Slugs are an important part of the SEO process, allowing search engines to gain more context about the information in the page. They allow readers to understand the information provided within the page as well. Slugs are exceptionally helpful for providing context prior to the content being consumed. But how do they work?
What is a slug?
In the context of websites, a “slug” is the readable part of a web page’s URL that designates its purpose. For example, if your website has a page for basic information about you, the URL would likely be “yourwebsite.com/about-us,” and “About Us” would be the slug.
Companies can work with SEO partners like linkgraph.io to optimize their URLs effectively. By using the right slugs early on, brands can reach audiences more effectively as their SEO efforts become optimized.
Slugs can also be used to rank internal pages more effectively, as they’re quick to copy and paste into an existing web page. This helps in building out the internal linking framework, as each slug helps in developing context for another page. It allows for a truly integrated SEO campaign, as links are generated internally and externally for a website being amplified.
Slugs for ranking higher
It’s ideal to think about slugs as they’re presented on the search engine results page. They fall right under your title, which is why they need to add more context to the user clicking through. It’s good to have a slug that is different from your title, so that you’re able to gather the attention of the user quicker.
You also want to eliminate any words within your slug that may not be necessary. You can get straight to the point within your slug, so that you’re able to keep the URL as short as possible. You only want to capture the necessary information, if it’s relevant to the audience consuming the content.
It’s also important to have the relevant keyword placed inside your slug. This is critical so that you can leverage the maximum benefits of this technical tool. You can also create different slugs around the same keyword for different pages. This can help amplify your message further, as you develop more content around a group of relevant keywords.
Slugs can also be used for redirecting purposes, especially when a website has a large number of pages that are giving a 404 error. Slugs can be designed to redirect that traffic to other pages, so that the consumer isn’t lost on any single page. The traffic can be redirected effortlessly to similar content-driven pages.
Slugs for boosting engagement
Slugs can actually enhance the engagement that readers can have with your content. It improves the shareability of your content as pages with simple slugs are easier to copy and share. Additionally, readers are more likely to click through on URLs that are designed to provide more context to them.
Slugs are an efficient way of engaging with readers before they even start consuming the content. It’s one of the best ways to ensure that your content is getting the amplification that it needs. They’re also called permalinks, when used in common content management systems. These permalinks can be edited manually or automatically depending on the software being used.
Technical tools for slug generation
A large number of tools can be used to create the best slugs for your content. You can, therefore, optimize hundreds of thousands of pages automatically by enhancing the slug being used as your URL. This gives search engines like Google and Bing more context about the information on your website, so that it can rank your content based on the context.
Technical tools can also be used to update your URLs automatically. It may be cumbersome to manually update hundreds of pages, which is why automated tools can help with optimizing your strategy. You can also work with plug-ins if you’re using a WordPress-driven website.