How to Use Canonical URLs
Introduction
The entire digital platform might have simplified things beyond our wildest imagination. However, there are a thousand different intricate technical hurdles that can play spoiler to your online business growth.
Copycat URLs are one such aspect that complicates the process of identifying your genuine website and diminishes your SEO. Canonical URLs, in such cases, comes to your rescue – as explained by our talented team of Manchester SEO consultants:
So, what are Canonical URLs and how can you use them to boost your online business growth?
What are Canonical URLs?
A canonical URL is simply an HTML element represented by the link element rel= “canonical.” It usually lies on the <head> section of your website. Its basic function is to direct search engines to your main URL, aka canonical URL.
For instance –
www.xyz.com
xyz.com
https: //m.xyz.com
These are three different URLs leading to the same website. In such cases, it becomes difficult for search engines to identify the original URL. In such cases, the search engine automatically chooses a canonical URL, which might not be your original source.
So, to avoid such inconveniences, you choose a canonical URL for your web page. Thus, directing search engines to prioritise it over other duplicate URLs.
But, that is just the easiest aspect of a canonical URL.
The more crucial aspect is to understand how to implement it in the most efficient manner.
So, what are some of the best ways to Use Canonical URLs?
Here are some of the most efficient and proven ways to canonical multiple URLs.
Use the rel=“canonical” HTML tag
The simplest and also the most widespread technique of specifying a canonical URL is to use rel=“canonical” HTML tag.
So, for example, you assign “https: //xyz.com/abc/sample-page” as your canonical URL. You simply have to add that HTML tag to any other duplicate URLs in the following manner – <link rel= “canonical” href= “https: //xyz.com/abc/sample-page”>.
As simple as that!
Using the 301 Redirect
A 301 Redirect, as the name suggests is a protocol that instructs Google, or just any other search engines to redirect one URL to another permanently. By using this code, you are technically telling Google to redirect the customers to the genuine (Canonical) URL.
So, even if a customer requests a duplicate URL, the search engine will automatically redirect them to the original address. The 301 Redirect code can also integrate different URL links together and rank them according to their domain priority as well.
Internal Links
Internal links within your web page play a crucial role in enhancing the status of your canonical URL. The more consistent you are with your web page internal linking, the easier it is for search engines to identify your preferred canonical URL.
It is, therefore, not recommended to use too many variations when you are linking from one page to another. One more key aspect to note is that search engines prefer the HTTPS over the HTTP URLs as well.
Use Location hash
Location hash also identified as a fragment URL refers to those URLs that have # attached at the end of it. The role of this location hash property is to return or set the anchor part of your URL.
When a search engine encounters a location hash in multiple URLs, it will treat them as a single URL. Thus, the jumped contents won’t be indexed separately resulting in a single canonical URL.
Final thoughts
Canonical URLs greatly enhances your SEO score by prioritising a single authentic URL to your web page. This, in turn, boosts your web page search engine result performance by a substantial degree.
All those, however, is possible only if you know how to implement and use canonical URLs effectively. Make sure you follow the right techniques to achieve the optimum result for your web page, or enlist the help of the expert Nantwich-based SEO agency.
How to Use Canonical URLs
Introduction
The entire digital platform might have simplified things beyond our wildest imagination. However, there are a thousand different intricate technical hurdles that can play spoiler to your online business growth.
Copycat URLs are one such aspect that complicates the process of identifying your genuine website and diminishes your SEO. Canonical URLs, in such cases, comes to your rescue – as explained by our talented team of Manchester SEO consultants:
So, what are Canonical URLs and how can you use them to boost your online business growth?
What are Canonical URLs?
A canonical URL is simply an HTML element represented by the link element rel= “canonical.” It usually lies on the <head> section of your website. Its basic function is to direct search engines to your main URL, aka canonical URL.
For instance –
www.xyz.com
xyz.com
https: //m.xyz.com
These are three different URLs leading to the same website. In such cases, it becomes difficult for search engines to identify the original URL. In such cases, the search engine automatically chooses a canonical URL, which might not be your original source.
So, to avoid such inconveniences, you choose a canonical URL for your web page. Thus, directing search engines to prioritise it over other duplicate URLs.
But, that is just the easiest aspect of a canonical URL.
The more crucial aspect is to understand how to implement it in the most efficient manner.
So, what are some of the best ways to Use Canonical URLs?
Here are some of the most efficient and proven ways to canonical multiple URLs.
Use the rel=“canonical” HTML tag
The simplest and also the most widespread technique of specifying a canonical URL is to use rel=“canonical” HTML tag.
So, for example, you assign “https: //xyz.com/abc/sample-page” as your canonical URL. You simply have to add that HTML tag to any other duplicate URLs in the following manner – <link rel= “canonical” href= “https: //xyz.com/abc/sample-page”>.
As simple as that!
Using the 301 Redirect
A 301 Redirect, as the name suggests is a protocol that instructs Google, or just any other search engines to redirect one URL to another permanently. By using this code, you are technically telling Google to redirect the customers to the genuine (Canonical) URL.
So, even if a customer requests a duplicate URL, the search engine will automatically redirect them to the original address. The 301 Redirect code can also integrate different URL links together and rank them according to their domain priority as well.
Internal Links
Internal links within your web page play a crucial role in enhancing the status of your canonical URL. The more consistent you are with your web page internal linking, the easier it is for search engines to identify your preferred canonical URL.
It is, therefore, not recommended to use too many variations when you are linking from one page to another. One more key aspect to note is that search engines prefer the HTTPS over the HTTP URLs as well.
Use Location hash
Location hash also identified as a fragment URL refers to those URLs that have # attached at the end of it. The role of this location hash property is to return or set the anchor part of your URL.
When a search engine encounters a location hash in multiple URLs, it will treat them as a single URL. Thus, the jumped contents won’t be indexed separately resulting in a single canonical URL.
Final thoughts
Canonical URLs greatly enhances your SEO score by prioritising a single authentic URL to your web page. This, in turn, boosts your web page search engine result performance by a substantial degree.
All those, however, is possible only if you know how to implement and use canonical URLs effectively. Make sure you follow the right techniques to achieve the optimum result for your web page, or enlist the help of the expert Nantwich-based SEO agency.
