel free to explore our guide on how to use Inblog.

• WordPress: WordPress gives you full control over slugs through its permalink settings, allowing you to easily adjust them for SEO.

• Shopify: For e-commerce sites, Shopify allows you to edit slugs for product pages and collections, making it easy to keep URLs clean and optimized.

• Webflow: It gives you complete flexibility to manage slugs on dynamic pages, blog posts, and collections with minimal effort.

• Ghost: A great choice for bloggers, Ghost lets you tweak your slugs directly for every post, keeping them clear and SEO-friendly.

Final thoughts :

Creating SEO-friendly URL slugs isn’t that hard, but it’s something you shouldn’t overlook.

Just keep them short, clear, and packed with the right keywords—no need for extra words or weird characters. When you follow these simple tips, you’ll see better search rankings and your visitors will have a smoother experience on your site.

So, next time you’re putting together a new page, take a second to think about your URL slug. Trust me, it’s worth the little extra effort!