TL;DR
Ignored Parameters lets you tell optimization engines to ignore specific query strings—like tracking codes or session IDs—so they don’t generate duplicate cache entries. This keeps your cache clean, your pages fast, and your optimization efficient.
You’ve likely seen URLs like this:
example.com/product?id=123&utm_source=newsletter
Those query strings (like utm_source=newsletter) don’t change the page’s content, but most optimization tools treat each variation as a new page. That means more cache entries, more processing, and slower speeds for everyone.
If you don’t control how your site handles these parameters, you could be wasting resources on pages that don’t actually need separate optimization. That’s where Ignored Parameters come in.
Read on to learn how to leverage them for a faster WordPress site.
What Are Ignored Parameters?
Especially important for dynamic websites, marketing campaigns, and eCommerce stores, Ignored Parameters let you tell your optimization engine to skip over specific query strings when caching or optimizing a page.
That way, different URL versions of the same content don’t get treated as completely new pages.
The result: leaner, more efficient caching and a faster, more consistent experience—regardless of how someone lands on your site.
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With vs Without Ignored Parameters (Example)
When Ignored Parameters aren’t set up, your optimization tool may treat every URL variation—no matter how trivial—as a separate page. This creates unnecessary cache entries, wastes resources, and leads to inconsistent performance across sessions.
Even worse, it can dilute the impact of your speed optimizations, especially if a large portion of your traffic comes through URLs with tracking or marketing parameters.
By ignoring these parameters, you consolidate your cache, improve hit ratios, and ensure visitors receive the fastest, most consistent version of your pages—regardless of how they arrive on your site.
Take, for example, a product category with filters:
| Scenario | Without Ignored Parameters | With Ignored Parameters |
| Email traffic to product pages | Each UTM variant creates new cache | UTM parameters ignored; one cache entry |
| Analytics or tracking URLs | Session IDs fragment caching | Session cookies ignored; cache is shared |
| Search filters using ?sort | Each filter version is cached separately | Optional caching depending on setup |
Why Is Ignoring Parameters Important?
Query strings help personalize, track, and manage how people interact with your site—but they can also hurt performance if not handled properly.
If you don’t ignore unnecessary parameters:
- Your site generates multiple cache entries for the same content
- Page speed becomes inconsistent depending on URL structure
- Resources are wasted re-optimizing duplicates
Many performance warnings are triggered by bloated or duplicate content, especially when tools try to optimize slightly different versions of the same page.
By ignoring certain query strings:
- You reduce “Reduce unused JavaScript” warnings
- You prevent false positives from duplicate HTML payloads
- You help PSI evaluate clean, canonical versions of your content
The result? A cleaner optimization profile and better Lighthouse scores—without compromising your tracking or dynamic content.
Ignored Parameters in NitroPack Explained
NitroPack allows you to define which URL parameters should be ignored during optimization. This means different versions of a page—like those created by UTM tags or session IDs—are treated as one and optimized only once.
When a visitor loads a page like:
example.com/product?id=123&utm_source=email
NitroPack checks your Ignored Parameters settings. If utm_source is on the list, it ignores it entirely for optimization and caching. The same page without that parameter uses the same cache.
This avoids unnecessary cache splits and ensures consistently fast delivery across all traffic sources.
Below are typical query strings that are safe—and smart—to exclude from optimization:
| Use Case | Parameter Example |
| UTM campaign tracking | utm_source, utm_campaign |
| Click or session tracking | gclid, fbclid, session_id |
| Internal sorting or filtering | sort, ref, src |
These are widely used by marketing tools and analytics platforms. Ignoring them ensures these pages don’t get optimized separately for every campaign or visitor.
NitroPack vs Manual Parameter Handling
| Feature | Manual Parameter Exclusion | NitroPack Ignored Parameters |
| Requires developer setup | ✅ Often | ❌ No coding required |
| Supports multiple parameters | ❌ Limited | ✅ Unlimited |
| Dashboard configuration | ❌ Rare | ✅ Yes |
| Integrated with caching engine | ❌ Not directly | ✅ Fully integrated |
How to Use Ignored Parameters in NitroPack
Setting up this feature takes just a few steps:
- Log into your NitroPack dashboard
- Navigate to Cache Settings >> Cache
- Go to Ignored Parameters and
- Click “Include the default ignored parameters” – NitroPack ignores a long list of parameters by default
- For anything else, fill it out in the custom ignored parameter field
- Save changes
Once configured, NitroPack treats pages with and without those parameters as identical for caching and optimization purposes.
For a full walkthrough, visit our Ignored Parameters guide.
Keep your cache clean and efficient with NitroPack →
FAQs
Do Ignored Parameters affect SEO?
No—this feature only affects caching and optimization. Search engines will still see the full URL unless you handle canonical tags separately.
What happens if I ignore a parameter that changes content?
Avoid ignoring content-altering parameters. Only skip ones used for tracking or session data.
Can I undo or remove a parameter later?
Yes—just delete it from your Ignored Parameters list and save.
Do I need to use wildcards?
No wildcards are needed. Just list each parameter name you want to ignore.
Will this help improve mobile performance?
Yes—especially for mobile traffic from campaigns that use UTM tracking.
