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  • Writer's pictureBrent Payne
    • Mar 2, 2023
    • 10 min read

SEO Canonicalization Best Practices


What is SEO Canonicalization

SEO Canonicalization is a process of designating a preferred version of a web page to be indexed by search engines. It helps search engines identify which version of a page should appear in search results, and it helps to avoid confusion when multiple versions of the same content exist. The preferred version of a web page is usually determined by the use of a rel="canonical" tag, which tells search engines which URL is the preferred version. This tag is placed within a web page's HTML head section, specifying the preferred URL to be displayed in search results. In essence, canonicalization helps search engines understand which page is the main one, and it should be indexed and ranked for relevant queries, so that you receive traffic from search engines.

Why is SEO Canonicalization Important

SEO Canonicalization is important because it helps preserve link equity and rankings, and it helps to prevent duplicate content penalties among similar URLs. When Google and other search engines crawl multiple web page versions, they can become confused about which version to index and rank for relevant queries. This can lead to a dilution of link equity and result in a penalty due to duplicate content issues. By using canonicalization, you can ensure that search engines understand which page is the main one, and it can be indexed and ranked for relevant queries. This helps to preserve link equity, and it also helps to improve the user experience by directing searchers to the preferred version of a web page.


Benefits of Implementing SEO Canonicalization

There are several benefits of implementing SEO Canonicalization, including:

  • Consolidating link equity and improving rankings

  • Preventing duplicate content penalties

  • Improving the user experience by directing searchers to the preferred version of a web page

  • Preserving crawl budget so that search engines have more time to spend discovering other important areas of your website

  • Minimizing the risk of Google picking the wrong URL as the canonical version, making it easier for them to make sense of duplicate content on your website

In summary, implementing SEO Canonicalization is essential for improving the overall performance of your website in search engines. It helps to ensure that your content is indexed and ranked for relevant queries, and it helps to avoid any confusion or penalties due to duplicate content issues.

301 Redirects and Canonical URLs

According to Google, the 301 redirect is the strongest signal for indicating a preferred canonical URL. When a website uses a 301 redirect, it is telling search engines that the page has permanently moved to a new location. This is the equivalent of telling someone who calls your old phone number that you have a new one and to please update their contacts. In the same way, search engines will update their records to reflect the new URL for the content, effectively consolidating all ranking signals and link equity to the new URL. This is the recommended method for consolidating duplicate or similar content on a website into a single URL.


Rel Canonical Attribute

The rel="canonical" attribute is another way to specify a preferred canonical URL. This attribute is a tag that can be added to the header section of a web page and provides a hint to search engines about which URL should be considered the preferred version. Unlike a 301 redirect, a rel="canonical" tag does not actually redirect users to a different URL. This tag tells search engines which URL is the preferred version, but does not enforce it. This method is less effective than a 301 redirect and should only be used when a redirect is not possible or would negatively impact the user experience.

URL Canonicalization in Sitemaps and Robots.txt

URL canonicalization can also be specified in sitemaps and robots.txt files, though these methods are considered weaker signals than redirects and rel="canonical" tags. Sitemaps allow website owners to indicate the preferred version of a URL, but this is not a direct signal like a 301 redirect or rel="canonical" tag. Robots.txt files can be used to block search engines from crawling non-preferred versions of a URL, but this is not recommended as it can lead to loss of ranking signals and prevent search engines from combining ranking signals from different pages. In general, it is best to use redirects and rel="canonical" tags for URL canonicalization, and to reserve the use of sitemaps and robots.txt for other purposes.


Using Plugins

One of the easiest ways to implement canonicalization in WordPress is by using plugins. Several plugins are available that make this process simple and straightforward. Some popular options include Yoast SEO and the All In One SEO Pack. These plugins allow you to choose which URL you would like to be considered the canonical URL for a given page or post. They also provide a variety of other SEO-related features and tools.

One of the key benefits of using plugins is that they can save you a lot of time. Instead of manually making changes to your code, you need to install the plugin and configure it to your specifications. Additionally, many of these plugins are specifically designed to help with SEO, so they include a variety of other features and tools that can help you improve your site's search engine visibility.

Manually Implementing Canonicalization

If you prefer to do things manually, you can also implement canonicalization in WordPress by changing your site's code. To do this, you'll need to add a "rel=canonical" link to the head of each page on your site that you would like to be considered the canonical URL. This is a relatively straightforward process, but it requires some experience with HTML and CSS.

The advantage of manually implementing canonicalization is that you have complete control over which URLs are considered the canonical URLs for your site. You can also make changes to your site's code as needed to resolve any issues that may arise. However, manually implementing canonicalization can be time-consuming and may require you to regularly change your site's code to keep it up-to-date.


Troubleshooting Canonicalization in WordPress

Even with the best of intentions, it's possible to run into issues when implementing canonicalization in WordPress. Some common issues include having multiple URLs for a given page, having a self-referencing canonical URL, or having a canonical URL that is not the preferred URL for a given page.

If you run into any issues with canonicalization, the first step is to use the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool to see which URL Google is considering the canonical URL for your site. This can help you identify any issues and make the necessary changes to your site's code. Additionally, you can use a variety of other tools and resources to help troubleshoot any problems that you may encounter.

In conclusion, implementing canonicalization in WordPress is a key strategy for improving your site's search engine visibility and avoiding any issues that may arise from having duplicate or conflicting URLs. Whether you choose to use plugins or implement canonicalization manually, it's important to be familiar with the best practices and common issues associated with this process in order to ensure that your site is optimized for search engines.

Responsive Design vs. Separate Mobile Site

When it comes to optimizing your website for mobile devices, there are two main approaches: responsive design and a separate mobile site. Responsive design is when a single website adjusts its layout and content to fit different screen sizes, while a separate mobile site is a separate website created specifically for mobile devices. Both have their pros and cons, but it's important to understand the implications each has on SEO and canonicalization best practices.


Canonicalization for Responsive Design

Responsive design offers a cleaner and simpler solution for SEO and canonicalization, as there's only one version of the website to worry about. In this case, the desktop version of the website should always be the canonical version, as it provides the most comprehensive and complete user experience. This way, you can ensure that all the links, content and ranking signals from the desktop version are passed on to the mobile version, which can help improve the overall SEO of your website.


Canonicalization for Separate Mobile Sites

If you choose to go with a separate mobile site, it's crucial to properly set up canonical tags to ensure that the desktop version is recognized as the main version by search engines. This will help prevent any confusion over which version of the website should be indexed and displayed in search results. Additionally, it's important to ensure that the mobile website doesn't contain any duplicate content, as this can harm the SEO of the website. To avoid this, make sure the mobile site is a trimmed-down version of the desktop site, with only the most essential information and functionality included.

Using hreflang for Multilingual Sites

When it comes to multilingual websites, it is crucial to understand the importance of using hreflang tags. Hreflang is an HTML attribute that helps search engines understand a web page's language and geographical targeting. This is important for users who search for information in a specific language. By using hreflang tags, you can ensure that search engines display the correct version of your website to users based on their search query language and location. The hreflang attribute is added to the head section of a web page and specifies the page's language and geographical targeting for search engines.


Canonicalization for Multilingual Sites

Along with using hreflang tags, it is also important to implement the correct canonicalization strategies for multilingual websites. Canonicalization refers to the process of specifying the preferred version of a web page that search engines should index. This helps to avoid confusion when multiple versions of the same content exist. When it comes to multilingual websites, it is important to specify the preferred version of a page for each language and location. This can be achieved through the use of rel="canonical" link annotations, 301 redirects, or passive parameters in Google Search Console. By implementing the right canonicalization strategies, you can ensure that search engines crawl and index your multilingual website's correct version, improving your search engine rankings and visibility.

Troubleshooting Canonicalization for Multilingual Sites

Despite your best efforts, there may be times when you encounter issues with canonicalization for your multilingual website. Common problems include incorrect implementation of hreflang tags, incorrect specification of the preferred version of a page, and issues with indexation. To troubleshoot these issues, you can use Google Search Console's URL Inspection tool to view the hreflang and canonical information for each page. This tool can help you identify any issues with your implementation and make the necessary adjustments to fix any problems. Additionally, you can also use Google's testing tools to validate your hreflang tags and canonical information and ensure that search engines are crawling and indexing your multilingual website correctly.


The Importance of Proper SEO Canonicalization

Proper SEO canonicalization is important because it helps search engines understand which version of a page should be indexed and displayed in search results. Multiple versions of the same content can confuse search engines and result in lower search rankings. Canonicalization helps avoid this problem by designating a preferred version of the content for indexing. By using rel=“canonical” tags, redirects, sitemaps, or other methods, you can help search engines know which version of your content should be displayed in search results, which can help improve your search rankings and visibility.


Tips for Proper SEO Canonicalization Implementation

There are several best practices you can follow to implement proper SEO canonicalization. First of all, it is important to link consistently within your site using the same URL you consider to be the canonical. This will help search engines understand the preferred version of your content. Preferring HTTPS over HTTP for canonicals is also a good idea. However, if there are conflicting signals, you may need to prioritize other factors, such as URLs in hreflang clusters for localization efforts.


In addition, it is important to avoid using robots.txt or URL removal tool for canonicalization purposes. Instead, you should use rel=“canonical” link annotations, HTTP header, or sitemaps to indicate your preferred canonicals. When deciding between using a redirect or canonical tag, it is usually best to go with the redirect, unless it will affect user experience. It is also important to choose the page you think is most important based on factors such as links and traffic, and only use canonical tags for identical or near-identical URLs, not for topical grouping purposes.


Online Resources

You can use several online resources to learn about best practices for SEO canonicalization. The first resource that we recommend is the Google Search Console. This tool provides you with information on how Google is viewing your website, including the preferred version of your content. The tool also lets you see if there are any crawl errors and gives you the ability to submit a sitemap to help Google find your pages. If you're having trouble with duplicate content, this is a great place to start.

Another great resource for learning about SEO canonicalization is Moz. Moz provides a comprehensive guide to SEO best practices for canonical URLs, including information on why you should canonicalize your URLs and the different methods. The guide also includes information on common mistakes to avoid and the benefits of using canonical tags. Finally, Moz provides a list of key takeaways to help you understand the most important information about SEO canonicalization, so you can quickly get up to speed.


Further, we recommend checking out the Cognitive SEO blog, which provides a comprehensive guide to canonical URLs and SEO. The guide covers the basics of canonicalization, including what it is, why you should use it, and how to use it. It also provides information on common mistakes to avoid and the benefits of using canonical tags. This resource is great if you're looking for a step-by-step guide to help you get started with SEO canonicalization.


Finally, you can also always just hire Loud Interactive to do it for you! Book some time with Brent himself via BrentsCalendar.com


Further Reading

If you're looking for more information on SEO canonicalization, we recommend checking out the following articles and books:

These resources provide in-depth information on SEO and how to optimize your website for search engines. They cover a wide range of topics, including keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and more. These resources are a great place to start if you want to improve your website's visibility in search results.


References

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