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CNC (Human Readable URL) filters allow you to generate pages for narrow product categories, which gives you a chance to increase traffic. However, if configured incorrectly, they can create SEO problems. Let's look at how to use CNC filters in a way that will benefit your online store.
Every page on a site has the potential to generate traffic, and expanding the structure of the resource is a proven way to increase store traffic. Creating pages that exactly match what users are looking for usually produces better results.
Typically, pages are created manually: the most popular product queries are selected, and the corresponding content is added to the site. However, this method has two disadvantages:
In some niches, the number of relevant queries can reach thousands. In such cases, the site may not always rank for the right queries, since relevant content may be scattered across different pages.
Using the example of a large online store, it was revealed that users often search for queries like “discount on product + category + brand,” but the site only has a general section with promotions. This page was poorly indexed because it contained irrelevant products.
Many online stores use filters to make it easier for visitors to find products. For example, you can limit your selection by color, brand, price, or product characteristics. However, webmasters often close pages with search engine filter results for fear that Google or Yandex may perceive them as technical spam.
Using CNC filters has the benefit of making pages' URLs more understandable to both users and search engines when configured correctly. This way, you can create pages for different combinations of products and their characteristics, which will help cover more search queries.
For example, for the TV category, you can generate pages that match the queries “LG 32” TV” or “32” TV.” This makes it possible to create multiple landing pages at minimal cost.
However, using CNC filters can also lead to problems:
Too many pages generated with insufficient content can result in lower search rankings. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between the quantity and quality of the pages created.
CNC filters can be a challenge for sites with a small inventory. In this case, they create half-empty pages, which worsens behavioral factors such as time on site and page abandonment. This, in turn, can lead to lower page quality in the eyes of search engines.
For large sites with a diverse inventory, CNC filters can be an effective tool. But it is important not to open all pages for indexing. It is better to entrust the setup to an SEO specialist who can exclude pages with a small number of products or those that will not bring traffic. You should also configure the correct formation of URLs and specify indexing rules so that search engines see only pages that are useful to users.
Most likely, a CNC filter is already available on your website if you use popular CMS for online stores. Platforms such as 1C-Bitrix, OpenCart and others already support product filtering. You only need to customize the functionality for the specific needs of your store. In other cases, if such a filter is not available, you can either develop it yourself or purchase a ready-made solution on CMS marketplaces.
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