How URL Parameters Are Affecting Google’s Crawling Efficiency

During the 79th episode of Google’s Search Off the Record podcast, Gary Illyes revealed a technical issue that has profoundly affected how Google indexes websites. 

Rather than discussing the latest SEO trends or a major algorithm update, Illyes focused on a less obvious but significant challenge  – URL parameters. 

These small bits of text, often overlooked, are creating big challenges, especially for e-commerce websites, by generating unnecessary URLs that complicate Google’s crawling process.

The Hidden Maze of URL Parameters

URL parameters are commonly used on websites to manage different content variations, such as sorting products by color, size, or other attributes. However, each variation generates a new URL, even if the content on the page remains the same. 

Google’s crawlers treat each URL as unique, meaning they have to be checked individually to determine if the content is different. This process wastes valuable crawling resources because many of these URLs lead to identical or very similar content.

Gary Illyes explained that while a server might ignore certain parameters that don’t change the content, Google’s crawlers cannot do the same. They have to visit each URL to confirm whether the content differs. This results in “crawl budget wastage,” where Google’s resources are spent on redundant URLs, leaving less time for the most important pages.

E-Commerce’s Silent Struggle

For major e-commerce players, this issue is more than just a technical nuisance. These sites often use URL parameters to manage product pages, leading to different URLs for color, size, or pricing variations. 

As Illyes explained, the problem becomes one of “crawl budget wastage.” Google allocates a certain amount of crawling resources to each site, known as the crawl budget. When this budget is spent on redundant URLs, important pages—like new product listings or updated content—might not be crawled as frequently. This delay can directly affect how quickly these pages appear in search results, impacting visibility and, ultimately, sales.

Google’s Quiet Battle with Redundant URLs

This isn’t the first time Google has grappled with the issue of URL parameters. The problem has been around for years, and at one point, Google even provided a tool in Search Console specifically designed to help webmasters manage these parameters.  Known as the URL Parameters tool, it allowed site owners to tell Google which parameters were important and which could be ignored, streamlining the crawling process.

But in 2022, that tool was retired. The decision left many webmasters and SEO experts wondering how to manage URL parameters effectively without it. While the tool may be gone, the issue it was designed to address is very much alive, and Illyes hinted that Google is actively working on new solutions.

During the podcast, Illyes mentioned that Google is exploring new algorithms to help its crawlers automatically detect and disregard redundant URLs. He also emphasized the importance of clear communication between website owners and Google, suggesting that better cooperation could help crawlers focus on the most important content.

What’s Next for SEO?

As Google continues to refine its approach to crawling, the challenge posed by URL parameters will likely remain a key focus. Illyes mentioned the potential of using robots.txt files more effectively—a method that allows website owners to block specific URL parameters, preventing Google’s crawlers from wasting time on pages that don’t add value.

For those in the SEO community, these hints from Illyes are a reminder that while the tools may change, the principles of good website management remain the same. Keeping a website’s architecture clean and well-organized is crucial, especially as Google’s algorithms become more sophisticated.

Tips for Webmasters

To manage URL parameters effectively, website owners can take the following steps:

Regularly Review Your URL Structure: Audit your site’s URLs to identify and remove unnecessary parameters, simplifying your URL structure to reduce redundancy.

Use Canonical Tags: Implement canonical tags to designate the preferred version of a page. This helps Google recognize which URL should be treated as the main one, reducing the risk of indexing duplicate content.

Optimize Your Robots.txt File: Review and optimize your robots.txt file to block Google from crawling URLs with specific parameters that don’t add value, conserving your crawl budget.

Monitor Crawl Stats: Use Google Search Console to monitor your site’s crawl stats. If you notice an unusually high number of similar URLs being crawled, consider adjusting your URL strategy.

Communicate Clearly with Google: Ensure your sitemap is accurate and up-to-date. Clear communication about your site’s structure can help Google’s crawlers work more efficiently.

Key Takeaways

• Excessive URL parameters, especially on e-commerce sites, create redundant URLs that can waste Google’s crawl resources and delay indexing important content.
• The issue is most pronounced for e-commerce websites, where product variations generate numerous URLs, potentially reducing the site’s visibility in search results.
• With the URL Parameters tool retired, webmasters should focus on optimizing URL structures, using canonical tags, and refining robots.txt files to guide Google’s crawlers efficiently.