"Hey, I'm wondering if the length of the page slug affects SEO. Is there a downside to having longer slugs with additional keywords?"
While longer slugs might include more keywords, they can negatively impact your SEO.
Search engines generally prefer short and concise URLs, making it easier for crawlers to understand the page’s content.
Here’s why shorter slugs are generally better:
- Improved User Experience: Short, clean URLs are easier for users to read, remember, and share.
- Keyword Density: Long slugs might overstuff keywords, potentially hurting your ranking.
- Crawlability: Search engine bots find it easier to crawl and index websites with shorter, simpler URLs.
- Link Juice: Longer URLs can dilute the link juice passed to the page.
Here are some tips for creating effective URLs:
- Keep it concise: Aim for a maximum of 3-5 words.
- Use hyphens to separate words: This improves readability for both users and search engines.
- Use relevant keywords: Choose keywords that accurately reflect the page’s content.
- Avoid using numbers or special characters: These can make URLs confusing and difficult to understand.
Remember, a balance between keyword relevance and URL length is crucial for effective SEO.