Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft collaborated in 2009 to create what we know as canonical tags. These companies had a single goal: to provide website owners with a method of effectively and efficiently fixing duplicate content problems. Many SEO agencies have utilized canonical tags to help increase their SEO and Google ranking.
Once you know how to use them, canonical tags work wonderfully and can be a fantastic resource for your company. Let’s explore this guide to learn everything about canonical tags and how they can assist your business growth.
What Are Canonical Tags?
A canonical tag is a tiny part of an HTML code that helps the main version of a page stand out from duplicate, near-duplicate, or similar pages. For example, if similar content is available under two different URLs, canonical tags can be used to specify whether the version is the original.
What do Canonical Tags Look Like?
Canonical tags are usually placed at the <head> of the web page and have a straightforward but consistent syntax.
Here’s an example:
<link rel=“canonical” href=“https://template.com/example-page/” />
- Link rel=“canonical”: This represents the master (canonical) version of this page.
- href=“https://template.com/example-page/”: This is how it can be found as a URL.
Why are Canonical Tags Important to SEO?
It’s quite simple. Google doesn’t like duplicate content. This can lead to several issues, including:
- Knowing which page to index, as only web pages can be indexed.
- Knowing which version will be ranked among relevant queries.
- Knowing whether to consolidate “link equity” on one page or split it up among several pages.
If too many duplicate pages exist, this will affect something called the “crawl budget.” This will cause Google to waste time crawling through multiple versions of the same page instead of figuring out the most essential content for your website.
Using canonical tags helps solve this problem. They can tell Google right away which version of the page should be indexed, ranked, and consolidated with “link equity.” Not doing this will force Google to do it themselves, which can be inconvenient for you if they select a page that shouldn’t be canonical.
Also read: Surfer SEO vs Ahrefs: An In-Depth Comparison for SEO Professionals
How Do I Know If I’m Duplicating Content?
It’s highly unlikely that you’re constantly publishing the same posts and pages all the time, so it’s difficult to believe that you’re duplicating any content. However, when it comes to SEO, search engines look at the URLs, not the web pages. This means that even if two different URLs lead to the same web page, Google will mark them as unique.
These are known as parameterized URLs, and these duplicates are especially common among e-commerce websites. For example, adding filters like sizes, colors, styles, and brands can make Google recognize each URL created as a separate page, even though they all have the same content. Even something as simple as capitalizing a letter can mark it as a unique page.
It’s for situations like this that make canonical tags so important!
Another issue that arises is called cross-domain duplication. When organizing content, it’s best to utilize a self-referential canonical tag on your page and ensure that the syndicated version specifies your original as the canonical version using a cross-domain canonical tag.
While this won’t always prevent the syndicated content from appearing in search results, it helps reduce the risk of it outranking the original.
How to Start Using Canonical Tags
It’s very easy to use canonical tags across many platforms, but despite the method you use, there are also five rules to keep in mind.
Rule #1
Don’t use relative paths with the rel=“canonical” link element. Instead, apply absolute URLs, which Google interprets correctly.
Rule #2
Use lowercase URLs. Since Google views uppercase and lowercase URLs as distinct, it’s best to ensure your URLs are also lowercase. To stay consistent, use lowercase canonical tags, too.
Rule #3
Make sure you use the correct domain version. For example, don’t declare your canonical tags in a non-SSL URL if you use SSL. This can confuse Google and bring unwanted results.
Rule #4
Use self-referential canonical tags, which refer to themselves on the webpage. It’s not mandatory to use them, but it is highly advised. This will clarify the page you want indexed and what the URL of the indexed page should be.
Rule #5
Use a single canonical tag per one web page. If the web page has more than one sole canonical tag, Google will just overlook them.
Also read: How Creating a Google Sitemap Helps SEO Agencies Boost Online Visibility
Utilize SEO with Target River Today!
As a certified SEO agency, Target River’s TargetSEO service has all the tools and knowledge on the latest trends and tools that can assist in growing your business. From optimizing landing pages to utilizing canonical tags to expand SEO, TargetSEO is guaranteed to increase your online presence. Contact us today to get started!
