Slugify (Supports Bulk Input)
Convert any text into a URL-friendly slug by removing special characters, converting to lowercase, and replacing spaces with hyphens. Perfect for creating clean URLs, filenames, and SEO-friendly identifiers. Supports bulk slugify: enter multiple lines and each line will be slugified separately while preserving line breaks.
Text Input
Slug Output
Slug will appear here...
What is a Slug?
A slug is the part of a URL that identifies a specific page or resource in a human-readable format. It's the text that appears after the domain name and typically contains keywords related to the page content. For example, in the URL "example.com/blog/seo-best-practices", "seo-best-practices" is the slug. Slugs are created by converting text into a URL-friendly format: lowercase, with spaces replaced by hyphens, and special characters removed.
Who Invented URL Slugs?
URL slugs weren't "invented" by a single person, but evolved as part of the web's development. The concept of human-readable URLs was popularized by Tim Berners-Lee's original web architecture, but the term "slug" comes from the newspaper industry, where it referred to a short name used to identify articles. The practice of using descriptive, keyword-rich slugs in URLs became standard with the rise of content management systems (CMS) like WordPress in the early 2000s, which automatically generated slugs from post titles.
Why Use URL Slugs?
URL slugs are essential for several reasons:
- SEO Benefits: Search engines use keywords in URLs as a ranking factor. Descriptive slugs help search engines understand page content
- User Experience: Readable URLs are easier to understand, remember, and share
- Click-Through Rates: Descriptive URLs in search results can improve CTR by showing users what to expect
- Link Building: Clear, keyword-rich URLs are more likely to be used as anchor text in backlinks
- Social Sharing: When URLs are shared, the slug provides context about the content
- File Organization: Slugs are commonly used for filenames, making file systems more organized and searchable
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good URL slug?
A good slug is concise (3-5 words), includes relevant keywords, uses hyphens to separate words, is lowercase, and accurately describes the page content. Avoid stop words (a, an, the) unless necessary, and keep it under 60 characters when possible for better display in search results.
Should I use hyphens or underscores in slugs?
Always use hyphens. Search engines treat hyphens as word separators, while underscores are often treated as part of a single word. For example, "seo-tips" is better than "seo_tips" because search engines can identify "seo" and "tips" as separate keywords.
How long should a URL slug be?
Keep slugs between 3-5 words and under 60 characters when possible. Longer slugs can be truncated in search results and may look unprofessional. However, clarity is more important than brevity—ensure the slug accurately describes your content.
Do URL slugs affect SEO?
Yes, URL slugs are a minor but important SEO factor. Keywords in URLs help search engines understand page topics, and descriptive slugs can improve click-through rates from search results. However, they're just one of many ranking factors, so focus on creating user-friendly, descriptive slugs rather than keyword-stuffing.
Can I change a URL slug after publishing?
You can change slugs, but it requires setting up proper 301 redirects from the old URL to the new one. Without redirects, changing slugs can result in broken links, lost SEO value, and poor user experience. Always implement redirects when changing URLs.