Canonicalization
Canonicalization consolidates ranking signals from multiple similar URLs to a preferred canonical URL using canonicals, redirects and link consistency.
Definition
Canonicalization is the practice of consolidating multiple URL variants of the same content into a preferred canonical URL. It uses self-canonicals, redirects, and consistent internal linking to reduce duplication and stabilize indexing.
Why it matters
- Prevents duplication from parameters, sorting, and language variants
- Consolidates link equity to the preferred URL
- Reduces indexing confusion and ranking volatility
How to implement
- Add self-referential canonicals to indexable pages
- Don’t canonicalize different languages to one URL (use hreflang)
- Use permanent redirects for obvious duplicate variants
Related
FAQ
Common questions about this term.