Gary Illyes from Google hinted he might consider deprecating the URL parameters tools in Google Search Console. He said on Twitter "maybe we should deprecate that cannon" when Glenn Gabe asked him "you said to be careful with the url params tool in GSC, because you can blow off your leg with that cannon"
Here are those tweets:
sounds like me. maybe we should deprecate that cannon 🤔
— Socially distant Gary Illyes (@methode) May 7, 2020
Google previously has said they use this tool a lot and you really need to be careful when using it.
Gary later on added on Twitter "I don't actually know when i would use the param tool. They both help with dup clustering, but at different stages. The param tool might prevent some crawling, but, at least over time, so can rel-canon."
So this tool can help with duplicate clustering; the URL parameter tool and the made up rel-canon. He added that it is possible that the URL parameter tool can prevent some crawling as well.
I wonder if just rel-canon would suffice in general. I don't actually know when i would use the param tool.
— Socially distant Gary Illyes (@methode) May 7, 2020
They both help with dup clustering, but at different stages. The param tool might prevent some crawling, but, at least over time, so can rel-canon.
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🤔
Just be careful with this tool, if you use it. If you do not need to use it, stay away. I doubt Google will get rid of it overnight without a lot of warnings and help documents on what to do with this tool being deprecated.
Forum discussion at Twitter.
