Canonical links – what is their use?
Every website should have an organized structure. This includes both the elements visible to the user and the entire structure of the site. This is where one of the often overlooked but extremely important elements of an SEO strategy is canonical links. These small pieces of code can have a huge impact on how your site is perceived by search engines and, consequently, how it is positioned in search results.
What are canonical links and how do they work?
A canonical link is a simple to use, but powerful in action HTML element that tells search engines which version of a given web page is considered “main” or “canonical.” In practice, this means that if you have several similar pages on your site that can be seen as duplicates, you can indicate to search engines which one should be prioritized. In the SEO world, unique and valuable content is the key to success. Duplicate content can mislead search engines as to which page is original, which can lead to SEO value being dispersed among multiple pages and, in the worst case scenario, penalties being imposed on the site. Canonical links avoid these problems by clearly indicating which page should be indexed and ranked. When you add a canonical link to a page, you are telling search engines that even if they find similar or identical content elsewhere on your site, that page is the “source of truth.” Search engines, such as Google, usually respect this guidance, which helps consolidate rankings and link value on the right page.
How to implement canonical links?
The implementation of canonical links is relatively simple. Just add the tag : <link rel=”canonical” href=”URL-canonical-page”> in the <head> section of each page you want to mark as non-canonical. It is important to make sure that the URL in the href attribute is accurate and leads to your preferred version of the page.
Best practices in using canonical links
- Use canonical links to address duplicate content issues: If you have identical or very similar content available at different URLs, use canonical links to indicate the preferred version.
- Maintain URL consistency: Make sure the URL in the
hrefattribute is accurate and consistent with your preferred version of the site, including the protocol (http vs https) and any URL endings (e.g., ending with a “/”). - Do not use canonical links for redirects: Canonical links should point to available pages, not to the URLs being redirected.
- Monitor and update your canonical links: Regularly check that your canonical links are up to date and do not point to pages that have been changed or removed.
Potential pitfalls
While canonical links are extremely helpful, there are a few pitfalls to watch out for. Incorrect use of canonical links, such as pointing to non-existent pages or mistakenly marking all pages as canonical, can lead to indexing and ranking problems.
Summary
Canonical links are a powerful tool in any SEO specialist’s arsenal to help organize content on a site and improve its visibility in search engines. When used correctly, they can significantly impact your site’s SEO, helping you avoid duplicate content issues and consolidate rankings. Remember to follow best practices and regularly monitor the effectiveness of your canonical links so that your website can reach its full potential in search results.
