Canonical Link
What is a canonical link?
A canonical link specifies to search engines the preferred page URL for duplicated or similar content on other pages.
Why canonical links matter for SEO
Search engines may return pages with duplicate or similar content instead of the preferred ones if canonical links aren’t used.
Canonical link tips
- Canonical links must use an absolute link, not a relative path.
- Self-referencing canonical links are beneficial because they counteract known and unknown duplicates and similar pages.
- Google Search considers canonical links as hints, not directives. Consider using 301 redirects to preferred pages to guarantee that duplicates and similar pages are never returned in search results.
- Canonical links are valid when used on the same site, with sub-domains, and across multiple second-level domains.
- If you syndicate content, request that publishers use a canonical link pointing to your site’s original article.
Canonical link resources
- Canonical link element
- Canonical URLs in Yoast SEO
- Dealing with Duplicate Content: Canonicalization in Detail
- How to specify a canonical with
rel="canonical"and other methods
Written by Jon Henshaw, published on , and last updated on .