Canonical Tag
An HTML element that tells search engines which version of a page is the authoritative one when duplicate or near-duplicate content exists across multiple URLs.
Also known as: rel=canonical, Canonical URL, Canonical link element
FAQ
Common Questions
An incorrectly placed canonical can hurt SEO significantly. If a canonical tag points to the wrong URL (for example, accidentally canonicalising all pages to the homepage), it can cause large-scale deindexing. Canonical tags should be audited regularly to ensure they point to the correct URLs.
Google has stated that canonical tags consolidate signals, including links, to the canonical URL. In practice, they function similarly to a soft redirect for link equity purposes, passing most but not necessarily all value.
Yes. Minineo's website audit checks for missing canonicals, self-referencing canonical conflicts, and canonical tags that point to non-indexable or redirected URLs. These issues are common and often overlooked.
Glossary