What is canonical url ?

SEO Help and Tips

What is canonical url ?

A canonical URL refers to the preferred or authoritative URL for a webpage when there are multiple URLs that can lead to the same content. It is used to address the issue of duplicate content, where the same or very similar content exists on different URLs within a website or across multiple websites.

Search engines like Google and Bing consider duplicate content to be a problem because

 it can affect the accuracy of search results and create confusion for users. By specifying a

canonical URL, website owners can indicate which version of the content should be treated 

as the primary or original source.

The canonical URL is typically specified within the HTML code of a webpage using a

rel="canonical" link element. This element points to the preferred URL, indicating that it 

should be indexed by search engines and that other versions or variations of the URL 

should be considered as duplicates or alternative versions.

When search engines encounter a canonical URL, they consolidate the ranking signals 

and relevancy factors associated with the duplicate URLs and attribute them to the 

canonical URL. This helps search engines understand which version of the content to

prioritize in search results and avoids dilution of search engine rankings across multiple

URLs.

Using canonical URLs is an important practice in search engine optimization (SEO) 

to ensure that content is properly indexed and displayed in search results, while 

minimizing the risk of duplicate content issues.

How to fix canonical url error ?

To fix canonical URL errors, you need to identify the source of the error and then take

appropriate steps to address it. Here are some common scenarios and their 

corresponding solutions:

Missing or incorrect canonical tag: If your webpages are missing the canonical tag or 

if the existing canonical tags are incorrect, you should update them to point to the 

correct canonical URL. Ensure that the canonical URL is the preferred version of the 

content and is consistent across all relevant pages.

Multiple versions of the same content: If you have multiple URLs that lead to the same

content (e.g., www.example.com/page1 and example.com/page1), you need to set up 

301 redirects to redirect all variations to the preferred canonical URL. This helps 

consolidate the link equity and prevents duplicate content issues.

Parameters or session IDs causing duplicate content: Some websites generate unique 

URLs for each user session or use parameters that create multiple versions of the same

content. To fix this, you can implement URL rewriting techniques or use canonical tags to

consolidate the variations into a single canonical URL.

Syndicated or duplicated content across different websites: If your content is being 

syndicated or duplicated on other websites, you can use the rel="canonical" tag to 

specify the original source URL. This helps search engines understand the preferred 

version of the content and avoid penalizing your website for duplicate content.

Pagination or sorting pages: If your website has paginated content or sorting options 

that create multiple URLs with similar content, you can use the rel="canonical" tag to 

specify the main page as the canonical URL. This consolidates the ranking signals and

prevents dilution of search engine rankings.

Content management system (CMS) configuration issues: In some cases, CMS settings 

or plugins may cause canonical URL errors. Review your CMS configuration and ensure

 that it generates the correct canonical tags for your webpages.

Remember to monitor your website regularly for canonical URL errors and perform regular

audits to ensure that your canonical tags are correctly implemented. Additionally, make

 use of tools like Google Search Console to identify any potential issues and receive

recommendations for fixing them.

Here's an example of how the canonical meta tag would look for a webpage with the 

URL "https://www.example.com/blog/my-article" and  "https://www.example.com/original-

page-url"

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example..com/original-page-url">

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example..com/blog/my-article">

It's important to note that the canonical URL should be an absolute URL that includes

 the protocol (http:// or https://) and the full domain name. Avoid using relative URLs or 

URLs that omit the protocol (e.g., "//www.example.com/blog/my-article").

Place the canonical meta tag within the <head> section of your HTML document, 

typically before other meta tags or within the <head> section of your CMS or website

template. This helps search engines understand the preferred URL and consolidate the

ranking signals for that particular page.