When working on a website’s search rankings, we tend to focus first on content, titles, links or keywords. But URL structure also deserves attention.
An SEO slug is the part of a URL that identifies a specific page. A clear slug helps users and search engines better understand what content they will find behind the link.
At Ventia Group, SEO experts in Barcelona serving businesses across Spain, we review URL structures as part of technical audits because a clean architecture makes crawling, organisation and project maintenance easier.
What is a slug in SEO?
A slug is usually the final part of a URL.
For example:
https://dominio.com/blog/slug-seo
The slug would be:
slug-seo
What is it for?
It makes it possible to identify a page’s content in an understandable way.
Google recommends using simple, descriptive URLs that are easy for both search engines and users to understand.
How to create a good SEO slug
Use descriptive words
The URL should make it reasonably clear what the page is about.
Better:
/auditoria-seo
Worse:
/page?id=738291
Include the main topic naturally
If the main keyword fits naturally, it can be included.
For example:
/canibalizacion-seo
is clearer than:
/articulo-23
There is no need to include every variation of a keyword in the URL.
Keep it short, but there is no official length
Google does not have a rule stating that a slug must contain exactly three, four or five words.
The practical recommendation is to remove anything unnecessary and keep only what helps users understand the page.
For example:
Too long:
/como-optimizar-el-slug-de-tu-pagina-para-mejorar-el-posicionamiento-en-google
Clearer:
/optimizar-slug-seo
Use hyphens between words
Google recommends separating words with hyphens (-).
Recommended:
/agencia-seo-barcelona
Less recommended:
/agencia_seo_barcelona
Keep the structure consistent
URLs are case-sensitive, so it is best to use a consistent convention, usually lowercase.
Should you always remove articles and prepositions?
No.
Another common myth is that we should automatically remove words such as:
- of
- for
- in
- the
- a
If we can remove them and the URL remains clear, great.
But there is no rule requiring this.
Prioritise readability
A slug should make sense to the user.
For example:
/abogado-herencias-madrid
is clear.
There is no need to obsess over removing every functional word if doing so makes it harder to understand.
Are your URLs holding back your Google rankings? At Ventia Group, we audit your slug structure and show you exactly what to change to move up the rankings.
Should you avoid accents and the letter ñ?
Google supports URLs with words in the audience’s language and correctly encoded non-ASCII characters.
Therefore, it is not correct to say that a URL containing characters specific to Spanish is automatically harmful to SEO.
What we usually do in practice
Many CMS platforms automatically convert:
“optimización SEO” → /optimizacion-seo
Using a simplified ASCII version can support consistency and avoid issues between platforms, but this should be seen as a technical standardisation decision, not a requirement imposed by Google.
Should dates be included in the slug?
It depends on the content.
Evergreen content
For articles we plan to update over several years, it is usually more practical to use a timeless URL.
Better:
/guia-seo-local
than:
/guia-seo-local-2026
if the aim is to update the same piece every year.
Content genuinely linked to a specific year
It can make sense to include it if the year is part of the search intent.
For example:
/renta-2026
if we are talking specifically about that campaign.
Can you change an already published slug?
Yes, but you should have a clear reason.
Changing a URL that is already ranking just because it “could look nicer” can create unnecessary work and risk.
If you change the slug, use a 301 redirect
The old URL should permanently redirect to the new one.
It is also advisable to update:
- Internal links.
- The sitemap.
- Canonical links where applicable.
Do not change URLs constantly
Stability matters too.
That is why we recommend thinking carefully about the URL before publishing.
Are URLs with parameters bad for SEO?
Not necessarily.
Google can crawl URLs with parameters correctly.
The problem arises when a website generates huge numbers of unnecessary URLs due to:
- Filters.
- Sorting options.
- Session IDs.
- Parameter combinations.
The goal is to avoid unnecessary complexity
Google recommends using as few parameters as possible that do not provide different content.
On a large e-commerce site, this can be much more important than the length of an individual slug.
Optimising the slug is only the first step in a solid SEO strategy. Discover how we can help you build an organic presence that delivers real, sustainable results.
Slugs and website architecture
A URL should reflect a logical structure.
For example:
/seo/auditoria-seo
can communicate that the audit belongs to the SEO area.
There is no “maximum of three folders” rule
The original draft stated that three levels should not be exceeded.
We would not use this rule as a general criterion.
What matters is that:
- The architecture is easy to understand.
- Important pages are well linked.
- Google can discover and crawl them.
- Users can navigate easily.
The depth of a page within the site should not automatically be confused with the number of folders shown in the URL.
Slugs for local SEO
When there is genuine geographical intent, including the location can make sense.
Examples
/agencia-seo-barcelona
/abogado-herencias-madrid
/asesoria-fiscal-mallorca
The city in the slug is not enough
The page itself must genuinely answer the local search query.
We should not create twenty identical landing pages by changing only the city name.
As an organic search consultancy, at Ventia Group we combine our SEO expertise in Barcelona with strategies for businesses across Spain, designing local pages only where there is sufficient intent and genuinely differentiated content.
Similar slugs and SEO cannibalisation
Having two similar slugs does not automatically cause cannibalisation.
For example:
/agencia-seo-barcelona
/seo-local-barcelona
can coexist perfectly if they serve different services and search intents.
The issue is intent, not the slug
There is a risk when two pages try to rank for the same need and offer virtually the same content.
The solution may be to:
- Differentiate them.
- Merge them.
- Redirect one of them.
Changing only the slug does not resolve genuine cannibalisation.
Every technical detail matters when you are competing on Google. Speak to our specialists and receive a personalised SEO strategy tailored to your sector and business goals.
Slugs in WordPress
WordPress usually generates the slug from the page or post title.
Review it before publishing
If the title is:
“How to properly optimise the slugs of every page on a website to improve SEO”
we do not need to use all of that as the URL.
We can use:
/optimizar-slug-seo
Yoast SEO does not decide what your URL should be
Plugins can guide us, but the structure should reflect the project’s actual architecture.
Common mistakes when creating slugs
- Leaving automatically generated URLs extremely long.
- Adding too many keywords.
- Changing ranking URLs unnecessarily.
- Changing the slug without a 301 redirect.
- Creating inconsistent structures.
- Generating thousands of variations through parameters.
- Creating duplicate local pages.
- Thinking that the slug alone will make a page rank.
Checklist for creating an SEO slug
- Does it describe the page?
- Is it easy to read?
- Does it contain unnecessary words?
- Does it use hyphens?
- Is it consistent with the rest of the website?
- Is it designed to stand the test of time?
- Is there already another URL targeting the same intent?
Conclusion
A good SEO slug does not need to be complicated.
The general recommendation is:
Simple + descriptive + readable + stable URL.
There is no magic number of words, nor should we automatically remove every preposition, avoid all Spanish characters or create a different URL for every keyword variation.
The slug is one small part of a much broader SEO strategy.
Content, search intent, internal linking, architecture, authority and indexation will usually carry far more weight in the final outcome.