Link Alias (Slug)

The slug is the text after the slash in a short link. It is the part you choose — and how you choose it determines whether the link communicates intent or nothing at all.

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Definition

A link alias or slug (also called a custom back-half or custom ending) is the text segment that appears after the domain in a short URL. In the link go.yourbrand.com/summer-offer, the slug is summer-offer.

When a short link is created without a custom slug, the platform generates a random string: go.yourbrand.com/xK3p. Both versions redirect to the same destination. The slug is the only visible difference — and it is the difference between a link that communicates something meaningful before the click and one that communicates nothing.

Why the Slug Matters

The slug is visible before a click in several contexts:

• Link hover previews. Hovering over a hyperlink in email or on a web page shows the full URL in the browser status bar or tooltip. A readable slug communicates destination intent to cautious recipients before they click.
• Printed short URLs. When a short link is printed as text below a QR Code or on a physical material, the slug is visible alongside the domain. go.yourbrand.com/menu is readable and actionable; go.yourbrand.com/xK3p requires scanning and offers no additional context.
• Link sharing in text. A link pasted into a chat message or email body is visible as plain text. A descriptive slug helps the reader understand what they are about to visit.
• Screen readers. Assistive technology reads link URLs aloud to users. A descriptive slug (/summer-offer) is meaningful when read; a random slug (/xK3p) is not.

Combined with a branded custom domain, a descriptive slug produces the most informative and trustworthy short link possible: domain communicates sender identity, slug communicates destination purpose.

Slug Naming Best Practices

• Keep it short. 1–4 words is ideal. The benefit of a short link is partly defeated by a very long slug. /summer-sale is better than /our-big-summer-clearance-sale-2026.
• Make it descriptive. The slug should communicate what the link goes to, not what you want the recipient to do. /report-q3 describes the destination; /click-here does not.
• Use lowercase. URL slugs are case-sensitive in most implementations. Lowercase-only slugs avoid confusion and inconsistency.
• Use hyphens, not underscores. Hyphens are the standard word separator in URLs. Underscores are less readable and historically less well-handled by some systems.
• Establish a naming convention. For teams managing many links, a consistent slug convention — /campaign-channel-descriptor or /audience-offer — makes the link library navigable and prevents slug conflicts.
• Avoid dates in slugs where possible. A slug like /sale-april-2026 becomes stale. /spring-sale can be reused and its destination updated each year.

Slug Uniqueness and Conflicts

Slugs are unique per domain — the same slug cannot be used twice on the same domain. The slug /demo on go.yourbrand.com can only point to one destination. If a team creates many links, slug conflicts become a management issue — which is why establishing a naming convention early prevents problems at scale.

If a slug is needed for a new purpose but is already in use, the existing link's destination can be updated (on plans with dynamic editing) rather than creating a new link with a different slug.

Random vs Custom Slugs: When to Use Each

Related Terms

• Branded Links
• Custom Domain
• Vanity URL
• URL Shortener
• Short Link Readability