SEO glossary
Canonical URL
A canonical URL is the version of a page you tell search engines to treat as the primary one when duplicate or near-duplicate URLs exist.
In plain English
You declare it with a rel="canonical" link tag in the page head. When several URLs serve similar content (tracking params, http vs https, trailing slashes), the canonical tells Google which one to index and concentrate ranking signals on.
Why it matters for SEO
Missing or conflicting canonicals split your ranking signals across duplicates and can get the wrong URL indexed, costing you positions.
Check this on your own site with the free Canonical Tag Checker.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
- What is Canonical URL?
- A canonical URL is the version of a page you tell search engines to treat as the primary one when duplicate or near-duplicate URLs exist.
- Why does Canonical URL matter for SEO?
- Missing or conflicting canonicals split your ranking signals across duplicates and can get the wrong URL indexed, costing you positions.
- How does Canonical URL work?
- You declare it with a rel="canonical" link tag in the page head. When several URLs serve similar content (tracking params, http vs https, trailing slashes), the canonical tells Google which one to index and concentrate ranking signals on.
Related
Last updated