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+50 XP
Canonical Tags
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rel=canonical explains itself
"I'm placed in the <head> of a page. I tell Google: 'This page is a copy of that one over there. Send all links and authority there.' I'm not a redirect โ the page stays accessible."
๐ rel=canonical โ an HTML tag that tells search engines which is the "canonical" (preferred) version of a page among several duplicates. It consolidates link equity without redirecting users.
Syntax and Usage
<!-- On the duplicate page /product/?color=red -->
<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/product/" />
<!-- Self-referencing canonical โ
recommended on all pages -->
<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/product/" />
<!-- (placed on /product/ itself) -->
Canonical vs 301 Redirect
| Criterion | rel=canonical | 301 redirect |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate stays accessible | โ Yes | โ No (forwards away) |
| Link equity passed | โ Yes (~100%) | โ Yes (90โ99%) |
| When to use | Duplicate is still needed (filters, variants) | Duplicate is not needed |
| Implementation effort | Add tag to HTML | Configure on server |
Common Canonical Mistakes
- Canonical chains: A โ B โ C. Google may not follow to C. Always point to the final page.
- Canonical pointing to a noindex page: contradiction โ Google doesn't know what to do.
- Conflicting canonical in HTTP header and HTML: unpredictable results.
๐ก Self-referencing canonical: recommended on every page, even the original. This protects against accidental duplication via URL parameters.
๐ฎ Test yourself: which page should rel=canonical point to?
Lesson Task
Test your knowledge and earn +20 XP