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HomeGlossaryCanonical URL (rel="canonical")
SEO

Canonical URL (rel="canonical")

An HTML tag that tells search engines the main version of a web page if there are duplicates.

Detailed Explanation

A canonical URL is an HTML element (`<link rel="canonical" href="..." />`) placed in the `<head>` section of a webpage. It tells search engines which specific URL represents the authoritative, original version of a page when multiple URLs contain identical or substantially similar content (such as HTTP vs HTTPS, www vs non-www, or tracking parameter variations). You can test this using the Canonical URL Checker.

Key Technical Takeaways

  • Prevents duplicate content penalties and consolidates link equity across URL variations.
  • Should be self-referencing on original authoritative pages.
  • Must use absolute URLs rather than relative paths.
  • Directs search engines to index and rank the preferred canonical version in SERPs.
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