Canonical Tag Generator
Copy and paste this tag into the <head> section of the duplicate page(s):
What is a Canonical Tag?
A canonical tag (rel="canonical") is a snippet of HTML code that tells search engines which version of a URL is the main, or "canonical," version. It is a powerful tool used to solve duplicate content issues. If you have multiple pages with identical or very similar content, this tag tells Google which one to index and rank in search results.
How to Use This Generator
- Enter the Preferred URL: In the input box, paste the full URL of the page you want Google to treat as the "master" copy.
- Click Generate: The tool will create the complete HTML tag.
-
Copy and Paste: Copy the generated tag and place it in the
<head>section of all the duplicate or similar pages. This tells Google to consolidate their ranking signals to your preferred URL.
When Should You Use a Canonical Tag?
Canonicalization is essential for good technical SEO. Here are common scenarios where you must use a canonical tag:
-
HTTP vs. HTTPS: If your site is accessible at both
http://andhttps://, you should choose the HTTPS version as canonical. -
WWW vs. non-WWW: Similarly, you need to tell Google whether
www.example.comorexample.comis the official version. -
URL Parameters: E-commerce sites often use parameters for sorting or filtering (e.g.,
?sort=price). These create duplicate URLs. The canonical tag should point back to the clean, main category page. - Syndicated Content: If you republish your article on another website (like Medium), the other site should use a canonical tag pointing back to your original article to give you the SEO credit.
Canonical Tag vs. 301 Redirect
Both solve duplicate content, but they have different uses.
- A Canonical Tag is a hint for search engines. The duplicate URL is still accessible to users.
- A 301 Redirect physically sends both users and search engines from the old URL to the new one. The old URL is no longer accessible.
If you need to permanently move a page, a redirect is the better choice. You can create the code for this with our 301 Redirect Generator.
FAQ
Can Google ignore my canonical tag?
Yes. Google sees a canonical tag as a strong hint, not a directive. If the content on the pages is too different, Google may choose to ignore it.
For more free technical SEO tools, visit Smarter Insights.
No comments:
Post a Comment