A readable segment of a URL path, often identifying an individual page.
A URL slug is usually the readable path segment that identifies a page in a content-management system. In an address such as example.com/guides/choosing-a-desk/, choosing-a-desk is the page’s slug. The domain identifies the site, while guides may represent a section. Different systems use the word slug somewhat differently, so check which part of the address an editor will change.
A slug can summarize the page without repeating its entire headline. Keeping the wording understandable makes an address easier to recognize when copied into an email, printed on a handout or reviewed in a report. That is a usability reason to choose clear names, not evidence that inserting a city or keyword guarantees better rankings.
Changing a published slug is an address change, not just a cosmetic text edit. Bookmarks, internal links, advertisements and references on other websites may still use the old address. Before renaming a page, consider whether the new wording is worth that maintenance and how existing visitors will reach the replacement.
Takeaway: Choose a clear, durable slug before publication. Avoid changing a useful established URL merely to add another keyword or imitate a competitor’s naming style.
Example
A bookkeeping firm publishes a guide called “What to Gather Before Your First Bookkeeping Appointment.” It chooses /bookkeeping-appointment-checklist/ instead of copying the full headline into the address. Later headline improvements can leave that understandable, stable address in place.
What to check
If a rename is necessary, record the old and new URLs and arrange the appropriate redirect for a permanent move. Update links you control and verify the destination. Do not assume every content-management system creates or preserves redirects automatically.
For more detail, see Google URL structure guidance.