A URL element (e.g., ?id=123) used for tracking or filtering, which may cause duplicate content issues if not handled with canonicals.
Ever seen a web address with a bunch of random letters and numbers after a question mark? I know it can look messy and confusing. But what if I told you those little bits of code, called query string parameters, are super important for your website and for SEO? I have been in this industry for 15 years, and I have seen how they can be both a powerful tool and a major problem if you do not handle them right. I am going to explain exactly what a query string parameter is and how you can use it to get more visitors to your site and avoid common pitfalls. You will walk away with some clear, actionable tips that you can use right away.
So, what is a Query String Parameter? It is the part of a URL that comes after a question mark (?). It is used to pass information from a browser to a server, usually to show specific content or to track a visit. A typical example is `?color=blue&size=large`, which tells the website to show a product page with a blue, large item. The word before the equal sign (e.g., “color”) is the parameter, and the word after (e.g., “blue”) is the value.
For SEO, these parameters can create a big problem: duplicate content. Every time a new parameter is added to a URL, a search engine can see it as a completely new page. This can waste your crawl budget and confuse search engines about which version of the page they should rank, which can hurt your overall SEO performance.
How Query String Parameters Impact Different CMS Platforms
Every website platform handles URLs and parameters differently. I am going to show you how to manage them on some of the most popular platforms. The main goal is to make sure search engines only see the main, clean version of your pages.
WordPress
WordPress can generate query string parameters for things like search results (`?s=keyword`), or product filters. I always recommend using a good SEO plugin like Yoast or Rank Math. They have built-in features to handle these, often by adding a canonical tag to tell search engines which URL is the main one to focus on.
Shopify
Shopify uses query string parameters heavily for product filtering and sorting, such as `?sort_by=price_asc`. The good news is that Shopify is generally good at handling these with canonical tags. Still, I recommend you check your site to make sure those canonical tags are pointing to the main product or collection page, not to the filtered versions.
Wix
Wix usually keeps URLs clean on its static pages, but query string parameters might appear for tracking or special functions. Because you do not have as much control over the code, you should use Wix’s built-in SEO tools to ensure your main pages are optimized. If you see many pages with parameters in your analytics, focus on canonicalizing them with the tools Wix provides.
Webflow
Webflow gives you a lot of control over the URL structure, which is a huge SEO advantage. You can often design your site to avoid using query string parameters for content filtering, opting for cleaner subfolders instead. If you must use them for things like tracking, make sure you use robots.txt to prevent search engines from crawling them.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the freedom to build a system that minimizes or correctly manages query string parameters. You can set up your system to use clean, descriptive URLs from the start. For tracking parameters, you have full control to use canonical tags or set rules in your robots.txt file to tell search engines exactly what to do.
How Query String Parameters Apply to Different Industries
No matter your industry, you need to understand how query string parameters affect your website. They show up in different ways, and managing them correctly can be the key to better rankings. I will break down how this works in a few different sectors.
Ecommerce
For an ecommerce site, query string parameters are everywhere. They are used for filtering by size, color, brand, or price. I advise you to set a canonical tag on every filtered page, pointing back to the main product category page. This makes sure all the “SEO juice” goes to the correct URL, not a bunch of duplicate pages.
Local Businesses
Most local business sites do not use a lot of query string parameters for content. However, they might appear in online booking systems or contact forms for tracking purposes. My advice is to make sure your main services pages have clean URLs and that any tracking parameters are not being indexed by search engines.
SaaS
SaaS companies often use query string parameters for A/B testing or tracking user sessions. For example, `?utm_source=facebook`. These parameters are not for showing content and should not be indexed. I recommend using Google Search Console to tell Google to ignore these specific parameters in your URLs.
Blogs
For blogs, query string parameters can appear for things like category filters or pagination. For example, you might see `?page=2`. I suggest you use a canonical tag on these pages to point back to the main blog homepage or a category page. This keeps your site clean and focuses all the authority on your best content.
FAQ Section
Are all query string parameters bad for SEO?
No, they are not all bad. They are essential for many website functions like filtering and tracking. The problem is when search engines crawl and index them as separate, low-quality pages. The key is managing them correctly so they do not cause duplicate content issues.
What is a “canonical tag” and how does it help?
A canonical tag is a piece of code on a page that tells search engines the “master” or preferred URL for that content. By putting a canonical tag on a page with a query string parameter, you are telling Google to count all the link signals for that page toward the clean, main URL, avoiding duplicate content problems.
How can I check if my site has a query string problem?
The best way is to look at your Google Search Console reports. Go to “Indexing” > “Pages” and look for a high number of URLs with question marks that are being indexed. You can also manually check your site’s filtered pages and see if a canonical tag is present in the page source.
Can I block query string parameters with robots.txt?
Yes, you can, but it is not the best solution for every situation. Blocking with robots.txt tells Google not to crawl a page, but it does not stop it from being indexed if other sites link to it. A canonical tag is a better way to manage duplicate content because it tells Google to consolidate the link signals to one preferred page.
