What is Canonicalization?
Canonicalization means selecting the most relevant and accurate version of a webpage from various duplicates or multiple pages of the same content. In simple words, canonicalization is a technique that helps to prevent identical or duplicate content problems and control the indexing of URLs in search engine results. Canonicalization is also known as deduplication, which helps Google show only one version of multiple pages in its search results.
A site may have duplicate content because of the following reasons:
Device variants: A webpage with both a mobile and a desktop version
Protocol variants: A website with the HTTP and HTTPS versions
Region variants: Content for the USA and the UK, available from diverse URLs, but the same content in the same language
Accidental variants: The demo version of the site is accidentally left reachable by crawlers
Site functions: The outcome of filtering and sorting functions of a category page
Some duplicate contents of a site are not considered a violation of Google’s spam policies. Moreover, having the same or identical content available through multiple links can result in a bad user experience; it is harder for you also to follow how your content acts in search engine results.
What is the importance of Canonicalization in Search Engine Optimization?
In the ever-changing world of Search Engine Optimization, Canonicalization has evolved as a significant process to ascertain the reliability and accuracy of web content. Along with that, canonicalization plays an important part in simplifying website layout, which improves user experience and enhances the search engine ranking of your webpage. By reducing duplicate or multiple pages and content under a single canonical URL, you can prevent diluting your website’s authority and stop potential problems, such as duplicate or similar content penalties.
Using canonical tags properly can be immensely useful for SEO. It is not only limited to webpages with similar or identical content but also extends to international SEO efforts where websites have different languages and regions. By adding canonical tags and href-lang tags,
owners can ascertain search engines understand which version of their site to be shown to users of different languages and location preferences.
Best practices
Follow these below mentioned best practices for all canonicalization methods:
- Avoid specifying different URLs as canonical for the same page using canonicalization techniques.
- For canonicalization purposes, avoid using the robots.txt file.
- Don’t use noindex to control selecting a canonical page within a single website, as it may block the page from the search engine. However, rel=”canonical” link annotations stand as the best solution.
- Avoid using a URL removal tool for canonicalization; it will hide all the versions of the URL from the search engine.
- If you are using Hreflang elements, ensure to select a canonical page in the same language, or if a canonical page doesn’t exist for the same language, make sure to have the best possible substitute language.
- When giving links within the site, link to the canonical URL instead of a duplicate URL. Linking consistently to the canonical URL helps Google understand your selection.
Common Canonicalization Issues
There are different reasons why the chosen canonical URL varies from the canonical URL you would prefer to see in Search. The most common canonicalization issues are as follows:
Language variants with no localized annotations :
If you have multiple websites with the same content, localized for different users worldwide, then you must follow Google guidelines for localized sites. For instance, if you have different sites for your English-speaking users in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia, having the same content in all the sites, then adding hreflang annotations to your pages can help the right pages surface for users in different areas.
Misconfigured servers :
Some hosting misconfigurations may generate inconsistent cross-domain URL preferences. For example, two irrelevant web servers may return similar soft 404 pages that Google fails to recognize as error pages. If you notice this, get in touch with the hosting provider.
Wrong canonical elements :
Some content management systems or CMS plugins may misuse canonicalization methods to indicate URLs on external websites. To notice it, check the HTML with the browser’s developer tools. If your site has an unanticipated canonical URL choice, possibly via the incorrect use of a 3xx redirect or rel=”canonical”, contact your CMS provider and report this error.
Syndicated content :
As the sites are already distinct, the canonical link is not recommended for those who want to prevent duplication through syndication associates. The most practical solution is to stop the indexing of your content.
A wannabe website :
Some invasions on websites present code that returns an HTTP 3xx redirect or inserts a cross-domain rel=”canonical” link annotation into the HTTP header or HTML <head>, usually pointing to a URL hosting malicious or spammy content. In these cases, Google algorithms may choose the malicious or spammy URL rather than the URL on the compromised website.
Negative hacking :
In rare circumstances, the Google algorithm may choose a URL from an external site hosting your content without your approval. If you are assured that an external site has copied your content, then in violation of copyright law, you can contact that site’s host demanding the removal of content. In addition, by filing a request under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, you can request that Google remove the infringing page from search results.
How to resolve Canonicalization Issues?
Now that we have identified the canonicalization issues on the website, it’s time to resolve them. Follow the below-mentioned strategies to resolve these problems regarding canonicalization effectively and improve your site’s search engine performance.
Implement 301 Redirects :
Redirect the non-canonical URLs to the preferred URL using 301 redirects. This signals search engines that the preferred URL should be indexed and displayed in search results. Implementing proper redirects ensures that link equity is consolidated, improving your website’s overall SEO authority.
Use Canonical Tags :
Specifying the preferred URL, add rel=”canonical” tags to the header part of non-canonical pages. This will help search engines understand the connection between different URLs and consolidates indexing indications, which avoids copy content issues.
Set Preferred Domain :
Select between the “www” and “non-www” versions of the domain and specify it as the preferred version in your website’s settings. By doing this, you can prevent search engines from treating “www” and “non-www” versions as different entities, which will eliminate canonicalization problems caused by domain variations.
Standardize URL Parameters :
If your website utilizes URL parameters, ensure that they do not create multiple versions of the same content. Use URL parameter handling techniques such as rel=”canonical” tags, Google Search Console’s URL Parameters tool, or employing URL rewriting rules to consolidate content signals.
Conclusion
As we came to know, canonicalization has a significant impact on the search engine results of the website. By implementing required canonical tags and preventing duplicate content problems, we can guide search engines to prioritize the desired version of webpages, control the dilution of the website’s authority, and enhance search rankings. Regularly observing and revising canonicalization will help you prevent any possible duplicate content problems, assuring your website’s SEO strength. We assure your site’s visitors have a seamless user experience and valuable content and indicate to search engines which version of your content is the most appropriate and authoritative. We, the best SEO agency in Ahmedabad, provide various support and services for optimizing your website’s search engine results. Vinayak Infosoft can improve your website’s visibility and user experience with its evolved capacities for content centralization, efficient handling of URL variations, and streamlined content syndication. We create alternative pages with correct canonical tags and make sure that search engines recognize which version of your content to prefer, eventually driving organic traffic and enhancing search rankings.