Google’s srsltid= Parameter: Implications for SEO

In August 2024, a new phenomenon began surfacing in Google’s organic listings—site owners noticed the addition of a parameter called srsltid= in their URLs. This parameter has been present since 2022 in Google Merchant Center listings with “auto-tagging” enabled, primarily to track product listings from Google Shopping accurately. However, the recent application of this tag to organic search results has sparked discussion, raising questions about SEO accuracy and traffic attribution.

The Impact of srsltid= on Organic Listings

Here are the dets.

Background on srsltid= in Google Shopping

Originally, srsltid= was designed for Google Shopping and Merchant Center to attribute clicks from Google Shopping listings to a merchant’s website. In universal search, these tags help Google better track users clicking through from shopping results. But since August, this tagging has extended to all organic search results, a change that has left SEO professionals concerned.

Why the srsltid= Parameter in Organic Listings Is Problematic

1. Fundamental Differences Between Organic Search and Shopping Results

   • Distinct User Intent: Google’s organic search and Google Shopping were designed to meet different user needs. Organic search is meant for broad information discovery, while Google Shopping targets product-specific searches. Each has distinct algorithms and indexing processes.
   • Mixed Attribution: With srsltid= now appearing in organic results, Google risks attributing generic organic search traffic as Google Shopping traffic, which can distort analytics and potentially mislead marketers and advertisers about traffic sources.

2. Impact on Link Sharing and URL Consistency

   • Inconsistent URLs: When users share URLs from organic listings with srsltid=, they unintentionally propagate a parameter that attributes their source to Google Shopping. This issue is particularly common across social media and can flood analytics with misattributed traffic data.
   • SEO Challenges: URLs with unnecessary parameters are SEO “noise,” leading to redundant data in analytics. Over time, the accumulation of these URLs can complicate SEO tracking and analysis, particularly when analyzing referral traffic.

3. Session-Specific IDs and Google’s Own Guidelines

   • Irrelevant Parameters: Google’s guidelines have long advised against “irrelevant parameters” in URLs, as they can clutter data and create unnecessary duplicate URLs. The srsltid= parameter is precisely this type of parameter—an ID that varies with each session, creating a multitude of unique but similar URLs.
   • Impact on Crawling and Indexing: Although Google claims this parameter does not affect crawling or indexing, SEO professionals know that multiple URL variations can lead to a higher crawl budget. Googlebot may encounter thousands of URL variations with identical content, which could affect crawling efficiency and resource allocation.

4. The Canonical Tag and URL Consistency

   • Contradicting Canonical Purpose: The canonical tag exists to consolidate URL versions and ensure Google indexes a single, preferred version of each page. However, Google’s decision to append srsltid= undermines this practice, generating endless URL variations that diminish the canonical tag’s impact.

5. Auto-Tagging: The Opt-Out Dilemma

   • Turning Auto-Tagging Off: While Google suggests turning off auto-tagging in Google Merchant Center to remove srsltid=, this feature is crucial for certain Shopping tracking functions, and Google’s documentation does not support this as a solution for GA4 users.
   • Lack of Alternatives: SEOs are placed in a bind where turning off auto-tagging is not feasible for accurate attribution in other parts of Google’s ecosystem. Currently, there is no straightforward alternative to maintain accurate Shopping attribution without srsltid= bleeding into organic results.

6. Integrity of Organic Search Results

   • Blurred Boundaries: Historically, Google has maintained a clear line between organic and paid search functions, preserving organic search’s integrity. Introducing srsltid= to organic results compromises this boundary and risks making Google’s core organic product appear overly commercialized, which may undermine user trust.

Proposed Solution: Return srsltid= to Shopping Results Only

Google should restrict srsltid= to Shopping results or universal product listings. This approach aligns with Google’s practices for other tracking tags, like the gclid parameter used for Google Ads. By reserving srsltid= for product-specific listings, Google can protect organic search integrity and ensure that only relevant traffic is tagged for Shopping attribution.

What You Can Do Now

If you’re seeing srsltid= parameters in your URLs, here’s how to manage the impact:

1. Turn Off Auto-Tagging in Merchant Center: If feasible, consider disabling auto-tagging in Google Merchant Center to prevent srsltid= from appending to your URLs.
2. Manual Campaign Tagging: Use Google’s Campaign URL Builder for GA4 to create manual UTM tags for each product, then submit these in your Google Shopping feed for accurate tracking without srsltid=.
3. Monitor and Adapt: Keep an eye on incoming traffic with srsltid= parameters in your analytics and adjust attribution tracking accordingly.

As Google evaluates feedback, addressing these concerns could help restore the boundary between organic and Shopping traffic and provide marketers with more accurate data. Until then, monitoring your site’s inbound traffic and maintaining URL hygiene will help mitigate some of the srsltid= parameter’s effects.