Slug

Term from Newspaper Publishing industry explained for recruiters

A slug is a simplified version of a headline or title that's used in newspaper publishing and digital media. It's like a short nickname for an article that appears in website addresses and internal systems. For example, if an article is titled "10 Best Restaurants in New York City," its slug might be "best-nyc-restaurants." Editors and writers use slugs to organize stories, track articles through the publishing process, and create web-friendly links. This term is essential in both traditional print journalism and digital news platforms, where organized content management is crucial.

Examples in Resumes

Created consistent slug naming conventions for website articles improving SEO performance

Managed content database of over 1000 articles using slug based organization system

Implemented automated slug generation tools for digital news platform

Typical job title: "Content Managers"

Also try searching for:

Digital Content Editor Web Content Manager SEO Content Specialist Content Operations Manager Digital Publishing Specialist News Editor Online Content Coordinator

Where to Find Content Managers

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you implement a slug management strategy for a large news website?

Expected Answer: Should discuss creating consistent naming conventions, handling duplicate slugs, managing slug changes for SEO, and implementing automated systems for slug generation while maintaining historical links.

Q: How do you handle slug conflicts in a multi-author environment?

Expected Answer: Should explain strategies for preventing duplicate slugs, maintaining unique identifiers, and managing slug versioning when multiple editors are working simultaneously.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What considerations do you take into account when creating SEO-friendly slugs?

Expected Answer: Should discuss using relevant keywords, keeping slugs concise, using hyphens between words, and maintaining consistency in slug formatting.

Q: How do you handle slug updates for previously published content?

Expected Answer: Should explain the importance of redirect management, maintaining old URLs, and coordinating with SEO requirements when updating slugs.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is a slug and why is it important in digital publishing?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain that a slug is a URL-friendly version of a title used for web addresses and content organization, and why it matters for website navigation and SEO.

Q: How do you create a basic slug from an article title?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate knowledge of basic slug creation: lowercase letters, replacing spaces with hyphens, removing special characters, and keeping it short but descriptive.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic slug creation and formatting
  • Content management system usage
  • Basic SEO understanding
  • Article publishing workflow

Mid (2-5 years)

  • SEO optimization for slugs
  • Content organization systems
  • URL structure management
  • Redirect handling

Senior (5+ years)

  • Content strategy development
  • Publishing workflow optimization
  • Team training and guidelines creation
  • Advanced SEO implementation

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No understanding of basic URL structure
  • Lack of SEO awareness
  • No experience with content management systems
  • Poor attention to detail in naming conventions
  • No knowledge of digital publishing workflows