Google Faces Challenges with URL Parameters

According to a recent podcast, Google is encountering difficulties in processing website addresses (URLs) due to the excessive use of URL parameters. As a result, the search engine giant faces challenges in efficiently indexing websites.

Gary Illyes, Analyst at Google, explained that website owners can create unlimited URLs for a single page by adding extra information, such as product color or size, to the end of the address. This practice, while seemingly harmless, complicates the work of search engine crawlers.

“Search engines struggle to distinguish between these multiple URLs, often treating them as separate pages,” said Illyes. “This leads to inefficiencies in the crawling process and potential issues with indexing.” The problem is particularly pronounced on e-commerce websites, where URL parameters are widely used to filter products.

Historically, Google offered a tool to help website owners manage URL parameters, but this tool was discontinued in 2022. The removal of this tool has raised concerns among website owners and SEO specialists.

Industry analysts believe that Google will need to develop new strategies to address the growing issue of URL parameter abuse. As websites continue to rely heavily on parameters, search engines will face increasing challenges in delivering relevant search results.