Solved: What Is The srsltid URL Parameter?

I was recently carrying out a website audit on a Magento website when I noticed some strange search performance data in Google Search Console where I saw there was a significant 50% increase in the number of ranking pages appearing in search results:

This didn’t make sense because no new content had been added to the site.

Upon further inspection, this was caused by product URLs that had a unique paramter added to it such as:

https://www.domain.co.uk/product.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo1l3rxKF5C93jV3iVswnB5ZLTqghpl10tzAiYGlyB9xGUxPzrybtY

https://www.domain.co.uk/product.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo1xb5c5b5j2sAn2lDGlYDWaS2TNzRhRi0qiQU8XW_EAyH3XV17WNI

https://www.domain.co.uk/product.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo2aZVardXqqeK1HkRicVv_B3IGonxjVqqX-INUkeM7Gx1qT_HO6Rg

https://www.domain.co.uk/product.html?srsltid=AfmBOopR9IDDvS9vTcqQExUxx8pEAyiXGKDoUWu1ls8leRPTWoE3vf5q8pQ

This made no sense, so was compelled to look into this further. This is what I found out:

Introducing srsltid

The introduction of the srsltid parameter by Google Merchant Center has sparked considerable discussion within the SEO and digital marketing communities. Originally intended to enhance tracking capabilities for Shopping results, this parameter has since expanded to organic search listings, leading to concerns about its impact on search engine optimization (SEO), analytics, and website performance. This article delves into the functionality, potential challenges, and actionable strategies for addressing issues related to the srsltid parameter.

So What Is It?

The srsltid parameter, short for “Search Result Source Listing ID,” is a unique query string appended to URLs by Google Merchant Center’s auto-tagging feature. Its primary purpose is to allow merchants to track the performance of specific search result links by identifying the exact click source. For e-commerce businesses using Google Shopping, this tracking enables precise measurement of ad performance, user behavior, and conversion attribution.

While this functionality is valuable for advertisers and businesses relying heavily on Google Merchant Center, the parameter’s appearance in organic search results has raised alarms. Unlike paid ad links, organic URLs typically don’t require additional tracking strings, and their inclusion has prompted questions about potential unintended consequences.

What Are The Implications?

Despite its intended utility, the srsltid parameter can create significant challenges for website owners and SEO professionals. Below are the key issues:

1. Duplicate Content and Diluted Page Authority

The addition of the srsltid parameter generates multiple versions of the same URL, which search engines may interpret as separate pages. This can lead to:

Duplicate content issues:
Search engines might split ranking signals across duplicate URLs instead of consolidating them.

Diluted page authority:
Link equity, or the “authority” of a page, may be distributed among multiple URL versions, impacting the overall ranking potential.

For example:

https://example.com/page

https://example.com/page?srsltid=example

These URLs lead to the same destination but are treated as distinct by search engines unless addressed properly.

2. Analytics Data Distortion

Web analytics platforms, such as Google Analytics, track URLs exactly as they appear. The inclusion of srsltid parameters can result in:

Inflated pageviews:
Each parameterized URL may be recorded as a separate page.

Skewed traffic attribution:
Organic traffic may appear fragmented, complicating data interpretation.

3. Crawl Budget Concerns

Search engines allocate a finite “crawl budget” to each website, determining how many pages can be crawled in a given time. Multiple URL versions created by the srsltid parameter can:

• Waste crawl budget on duplicate URLs.
• Delay indexing of important new content. 

4. Core Web Vitals Impact

Some studies suggest that the presence of URL parameters like srsltid may indirectly affect metrics like Time to First Byte (TTFB) and caching efficiency, both of which are critical components of Google’s Core Web Vitals.

Strategies to Mitigate the Impact

Although the srsltid parameter is automatically added by Google Merchant Center, website owners and SEO practitioners can take steps to minimize its negative effects:

1. Disabling Auto-Tagging

If the srsltid parameter does not align with your tracking needs, you can disable auto-tagging in Google Merchant Center settings. This approach is straightforward but may impact your ability to track specific Shopping campaign performance metrics.

2. Employing Canonical Tags

Canonical tags tell search engines which version of a URL is the “master” version. By specifying a canonical URL, you can:

• Prevent duplicate content issues.
• Consolidate ranking signals across parameterized and non-parameterized URLs.

For instance, on pages with srsltid parameters, use:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/page" />

3. Analytics Filters

In Google Analytics, create filters to exclude the srsltid parameter from reports. This ensures cleaner data by consolidating traffic metrics under the main URL.

4. Regular Crawl Audits

Use SEO tools like Sitebulb to identify and address duplicate URLs generated by srsltid. Monitor your website’s performance metrics regularly to identify any issues related to parameterized URLs.

5. Review and Optimize Server-Side Handling

Ensure your server efficiently handles URL variations by implementing redirects or parameter stripping for redundant tracking strings.

What is Google’s Stance?

Google has acknowledged the presence of the srsltid parameter but maintains that it does not impact organic rankings. However, the broader SEO community has called for greater transparency regarding its usage, especially given its implications for analytics, crawling, and content duplication.

So What Next?

The debate surrounding the srsltid parameter underscores the importance of understanding how search engines handle URL parameters. As Google continues to refine its features, website owners must remain proactive in managing technical SEO aspects to preserve their website’s performance and user experience.

By implementing best practices such as canonicalization, analytics filtering, and regular audits, you can mitigate the potential drawbacks of srsltid parameters and maintain an optimized digital presence.

Useful Resources

The following all proved to be helpful when looking into this further and well worth a read:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7245374876671250433

https://www.rumvision.com/blog/srsltid-impacting-core-web-vitals-via-ttfb-caching

https://www.propellernet.co.uk/why-is-the-srsltid-parameter-showing-up-in-organic-results-and-why-arent-google-more-concerned

https://www.sistrix.com/faq/where-does-the-parameter-srsltid-come-from