7 Common URL Slug Mistakes That Hurt Your Rankings

Even experienced marketers make URL slug mistakes. Here are the most common errors and how to fix them.

Mistake 1: Keyword Stuffing

Cramming multiple keywords into your slug looks spammy and hurts rankings.

**Bad:** /best-cheap-affordable-discount-running-shoes-buy-online **Good:** /affordable-running-shoes

Search engines recognize manipulation. Keep it natural.

Mistake 2: Using Auto-Generated Slugs

CMS platforms often create slugs from titles, resulting in:

• /10-amazing-tips-you-wont-believe-for-better-sleep
• /post-12847
• /untitled-draft-3

Always customize your slugs manually.

Mistake 3: Including Dates Unnecessarily

Dates make content seem outdated and require constant URL changes:

**Problematic:** /best-tools-january-2024 **Better:** /best-productivity-tools

Exception: News sites and time-sensitive content may need dates.

Mistake 4: Forgetting to Redirect Old URLs

Changing slugs without redirects creates:

• 404 errors
• Lost backlinks
• Ranking drops
• Poor user experience

Always set up 301 redirects when changing URLs.

Mistake 5: Using Underscores Instead of Hyphens

Google treats underscores as word joiners, not separators:

• "blue_widget" = one word (bluewidget)
• "blue-widget" = two words (blue widget)

Always use hyphens.

Mistake 6: Creating Duplicate Slugs

Having similar slugs confuses search engines:

• /running-shoes
• /running-shoe
• /running-shoes-guide

Consolidate similar content or differentiate clearly.

Mistake 7: Ignoring URL Structure

Slugs exist within your site's URL hierarchy:

**Poor structure:** /p/product-name **Good structure:** /category/subcategory/product-name

A logical structure helps both users and search engines understand your site.