Canonical URL

The SEO term “canonical URL” refers to the specific URL that a webmaster designates as the primary or “canonical” version of a webpage.

This is done using the canonical tag, which helps search engines understand which version of a page should be indexed and ranked, especially when there are multiple versions of the same content available.

Importance in SEO

A canonical URL is important because it helps prevent duplicate content issues, which can lead to lower search engine rankings or even penalties.

By specifying a canonical URL, webmasters can ensure that search engines attribute the value of the content to the correct page, improving the accuracy of indexing and ranking.

Example

If a website has both “example.com/products” and “example.com/products/” (with a trailing slash), search engines might treat these as two different pages.

However, if the webmaster sets “example.com/products” as the canonical URL, search engines will understand that this is the primary version of the page, and the other version will typically be ignored in search results.

Do

• Use a canonical URL to consolidate link equity and search engine rankings when there are multiple, similar versions of a page (e.g., with and without a trailing slash, www, and non-www versions).
• Update the canonical URL if your website’s structure changes to ensure it always points to the most relevant page.
• Use the rel=”canonical” tag in the head of your HTML to indicate the canonical URL for each page.

Don’t

• Overuse or abuse the canonical URL by applying it to pages that do not have duplicate content issues.
• Forget to update the canonical URL when making significant changes to your website’s structure or content.
• Use the canonical URL as a substitute for creating unique and valuable content on each page of your website.