URL Parameters In Google Webmaster Tools

Google tech lead Maile Ohye posted a comprehensive video instructions on Google Webmaster Tools URL parameters usage.This is a fairly advanced feature and she recommends it for advanced users only. Incorrect usage of URL Parameters feature can result in page/site being dropped from Google’s index. Be careful!

 0:04     - I'm Maile Ohye and a
 0:06     - I am a memember of google the webmaster support team
 0:08     - and i'd like to help you better understand how to use the URL
 0:12     - parameters feature in webmaster tools
 0:15     - URL parameters is a fairly advanced features
 0:19     - system information
 0:20     - might be more complex than one would expect
 0:24     - before you further watch this video
 0:26     - please check out the URL a parameter page to see if you have a message from
 0:30     - google explaining that
 0:31     - we already believe we have high crawl coverage at your site
 0:35     - and therefore no attachments to the speech are necessary
 0:39     - the message would say
 0:41     - critic of the hot in experiencing problems with covered if your site
 0:44     - so you don't need to configure ul parameters
 0:47     - incorrectly configuring parameters can result in pages from their site being
 0:51     - dropped my index
 0:52     - so we don't recommend you use this tool for that's necessary
 0:56     - for those of you who have that message
 0:58     - you're good to go
 0:59     - and now for their viewing is even necessary
 1:02     - but for those of you who don't have that message
 1:04     - please keep watching
 1:06     - and women may take aways is that improper actions on the ul parameters
 1:10     - feature
 1:11     - can result in pages no longer hearing in search
 1:14     - again in advance teacher
 1:17     - this was in your operating hours
 1:19     - argues by google as a helpful hints in our college process
 1:23     - first from directives
 1:25     - you want to use things like a robot subtext disallow all admitted no index
 1:30     - but using your operators hit
 1:32     - is still very helpful
 1:34     - in two thousand and ten
 1:35     - the google store only sold about a hundred and sixty products
 1:39     - and that seems fine and very easy to crawl
 1:42     - the thing is that that out these a hundred and sixty s products
 1:46     - it actually created
 1:47     - three hundred eighty thousand you are out
 1:50     - these you're also created by things like different types of navigation
 1:54     - so google bot in terms of from your site
 1:57     - doesn't just look at st two hundred unique urals
 2:00     - but actually has to determine what you're up to call
 2:03     - of the three hundred eighty thousand that were created
 2:07     - you can't problema might want to be marketed crawling
 2:10     - by looking at these to your house
 2:13     - now the first one says category looking too
 2:16     - let's say that you are out brings a lot to twenty unique items on the page
 2:21     - but on the second u r l it's category keep with you too
 2:24     - and sidekick with media
 2:26     - so with the exact same items but now to say filtered down to five because of the
 2:31     - psychic with media parameters
 2:33     - so its way
 2:34     - grew up with that described the first you're our
 2:37     - and meet all twenty of the items
 2:39     - ravin calling though if you are out and seeing agreed ended five right
 2:43     - essentially
 2:44     - with your input in you are out printers
 2:47     - it helps us to understand your site better so jim crow more efficiently
 2:52     - by pouring more efficiently we don't call it many duplicates
 2:55     - and that will save you bandwidth
 2:57     - and helps us to focus on your unique content
 3:01     - rather than pulling it duplicative information repeatedly
 3:04     - but if you want you arouse removed
 3:06     - you can go to you about removal of the webmaster tools
 3:09     - again to your operand nurse teacher it's a crime or physically
 3:13     - if not about removal or explicit robots at texas a loudly
 3:17     - another background piece of information but i'd like to mention
 3:21     - in that case level marquette
 3:23     - is still taken into consideration intended with the aura parameters
 3:27     - so if you have peaceable markup like rockin on a call
 3:31     - realm express around alternate eight ref playing that's fine it could still be
 3:35     - used by google
 3:37     - even if you're using ul parameters
 3:39     - just make sure that we can still call your page
 3:42     - meaning that it's not robots aren't x disallowed
 3:45     - or you haven't sent it to not be called in ul parameters
 3:48     - as long as we can call your page
 3:50     - we could still use the capable market
 3:53     - since we've covered the background information
 3:56     - let's not talk about the types of your outfitter eligible for the future
 4:00     - here's one from the google store it says category equals office
 4:05     - other urals would be things like category equals wearables or category
 4:10     - equaled wearables inside people's medium
 4:13     - these you are out there eligible for the future
 4:15     - because they come to in key value pairs or name value pairs
 4:20     - what looks like is he
 4:22     - equals value and then perhaps a ampersand
 4:24     - anneke two equals value to you
 4:27     - and global and we see these parameters one st basu around as a collective if
 4:31     - you're out
 4:32     - because the ordering the parameters doesn't matter
 4:35     - u r l z better ineligible for this feature
 4:38     - are those that don't use the key value configuration
 4:42     - so if eyesight uses a budget plan so i see separate their parameters
 4:46     - wedge issues a directory structure
 4:49     - or they use their own type of the coating
 4:51     - none of these types of your house can actually use because this feature
 4:54     - requires the name value pairs
 4:58     - all right
 4:59     - i know that was a long interest but now let's get started with the future
 5:03     - step one
 5:05     - is to specify parameters that don't change the page's content
 5:09     - so you can ask yourself
 5:11     - do i have parameters that don't affect page content things like especially
 5:15     - ninety an affiliate i_d_ or tracking eighty
 5:18     - he stood for parameters build teams page content
 5:21     - infill in the future you can actually marked them as does not teach content
 5:27     - and when he said that
 5:28     - webmaster tools will put one represent that you are out
 5:32     - as the setting
 5:33     - and then google bot will act accordingly
 5:36     - one step one is completed
 5:38     - for all the parameters that don't actually change page content
 5:42     - then let's move on to step to which comes into parts
 5:46     - the first part is to specify the parameters
 5:49     - that change page content
 5:51     - so you're select
 5:53     - exchanges we orders ornelas page content
 5:56     - and then you can have a type of page context
 5:59     - whether that sort
 6:00     - narrows specifies exception
 6:03     - l cover marketing dept
 6:05     - then the next part is set to be
 6:08     - which is to specified with a lot
 6:10     - preferred behavior
 6:11     - so given that parameter how would you like google much actually call those you
 6:16     - are out
 6:17     - and we'll talk more about this as well
 6:20     - but first parameter i'd like to cover is the sort for a better
 6:24     - and recapping this first but it's a fairly complicated parameter and setting
 6:29     - the summer grantor is something like sort equals prices sending or rectify
 6:34     - equals best-selling
 6:35     - any of these types of parameters
 6:37     - that's just change the order that the content is presented these are sort of
 6:41     - parameters
 6:43     - once you've identified afoot parameter or suck parameters on your site
 6:48     - an ex parte if the specified google blogs preferred behavior
 6:52     - but when they see you around with this parameter
 6:55     - now this can get pretty tricky
 6:57     - so i have to listen i was here
 6:59     - let's go to the person i am
 7:02     - you could ask
 7:03     - is this for parameter optional throughout my entire site
 7:07     - meaning that the sort grammar is never displayed by default
 7:10     - but only with manual selection
 7:13     - if you can answer yes to that question
 7:15     - that yes it options out my entire site
 7:18     - then go on to question to you
 7:20     - can google bought discover everything useful when the sock parameter is a
 7:24     - display
 7:26     - meaning that we can actually call of your items even if no store parameter is
 7:30     - present on the or else
 7:32     - it back to answer is yes
 7:34     - and the first answer is yes
 7:35     - and it's likely that with your start bremner
 7:38     - you can't specify crawled know your house
 7:41     - once they've applied this setting
 7:44     - please verify at the sample you are out displayed in webmaster tools
 7:48     - are in fact not cannot of course so they're just duplicates
 7:51     - and that's because i'll call you around the world that you really want to call
 7:55     - the index
 7:56     - can be reached by regular user deputation
 8:00     - if the first store parameter recommendation
 8:03     - dating applied to your site
 8:05     - and hopefully the second recommendation as well
 8:07     - the second recommendation is
 8:09     - if the same foot values argues consistently site-wide
 8:14     - the process asap yourself are
 8:16     - are the same sort of values used consistently across my entire site
 8:21     - so and negative example of this where the user with saying no
 8:25     - is it your and webmaster selling
 8:27     - things like callings and point out
 8:30     - so for your points you might have soared equals with the value your pcs
 8:34     - but forty was your issued
 8:36     - doesn't apply to your selling appear quite albums so it's not use
 8:40     - consistently
 8:41     - if the answer to the first question is yes
 8:43     - then you can ask yourself the second question which is when a user change is
 8:47     - the sort of value
 8:48     - is the total number of items and changed
 8:52     - panther is possible yes
 8:54     - and it's likely that with your stock parameter you can't specify
 8:57     - only call you are out there value x
 9:00     - were acts as one of the sorting values that few site-wide
 9:04     - if neither of those recommendations applied you're sort parameter
 9:08     - and perhaps select
 9:10     - let double bock decide
 9:13     - the second parameter that i'd like to cover
 9:15     - is that narrows parameter
 9:17     - narrows filters the content on the page by showing us upset of the total items
 9:22     - seven policy that's on e-commerce site
 9:25     - where in the navigation
 9:27     - users able to sweat if they only one of the item better left in twenty five
 9:31     - dollars or twenty five dollars to forty nine ninety nine
 9:34     - all of this is narrowing the content of the total life
 9:38     - example of the nails parameter are
 9:41     - size equals medium
 9:43     - and equals twenty-five or color equals blue
 9:47     - if the news parameter shows
 9:49     - left useful content
 9:51     - shows content that's just a subset of the content from the more useful you're
 9:55     - out which doesn't include the nose print either
 9:58     - and you might be able to specify
 10:00     - crawl into your house
 10:02     - for example useful ural it's category with you too
 10:06     - and the lessons for norrell
 10:08     - is category forty two points i think with medium
 10:11     - here i'm expressive five size as engineers parameter
 10:15     - and then because it has less useful content
 10:18     - i can state chrono your house
 10:20     - but before i specify color your health
 10:23     - it's going to verify a few things first
 10:27     - be sure that the nails parameter
 10:29     - well also filter out
 10:31     - useful pages that you'd like called and surfaced in search results
 10:34     - so if you have brand or category pages that you'd like to show the users
 10:39     - the shore that when you select chrono your house
 10:42     - that those brand a category pages will be affected
 10:45     - second
 10:46     - verified that example you are out that might be displayed and wet master tools
 10:51     - are really you are out that provide non useful content when compared to the
 10:55     - paragraph
 10:56     - so again you see content to light
 10:58     - categorical seated inside the bosnian and you know the decided both medium
 11:03     - that narrows parameter
 11:04     - just isn't useful
 11:06     - if the behavior of chrono you are a house
 11:08     - just as a optical for your site because it affects too many important frantic
 11:12     - category pages
 11:15     - let doable but decide
 11:16     - the next perimeter is specifies
 11:19     - specifies determines the content displayed on the page
 11:23     - for example item i_d_ equals enjoy t-shirt
 11:27     - or skew equals four nine five
 11:29     - the specifies parameter is responsible for the actual content
 11:33     - and so you'll likely select crawl every europe
 11:37     - after specifies is translates
 11:40     - unless you want to exclude certain languages from being called and
 11:44     - available in search results
 11:46     - like auto-generated translations
 11:48     - unless that's the case
 11:50     - that is likely you'll select
 11:51     - crawl every you are out
 11:54     - out from the side
 11:55     - won best practice but i'd like to mention
 11:57     - and this is by no means the requirement
 12:00     - is to put your translated original content
 12:03     - not only your out parameter
 12:05     - but actually in a sub folder or subdirectory
 12:08     - the reason why is that
 12:09     - in a subdirectory has some thoughts are it helps people to better understand ur
 12:13     - site structure
 12:14     - and that the supplies to translator regional content
 12:17     - the laughter emitter is patty
 12:20     - passionate displays one component page
 12:23     - of a multi page sequence
 12:25     - examples are page it was three you items equal ten to thirty or start index is
 12:31     - twenty
 12:32     - with passion it's because he wanted to crawl every page to reach all of your
 12:36     - items
 12:37     - it's nearly always crawl every you are out
 12:42     - congradulations
 12:43     - you finally gotten through the discussion about the different
 12:45     - parameters
 12:46     - and effective about the heat
 12:48     - and now you can go back to your site and repeat this process for the depict
 12:52     - remedies that you have
 12:54     - you don't have to do this for every single parameter
 12:57     - just including a few and specify directly without the havier can really
 13:01     - help with the property
 13:04     - we're almost done
 13:05     - but you might be asking one last question which is
 13:08     - what about multiple parameters and when you are out
 13:11     - for example skew equals two three four
 13:14     - page equals three and sort by equals price expansion
 13:18     - how does your operand hers work when there are multiple printer settings
 13:23     - the letter is to remember
 13:25     - that you were all parameters is about crawling your site
 13:28     - more efficiently
 13:29     - so you can imagine that all your art that we know about for your site
 13:33     - so through the google store all three hundred and eighty thousand your house
 13:37     - beginners a lovable for crawling
 13:39     - and then we work as a process of elimination not inclusion
 13:43     - so we take our knowledge of your site
 13:46     - combined like each of your settings in the wealth rameters
 13:49     - too slowly we don't wait the ul that should be called
 13:53     - until the very end we have a smaller subset
 13:56     - of good you are out
 13:58     - to recap
 13:59     - if you are now more comfortable with the or a premature ste
 14:02     - do you like this feature for more efficient crawling at your site
 14:06     - you can start with specifying the parameters that don't change page
 14:10     - content
 14:11     - bill should be easier to do
 14:13     - and actually done that step
 14:15     - the next time
 14:16     - it to specify predators that change the page content
 14:19     - and remember if you can't determine don't guess please let the robot decide
 14:25     - one more time
 14:26     - distorts parameter if the sorts parameter for your site never exist in
 14:31     - the ural by default
 14:33     - then chrono your house
 14:36     - if site-wide the same sort of value is always used
 14:40     - then call you or else with value x
 14:43     - for narrows
 14:44     - if you're in a rose parameter causes non useful filtering for searchers
 14:49     - like size or prize
 14:51     - then you might select chrono urals just be sure to double check that none of the
 14:56     - airport pages will be affected
 14:58     - for specifies it's usually crawl every you around
 15:02     - and the same applies to translate and apaches
 15:06     - ninety-eight i think we've covered a lot of information about your operators
 15:11     - here are links to more resources if you want for their help
 15:15     - thank you and best of luck

About Peter Voynov


Technical SEO & Web Analytics Specialist @ Medseek.com Peter Voynov LinkedIn