Canonical tags are an important part of optimizing websites for search engine rankings. They help to prevent duplicate content issues and ensure that only one version of a page is indexed by search engines. In this article, we’ll cover what canonical tags are, why they’re essential, and how you can use them to optimize your website.
What is Canonical Tag?
A canonical tag (or “rel=canonical”) is an HTML element that tells search engines which version of a web page should be used when indexing it. It’s placed in the <head> section of the webpage and looks like this: `<link rel=”canonical” href=”https://example.com/page-url” />.`
The canonical tag helps search engines understand which version of the same page is the original and should be used for indexing. It can also help to avoid duplicate content issues if you have multiple versions of a web page (e.g., with different URLs). By setting a canonical tag, you’re telling search engines that one version should be considered primary while other versions should not be indexed.
Why Are Canonical Tags Important?
Canonical tags are important because they help ensure that only one version of a page is indexed by search engines. This prevents duplicate content issues, which can adversely affect your SEO rankings. It allows you to maintain control over what version of your website is seen by search engines and users.
Also, canonical tags are a signal to search engines that you have put thought into the structure of your website. This can help improve your SEO rankings as it shows that you have an organized website with well-structured content. So if you want to implement these and other SEO best practices, consider hiring professional SEO services in Atlanta to help you add SEO elements and optimize the structure of your website. They will also help you with other SEO tactics such as content optimization, link building, and keyword research too.
How to Use Canonical Tags?
Using canonical tags is a simple process. First, identify which version of a page should be considered the primary one (this could be the most up-to-date version or the one with the best URL structure). Then, add a canonical tag pointing to this page in the <head> section of each version of the web page you want to be indexed: `<link rel=”canonical” href=”https://example.com/page-url” />`
It’s important to note that you shouldn’t canonicalize pages if they have different content. Search engines may interpret this as an attempt to spam them, which could result in penalties. Instead, use 301 redirects to point search engines and visitors to the version of the page you want to be indexed. Apart from this, you may also check on the must-use Google chrome extensions for SEO for the optimization of your website. By doing this, you will be able to maximize the potential of your website for search engine rankings and better user experience.
To Sum Up
Canonical tags are an essential part of optimizing your website for search engine rankings. They help prevent duplicate content issues and ensure that only one version of a page is indexed by search engines. By understanding how to properly use canonical in SEO, you can effectively optimize your website and achieve better SEO results.