In web design, a slug is the part of a URL that comes after the domain name and identifies a specific page in a way that’s easy to read and understand. For example, in the URL https://www.b12.io/glossary-of-web-design-terms/slug, the word “slug” is—well—the slug!

Slugs are used to describe the content of a page in a concise, human-friendly way. They play a big role in making your website more navigable for users and more accessible to search engines. Keeping slugs short, relevant, and keyword-rich can help improve your SEO.

Why slugs matter for your website

Think of a slug as a page’s ID badge—it tells both users and search engines what a specific page is about. A good slug improves clarity, helps with client engagement, and even boosts your ranking on search engines. That’s why it’s a key component in building a user-friendly and optimized site with a tool like the B12 AI website builder.

Slugs are also helpful when sharing links via social media or email. If your link includes a readable slug (like best-summer-recipes instead of page?id=12345), users are more likely to click.

Best practices for writing slugs

• Keep it short and sweet: Aim for 3–5 words max. Long slugs get confusing.
• Use hyphens to separate words: Not underscores. Hyphens are easier to read and preferred by search engines.
• Avoid unnecessary words: Words like “the,” “and,” or “of” usually aren’t needed.
• Include your target keyword: A well-optimized slug can contribute to your SEO.
• Match the title: Keep the slug relevant to the content of your page.

How slugs impact SEO and user experience

Search engines use slugs to understand your page content. A clear slug that matches your page’s topic improves crawlability and indexing. Users benefit too—it’s easier to trust and click on a link when the slug looks clean and meaningful.

If you’re creating content through B12 AI Assist, slugs are typically generated automatically based on your title, but you can still customize them for better SEO and audience clarity.

Common slug mistakes to avoid

• Including special characters or punctuation: These can break your link.
• Using stop words: Words like “and,” “a,” or “of” rarely add value.
• Leaving spaces: Always use hyphens instead of spaces or underscores.
• Being too vague or too long: “page1” or “blog-post-about-things-you-like” doesn’t help anyone.

FAQs about slug in web design

What makes a good slug?

A good slug is short, descriptive, and keyword-rich. It accurately reflects the content of the page while being easy to understand for both users and search engines.

Can I change a slug after publishing?

Yes, but be careful! Changing a slug can break existing links. If you must change it, be sure to set up a proper redirect so users and search engines can still find the page.

Are slugs case-sensitive?

Technically, slugs can be case-sensitive depending on your web server, but it’s best to stick with lowercase letters to avoid confusion and maintain consistency.

How does a slug differ from a permalink?

A permalink is the entire URL to a page, while a slug is just the customizable end portion. For example, in https://www.b12.io/glossary-of-web-design-terms/slug, “slug” is the slug, and the whole string is the permalink.

Do I need to add keywords in the slug for SEO?

Including your target keyword in the slug can help your page’s visibility in search results. Just don’t overdo it—keep it natural and user-friendly.

Elevate your website with cleaner URLs

A thoughtfully crafted slug is more than just a nice touch—it’s a small but powerful piece of your website strategy. Whether you’re using an AI website builder like B12, or building out pages manually, don’t overlook your slug. It plays a subtle yet significant role in how your content gets discovered and how users perceive your professionalism. And if you're new to this or just want an easier way to manage it all, get started with B12 to create optimized pages faster.