Why is a good Page Slug important for SEO?
SEO-wise, a meaningful page slug acts like a tiny, instantly understandable “relevancy sign” to search engines. If you put your main keywords in the slug (e.g., /best-running-shoes), you give the search algorithms a hint of your content’s area, making them sort your content more confidently. A search-friendly, keyword-rich slug is often displayed in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), which may affect the click-through rate (CTR) due to user perception of link relevance.
What are the best practices for creating an Effective Slug?
The most efficient way to create a slug that truly works is to recall your keyword selection as the primary focus, while keeping it concise and readable.
• Pick a short and descriptive one: Give up on length, and still refer to the page’s main topic.
• Add your main keyword: Put the significant focus keyword for the page into the slug naturally.
• Use hyphens to separate words: Hyphens are the most accepted as well as the Google-recommended method.
• Utilize lowercase letters: Always use lowercase letters so as not to have problems with case-sensitive URLs and broken links.
• Omit “Stop Words”: Excluding frequently used words like ‘a,’ ‘the,’ ‘and,’ or ‘in’ may be considered, except when they are essential for clarity.
• Steer clear of dates and numbers: Remove dates and years so that the slug lasts forever and is future-proof.
How do Content Management Systems (CMS) handle Slugs?
A WordPress-type CMS automatically crafts a first slug from the title of the page or post you input. This automation provides a base for operations, potentially saving users’ time (but manual adjustments may be needed to improve SEO outcomes).
Can a Slug be changed after a page is published?
While a page slug can be altered post-publication, such actions require careful consideration. Altering a slug creates a revised URL; the original URL’s function may be modified, which could enhance website traffic and SEO performance, depending on URL redirect implementation.
What happens to the Old Slug when a page’s slug is changed?
If a page slug is changed, the prior URL may become inactive; a 301 redirect from the old slug to the new slug should be considered promptly. A 301 redirect signals to search engines that a page has moved permanently, which can assist in directing visitors to the new location and potentially preserving a portion of the original page’s SEO ranking (link equity).
Conclusion
Adjusting your page slug is a measure that can impact your on-page SEO and user experience. Adhering to guidelines for slugs, such as brevity, keyword inclusion, and lowercase format, can inform search engines of the page’s topic and produce a user-friendly, shareable link.
