Understanding Canonical Tags And Their Importance In Seo

By Author: roshan saroday
Total Articles: 1
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What are Canonical Tags?
Canonical tags are HTML code snippets that indicate the preferred or canonical version of a web page. They are used when websites have multiple similar or identical pages with different URLs. The purpose of a canonical tag is to inform search engines which version of the page should be considered the primary one for indexing and ranking.
Canonical tags help search engines understand the relationship between different URLs with similar content and prevent them from penalizing websites for duplicate content. By specifying the canonical URL, website owners ensure that search engines prioritize that specific version of the page and consolidate its ranking signals.
How Do Canonical Tags Work?
Canonical tags use a simple and consistent syntax and are placed within the section of a web page. Here is an example of a canonical tag:

In this example, the rel="canonical" attribute indicates that the link specified is the canonical version of the page. The href attribute specifies the URL of the canonical version.
When search engines encounter a canonical tag, they will consider ...
... the specified URL as the primary version of the page and index it accordingly. This helps search engines avoid confusion and consolidate the ranking signals for that specific page.
Why Are Canonical Tags Important for SEO?
Canonical tags serve several important purposes in SEO:
1. Avoiding Duplicate Content Issues: Duplicate content can confuse search engines and dilute the ranking potential of a website. By specifying a canonical URL, website owners can consolidate the ranking signals of similar pages and ensure that search engines understand which version should be indexed and ranked.
2. Consolidating "Link Equity": When multiple versions of a page exist, each version may have its own set of backlinks. By using canonical tags, website owners can consolidate the "link equity" or ranking power from these backlinks onto a single canonical URL. This can improve the overall ranking potential of the canonical version.
3. Improving Crawl Efficiency: Search engines allocate a limited crawl budget to each website. By using canonical tags, website owners can guide search engines to focus their crawling efforts on the most important and relevant pages, rather than wasting time crawling multiple versions of the same content.
4. Enhancing User Experience: Canonical tags help ensure that users are directed to the preferred version of a page in search results. This improves user experience by reducing the chances of users landing on duplicate or near-duplicate pages.
Implementing canonical tags correctly is crucial for the success of an SEO strategy. Let's explore the best practices for using canonical tags effectively.
Canonicalization Best Practices
To ensure the proper implementation of canonical tags, follow these best practices:
1. Specify Only One Canonical URL Per Page: It is essential to specify only one canonical URL for each page. Including multiple canonical tags or specifying multiple canonical URLs can confuse search engines and negatively impact SEO.
2. Use Absolute URLs: When specifying canonical URLs, always use absolute URLs that include the entire domain. This ensures that search engines understand the exact location of the canonical version.
3. Specify the Correct Domain Protocol: If your website uses HTTPS, make sure to specify the canonical URL with the HTTPS protocol. This helps search engines recognize the secure version of your page as the canonical one.
4. Specify Trailing Slash or Non-Trailing Slash URLs Consistently: Pay attention to whether your pages use trailing slashes ("/") at the end of URLs. If different versions of a page exist with and without trailing slashes, be consistent in specifying the canonical URL by including or excluding the trailing slash accordingly.
5. Specify Non-WWW or WWW URLs Consistently: Similar to trailing slashes, decide whether you want to use the non-WWW or WWW version of URLs and be consistent throughout your site. This helps search engines understand which version should be considered canonical.
6. Regularly Update Your Sitemap: Include only canonical URLs and non-duplicated pages in your sitemap. This helps search engines understand the preferred versions of your pages and reduces the chances of indexing undesired duplicates.
Now that we've covered the best practices, let's explore how to implement canonical tags on your website.
How to Implement Canonical Tags
Implementing canonical tags varies depending on the content management system (CMS) you use. Here are instructions for some popular CMS platforms:
WordPress
If you're using WordPress, you can easily implement canonical tags with the help of popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO. Here's how to do it with each plugin:
Yoast SEO Plugin:
1. Install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin if you haven't already.
2. Head to the Yoast SEO options on any page or post.
3. Expand the "Advanced" tab.
4. Locate the "Canonical URL" field and specify the page's canonical URL.
Rank Math SEO Plugin:
1. Install and activate the Rank Math SEO plugin.
2. Head to the "Rank Math SEO" box on any page or post.
3. Open the "Advanced" tab.
4. Use the "Canonical URL" field to specify the canonical URL for the page.
Magento
If you're using Magento, you can implement canonical tags through the CMS's configuration settings. Here's how to do it for Magento 1 and Magento 2:
Magento 1:
1. Log into your Magento admin panel.
2. Go to "System" > "Configuration."
3. Click on "Catalog" and open the "Search Engine Optimizations" section.
4. Set the "Use Canonical Link Meta Tag For Products" field to "Yes" for product page canonicals.
5. Set the "Use Canonical Link Meta Tag For Categories" field to "No" for category canonicals.
6. To specify the canonical URL for categories, go to the edit page of the desired category.
7. Find the "Custom Design" tab and add the following code in the "Custom Layout Update" box, replacing the placeholder with your canonical URL:

canonical
https://example.com/preferred-url-here/

Magento 2:
1. Log into your Magento admin panel.
2. Go to "Stores" > "Settings" > "Configuration."
3. Open "Catalog" > "Catalog" and navigate to the "Search Engine Optimization" section.
4. Set "Use Canonical Meta Tags For Categories" to "Yes" for category canonicals.
5. Set "Use Canonical Meta Tags For Products" to "Yes" for product canonicals.
6. Magento will automatically add canonical tags to alternate category and product pages.
Other CMS Platforms
If you're using a different CMS, you can implement canonical tags manually by adding the following code to the section of your web pages:

Alternatively, check if your CMS provides specific features or plugins for handling canonical tags to simplify the implementation process.
Common Canonicalization Mistakes to Avoid
When implementing canonical tags, it's important to avoid common mistakes that can harm your SEO efforts. Here are two common mistakes to watch out for:
1. Pointing Canonical Tags to Redirected Pages: Do not specify a canonical URL that redirects to another page. This can confuse search engines and undermine the intended purpose of canonicalization. Ensure that canonical tags point directly to the preferred canonical URL.
2. Using Canonical Tags for Non-Duplicate Content: Canonical tags should only be used for duplicate or near-identical content. Some SEOs try to use canonical tags to consolidate the ranking power of dissimilar pages, such as redirecting out-of-stock product pages to category pages. However, Google advises against this practice and is likely to ignore such canonical tags.
By avoiding these mistakes, you can ensure the effectiveness of your canonicalization strategy and maximize the benefits of canonical tags for your SEO efforts.
Finding and Fixing Canonicalization Issues
To identify and resolve canonicalization issues on your website, you can use various tools and methods. Here are two reliable approaches:
1. Google Search Console: Google Search Console provides valuable insights into how Google perceives the canonical URL for each page on your website. To find the canonical URL determined by Google, follow these steps:
o Log into Google Search Console.
o Search for a URL at the top of the page.
o When the "URL Inspection" report is ready, open the "Page indexing" section.
o Scroll down to find the "Google-selected canonical" URL.
o If the selected URL is not your preferred canonical URL, review your deduplication strategy and ensure that the "User-declared canonical" is present and correct.
2. Semrush Site Audit Tool: The Semrush Site Audit tool can help you identify and address canonical issues at scale. Here's how to use it:
o Set up the Site Audit tool and run an audit on your website.
o Go to the "Issues" tab and search for "canonical."
o Check for errors related to duplicate content, multiple canonical URLs, broken canonical links, or missing canonical tags.
o Review the affected pages and URLs to determine the appropriate fixes and ensure that canonical tags are correctly implemented.
By utilizing these tools, you can effectively identify and resolve canonicalization issues on your website, improving your site's overall SEO performance.
Conclusion
Canonical tags are an essential aspect of SEO that helps website owners avoid duplicate content issues, consolidate ranking signals, and improve their site's performance on search engine result pages. By following the best practices discussed in this guide, you can implement canonical tags correctly and maximize their benefits for your website.
Remember to specify only one canonical URL per page, use absolute URLs, be consistent with trailing slashes and non-WWW/WWW URLs, and regularly update your sitemap. Avoid common mistakes like pointing canonical tags to redirected pages or using canonical tags for non-duplicate content.
By implementing canonical tags effectively and addressing canonicalization issues, you can optimize your website's structure, enhance user experience, and boost your SEO rankings. So start leveraging the power of canonical tags and take control of your website's canonical URLs today!