LLM Optimisation
Why Slugs Matter: The Hidden Signal That Shapes AI Search Visibility
When marketers think about optimisation, titles and meta descriptions usually get all the attention. But there’s another element, often overlooked, that plays a major role in both SEO and AI-driven visibility: the slug.
11 September 2025
5 min read
As Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity increasingly cite web content, slugs are becoming a signal that can tip the balance between being referenced or ignored.
What is a Slug?
A slug is the part of a webpage URL that comes after the domain name.
Example: www.lmo7.com/ai-search-snippet-signals
In this case, /ai-search-snippet-signals is the slug.
Good slugs act like a page label: they tell both humans and machines what the content is about.
Why Slugs Matter for LLM Search
1. They Provide Clear Context
LLMs scrape and interpret billions of pages. A clean, descriptive slug reinforces what the page is about—often more reliably than meta tags or body copy.
2. They Influence Citation Likelihood
Recent analysis shows that content with slugs closely aligned to the search query is far more likely to be cited by AI. If someone asks, “What are the best energy gels for marathon runners?”, a page with /best-energy-gels-marathon in the slug stands a stronger chance of being referenced.
3. They Reduce Ambiguity
Vague slugs like /page1 or /article-2023 give no signal. LLMs prefer precision. Slugs that echo user language (“/how-to-strengthen-knees” or “/carbon-neutral-work-boots”) reduce guesswork and increase alignment with natural language queries.
Best Practices for AI-Optimised Slugs
Keep them short and descriptive. Aim for 3–6 words.
Mirror how people search. Use natural phrasing like “how-to” or “best-practices.”
Avoid filler words. Strip out “the,” “and,” or “of” unless essential.
Use hyphens, not underscores. Hyphens are standard and easier for both search engines and humans.
Match intent. For informational content, go literal (“/what-is-generative-engine-optimisation”). For commercial content, broaden slightly (“/best-lightweight-running-shoes”).
Final Thoughts
In the world of LLM-driven search, small technical details can have big visibility payoffs. Slugs may seem like an afterthought, but they’re increasingly a frontline signal for how your brand shows up in AI answers.
Treat them as more than just URLs—treat them as a bridge between your content and the questions real people are asking.
What is a Slug?
A slug is the part of a webpage URL that comes after the domain name.
Example: www.lmo7.com/ai-search-snippet-signals
In this case, /ai-search-snippet-signals is the slug.
Good slugs act like a page label: they tell both humans and machines what the content is about.
Why Slugs Matter for LLM Search
1. They Provide Clear Context
LLMs scrape and interpret billions of pages. A clean, descriptive slug reinforces what the page is about—often more reliably than meta tags or body copy.
2. They Influence Citation Likelihood
Recent analysis shows that content with slugs closely aligned to the search query is far more likely to be cited by AI. If someone asks, “What are the best energy gels for marathon runners?”, a page with /best-energy-gels-marathon in the slug stands a stronger chance of being referenced.
3. They Reduce Ambiguity
Vague slugs like /page1 or /article-2023 give no signal. LLMs prefer precision. Slugs that echo user language (“/how-to-strengthen-knees” or “/carbon-neutral-work-boots”) reduce guesswork and increase alignment with natural language queries.
Best Practices for AI-Optimised Slugs
Keep them short and descriptive. Aim for 3–6 words.
Mirror how people search. Use natural phrasing like “how-to” or “best-practices.”
Avoid filler words. Strip out “the,” “and,” or “of” unless essential.
Use hyphens, not underscores. Hyphens are standard and easier for both search engines and humans.
Match intent. For informational content, go literal (“/what-is-generative-engine-optimisation”). For commercial content, broaden slightly (“/best-lightweight-running-shoes”).
Final Thoughts
In the world of LLM-driven search, small technical details can have big visibility payoffs. Slugs may seem like an afterthought, but they’re increasingly a frontline signal for how your brand shows up in AI answers.
Treat them as more than just URLs—treat them as a bridge between your content and the questions real people are asking.