Overview
Canonical URLs are crucial for SEO, resolving duplicate content issues. By specifying the preferred version of a webpage, search engines prioritize it, boosting visibility in search results. SiteSEO plugin handles canonical tags automatically but allows easy customization if needed. Canonical URLs streamline SEO efforts and ensure your content ranks higher in search engines.
What is a Canonical URL?
A canonical URL is a way to tell search engines the preferred version of a webpage when there are multiple identical or similar versions available. It helps prevent duplicate content issues and ensures the right version gets indexed and displayed in search results.
Example:
Suppose your website offers content in multiple languages, and you have a blog post available in both English and French with the following URLs:
Suppose your website offers content in multiple languages, and you have a blog post available in both English and French with the following URLs:
- English: example.com/blog/post-123
- French: example.com/fr/blog/post-123
To specify the preferred version, you would use a canonical URL tag in the English version like this:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example.com/blog/post-123" />This indicates that the English version is the preferred one to be indexed and displayed in search results.
Create a custom canonical URL
SiteSEO automatically manages canonical tags, so you need not worry about it. However, if you are using the SiteSEO plugin and wish to customize the canonical URL, follow these simple steps: