Have you ever looked closely at the address bar of your browser while reading a blog post? That specific text right at the end of the URL is more important than you might think. It’s not just random words; it’s a crucial part of your website’s structure called a “slug.”
If you are new to blogging or website management, you might be wondering, “what is the slug on WordPress?” and why does it matter? This guide will break down everything you need to know about WordPress slugs. By the end, you will understand how to use them to make your site friendlier for both your readers and search engines.
What Is the Slug on WordPress?
In simple terms, a slug is the part of a URL that identifies a specific page on a website in an easy-to-read format. It comes after the domain name.
For example, if the full URL is https://www.example.com/how-to-bake-cake, the slug is simply how-to-bake-cake.
When people ask, “what is the slug on WordPress,” they are usually referring to that editable part of the permalink structure. WordPress automatically generates a slug based on your post title, but you have full control to change it. It acts as a unique label for each post or page, helping WordPress find the content you want to display.
Slugs vs. Permalinks
It is easy to confuse slugs with permalinks. Think of the permalink as the full web address (the entire URL). The slug is just the final chunk of that address.
- Permalink:
https://yoursite.com/blog/what-is-a-slug - Slug:
what-is-a-slug
Why Are WordPress Slugs Important?
You might think the URL doesn’t matter as long as the link works. However, slugs play a massive role in two key areas: User Experience (UX) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
1. Better Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Google and other search engines look at your URL to understand what your page is about. If your slug is p=123, Google has no idea what content lies on that page. However, if your slug is best-coffee-recipes, search engines immediately know the topic.
When you understand what is the slug on WordPress, you can optimize it with relevant keywords. This helps your content rank higher in search results, making it easier for new readers to find you.
2. Improved User Experience
Imagine seeing a link like this on social media:https://mysite.com/?p=58473
Now compare it to this:https://mysite.com/summer-travel-tips
Which one would you click? The second one is descriptive, trustworthy, and easy to read. A clean slug tells users exactly what to expect before they even click the link.
How to Edit Your Slug in WordPress
WordPress makes it incredibly easy to change your slugs. You don’t need to know any code.
Editing a Post or Page Slug
When you are writing a new post or editing an existing one in the WordPress block editor (Gutenberg):
- Look at the Settings sidebar on the right.
- Click on the URL or Permalink section.
- You will see a box labeled URL Slug.
- Type your new slug in this box.
- Click Update or Publish to save your changes.
Editing Category and Tag Slugs
Slugs aren’t just for posts. Your categories and tags have them too.
- Go to Posts > Categories (or Tags) in your dashboard.
- Hover over the category you want to edit and click Quick Edit.
- Change the text in the Slug field.
- Click Update Category.
5 Best Practices for SEO-Friendly Slugs
Now that you know the answer to “what is the slug on WordPress,” let’s look at how to write the perfect one. A bad slug can hurt your rankings, while a good one can give you a boost.
1. Include Your Focus Keyword
Always try to include your main keyword in the slug. If your article is about “training a puppy,” your slug should contain those words. This reinforces to Google that your page is highly relevant to that search query.
2. Keep It Short and Simple
Long URLs are hard to read and get cut off in search results. Remove unnecessary words.
- Bad:
10-reasons-why-you-should-start-learning-guitar-today - Good:
learn-guitar-reasons
Aim for 3 to 5 words that capture the essence of the post.
3. Use Hyphens, Not Underscores
Google treats hyphens (-) as space separators, but it treats underscores (_) as joining characters.
what-is-the-slugis read as “what is the slug”what_is_the_slugmight be interpreted as “whatistheslug”
Always use hyphens to separate words.
4. Remove Stop Words
“Stop words” are common words like a, an, the, and, to, for, is. Search engines usually ignore them, and they make your URL unnecessarily long.
- Title: “How to Make the Best Chocolate Cake”
- Auto-generated Slug:
how-to-make-the-best-chocolate-cake - Optimized Slug:
best-chocolate-cake-recipe
5. Use Lowercase Letters Only
Mixing uppercase and lowercase letters can cause technical issues on some servers. To avoid broken links and 404 errors, always stick to lowercase letters in your slugs. WordPress usually does this automatically, but it is good to double-check.
Conclusion
Understanding the small details of your website can make a big difference in your online success. Now that you can confidently answer “what is the slug on WordPress,” you possess a powerful tool for improving your site’s SEO and user experience.
Don’t settle for the default URLs WordPress creates for you. Take a few seconds to craft a clean, keyword-rich slug for every post you publish. It is a small habit that pays off in better rankings and more clicks.
Ready to boost your SEO? Go to your WordPress dashboard right now, check your latest draft, and optimize that slug!