BigCommerce Faceted Navigation: Parameter Rules and Canonicals

Faceted navigation is a powerful feature of BigCommerce, but it can also run several SEO risks if you fail to manage it carefully. Every filter, from color to size to brand and sort order, can generate a new URL, resulting in an exponential spike in the number of crawlable pages on your site, ultimately diluting its authority.

The key to BigCommerce category SEO, then, is to set clear rules for parameters, canonicals, and robots handling. Below, our guide takes a deep dive into how you can do so. You’ll learn how to tame your faceted navigation while keeping your category SEO as strong as ever.

BigCommerce Themes, Templates, and Parameters

BigCommerce stores often run on Cornerstone or Stencil themes, which allow for flexibility in category templates. Faceted parameters, however, behave differently depending on how filters are configured. 

Cornerstone has better defaults for schema and meta handling, while Stencil may require manual edits in its meta tags and robots rules. Alternatively, you can use custom category templates for specified product lines; just make sure all templates include consistent BigCommerce canonicals logic. 

In any case, when you apply filters to a page, BigCommerce adds those changes to query strings. And without the right rules and logic in place, these URLs can balloon into thousands of near-duplicate pages. 

Defining Allowed Parameters

Common BigCommerce category SEO parameter classes include the following:

• Allowed: Sorting options that materially change product order (i.e., price low-to-high) 
• Conditionally Allowed: Filters like brand or category, but only when they don’t create duplicate sets of products 
• Blocked or Canonicalized: Combinations of filters that don’t merit standalone indexation 

Indeed, not all parameters are harmful; some add unique value for users and search engines. If, however, a certain filter combination does not represent meaningful search intent, that’s when you must canonicalize or block it. 

Canonical Settings for Faceted Pages

To prevent duplication, add canonical tags that point back to the base category page whenever filters are applied. Here’s a technical example of the tactic: 

{{! In templates/components/common/meta-tags.html or theme head }}

// If the category page has query parameters for filters, point canonical to the base category URL

{{#if query_string}}

  <link rel=”canonical” href=”{{category.url}}”>

  <meta name=”robots” content=”noindex,follow”>

{{/if}}

Sitemap Inclusion Strategy

When it comes to BigCommerce category SEO, your XML sitemap is one of the strongest signals you send to search engines regarding which URLs matter most. 

You can think of it as a curated inventory of “approved” pages; if faceted filter URLs sneak into your sitemap, you’re essentially instructing Google and Bing to crawl and potentially index duplicates. 

As such, best practices for creating your sitemap include the following:

• Keep It Lean: Your sitemap should only include essential product pages and canonical categories 
• Audit Regularly: Always recheck your sitemap after you update your theme or install new apps 
• Use Dynamic Generation Cautiously: BigCommerce auto-generates your sitemap, but if custom scripts or plugins can alter it, ensure they follow your rules 
• Cross-Verify With Search Console: If parameterized URLs show up in “indexed” but aren’t in your sitemap, you need stronger rules

Altogether, a tight sitemap supports efficient crawling and ensures authority flows to the right category pages. 

Setting Up Robots.txt Guardrails

Robots.txt files are often misunderstood, primarily in that they do not “de-index” pages. Instead, they only tell crawlers where they’re not allowed to go. Establishing proper restrictions and rules, therefore, is essential. 

Here’s how to do it:

• Disallow useless parameters
• Allow high-value filters
• Pair with canonicals
• Don’t block CSS/JS

At their core, robots.txt guardrails act as your second layer of defense against unchecked faceted pages. Use them wisely, and you’ll prevent crawl budget from being wasted on endless filter combinations. 

Validation and QA

With everything in place, it’s time to make sure your new rules and logic are working as they should. A thorough QA process should consist of the following: 

• Picking 20 URLs and checking to see that they come back as “noindex” or “follow”
• Running a crawl testing app to scan for duplicate titles, meta descriptions, and canonicals 
• Checking if Googlebot is still spending significant resources on filtered URLs via a log file analysis
• Watching for “Crawled, not currently indexed” or unexpectedly indexed pages
• Making sure filters still work for shoppers so that technical fixes don’t harm the user experience 

These steps will ensure that your fixes hold long-term and that search engines and users alike can interact with your site in the ways you intend. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does Faceted Navigation Hurt SEO?

Every time a filter, such as color or size, is applied, it creates a new URL. And all of those subpages can create endless loops for crawlers. 

Can I Let Some Faceted Pages Be Indexed?

Yes, albeit selectively. If a filtered URL aligns with genuine search intent, it may need to be indexed. These should be added deliberately. And since not all faceted pages are worth indexing, you must be thorough. 

Is Robots.txt Enough to Fix The Problems of Faceted Navigation?

Since Robots.txt only prevents crawling, not indexing, the answer is no. If Google discovers a parameterized URL via backlinks, it may index it without ever crawling. Always combine your robots.txt rules with canonicals and noindex tags for full control. 

Master BigCommerce Category SEO With Net Profit Marketing 

Solving the faceted navigation problem is arguably one of the trickiest parts of running a scalable ecommerce site. Mismanage things, and you’ll have thousands of wasted pages clogging your index. But handle them properly, and you’ll keep your store lean and primed for growth.

If you’re not sure where to begin, reach out to Net Profit Marketing. Our team specializes in technical SEO for digital stores and can help you implement parameter rules and other logic that will boost your visibility. Contact us today to learn more.