A Comprehensive Guide to Applying Canonical Tags in Web Design
A Comprehensive Guide to Applying Canonical Tags in Web Design
15 Dec 2023
Basics of Canonical Tags
The canonical tag in HTML is likely familiar to many. We can use this HTML tag to tell search engines that the canonical or “main” URL for a page is a certain one, avoiding issues with duplicate content. To implement properly, simply add the following code in the section of the web page:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.domain.com">The href attribute points to the location of the primary version of the page.
Benefits of Using Canonical Tags:
1.Concentrates authority, avoids diluting traffic
For example, merging parameters from multiple product pages into one primary product page, or redirecting www and non-www versions to the same domain. This combines authority and prevents fragmenting traffic. The same concept applies to short links redirecting to main URLs.
2.Unifies mobile and desktop
Sometimes mobile sites have lower authority than desktop. Canonical tags can consolidate both versions onto one authoritative page.
3.Improves search engine assessment accuracy
Informing engines of the canonical URL aims to help them better judge the primary location of main site content, aiding SEO rankings. Though simple, proper implementation provides significant SEO assistance!
Canonical Concepts in CSS
While there are no canonical tags in CSS, optimization at various levels can still enhance SEO through CSS code:
Rational content styling: Use proper heading tags for content sections instead of DIVs/SPANs uniformly. Apply semantic class/ID names. Helps search engines correctly understand and label key data.
Mobile optimization: Catering the experience across devices, providing a seamless user flow improves engagement. Mixing long and short sentences also boosts appeal and readability. Media queries enable responsive designs. Controlling horizontal scrolls and sizing for screens are also key.
Performance and standards compliance: Minifying CSS/JS, deferred non-critical resource loading improves speed. Caching also accelerates. Closely meeting accessibility standards also benefits SEO through easier crawling.
Though not canonical tags themselves, these optimization steps significantly improve SEO.
In summary:
- Logical Content Styling
- Use proper heading tags
- Avoid DIV/SPAN only
- Semantic class/ID names
- Assists parsing of key data
- Mobile Optimization
- Media queries for responsiveness
- Avoid horizontal scrolls
- Size for varying screens
- Boosts mobile SEO
- Page Loading Performance
- Minify CSS/JS
- Async non-critical resources
- Leverage caching
- Faster speeds improve ranks
- Accessibility Standards Compliance
- Color contrast and font sizes
- Semantic HTML tags
- WAI-ARIA attributes
- Improves crawlability and SEO
Though CSS does not directly relate to canonicals, best practices positively impact SEO.
Reasons for Using Canonical URLs
As the saying goes: “Practice makes perfect”. But for site optimization, duplicate content is taboo, risking search engine penalties! To avoid trouble, canonical URLs are a must.
For example, a product page with:
Having multiple versions risks dividing authority and gets flagged as auto-generated content. If a product page has several parameter-based URLs, the canonical tag can consolidate power onto one URL.
For sites with multiple domain names, canonicals can also funnel authority to the main site. Content duplication like separate mobile and app versions can likewise be addressed.
Done properly, main page traffic and ranks stand to benefit. Failing to do so risks suboptimal results at best, indicating opportunities to better integrate site architecture.
While technical details like tags matter for optimization, taking a big picture view is key – evaluating page versions, designating core content, then standardizing. This gives sustainable SEO success.
Basic Canonical Implementation and Examples:
1.Directly in HTML Page Add link tag within <head>:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.domain.com/blog" />2.Dynamically Generated via JS
Insert tag through JS:
var canonical = document.createElement('link');
canonical.rel = 'canonical';
canonical.href = 'https://www.domain.com/blog';
document.head.appendChild(canonical);Suits JS rendered pages.
3.Generated in PHP Backend
Echo tag in PHP template:
<?php echo '<link rel="canonical" href="'. $canonicalURL .'">'; ?>Set via PHP variable.
4.Written to Response in ASP.NET C#
Response.Write("<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https://www.domain.com/blog\">");Works for ASP.NET sites.
5.Set in Java Servlet Response Header
response.setHeader("Link", "<https://www.domain.com/blog>; rel=canonical")
Uses Link header.
6.Nginx Rewrite Rule with Response Header
rewrite ^ /page? break;
header append Link "<https://www.domain.com/blog>; rel=canonical";
7.Apache .htaccess Response Header
Header append Link "<https://www.domain.com/blog>; rel=canonical"8.Flask Python Framework Backend
@app.route('/page')
def page():
response = make_response(render_template('page.html'))
response.headers['Link'] = '<https://www.domain.com/blog>; rel=canonical'
return responseAbove covers main methods for implementing canonical tags based on different backend languages.
Checking Canonical Tag Implementation
Checking Canonical Tag Implementation
After setting up canonical tags, validation methods include:
1.Browser Plugin Checks
Common plugins are SEOquake, MozBar. Install, then visit page to directly see if canonical tags are implemented, with configured target URLs.
SEOquake: Visit page, bottom left corner shows: Canonical URL: https://www.youfind.hk/blog
Confirms standardized to main product page without parameters.
MozBar: Page visit also shows Purple Box on right. Opening reveals configured Canonical URL target.
Screaming Frog: Input sample page URL in Software, click Crawl Website. Ultimately outputs detailed canonical info list reports.
Ahrefs: In URL Explorer, input sample page and click inspect. Returns result shows Canonical URL column with target address.
Easy-to-use plugins and tools visually indicating canonical tag implementation status.
2.Online Tools
Like Google Search Console URL Inspection to check pages for canonical tags. Screaming Frog also inspects specified pages.
Recommended online tools:
Google Search Console URL Inspection:
Visit console, choose URL Inspection
Input page like https://www.domain.com/blog
Results show canonical tag information and target page
Screaming Frog SEO Spider:
Input site URL and click Crawl Website
Ultimately view Canonical column for each page
Ahrefs Site Audit:
In URL Explorer input page
Click Inspect URL
Canonical URL clearly displayed
Compare with configured target
Free or trial tools above quickly validate canonical setup.
3.Examining Page Source Code
Steps:
Open page needing inspection
Hit F12 to open Developer Tools and view Element panel
Check source code for:
Confirm href contains intended primary page URL
Alternatively, browsers can directly view source by prefixing page with view-source:. Presence of above tag and attributes indicates properly implemented canonical tags, with href showing declared authoritative page.
Common Canonical Tag Issues and Answers:
Q: Can canonicals be cross-domain?
A: Generally not recommended, mainly meant for internal duplicates. Some special cases may work like content site articles canonicaling to ecommerce product pages.
Q: How do search engines treat pages with canonicals? Impact on rankings?
A: Engines take canonical page as primary, others as copies. Long term this concentrates authority to benefit main page ranks.
Q: How to handle HTTP and HTTPS?
A: HTTP should canonical to HTTPS version. Necessary step.
Q: Any recommendations for AMP only?
A: Canonicals from AMP to corresponding desktop pages advised since AMP lacks full metadata.
Q: Feasible to auto-generate site-wide? Tradeoffs?
A: Possible but risky without evaluating necessity. Helps eliminate duplicates but prone to issues.
Q: What is the purpose of canonical tag in HTML title? Any considerations?
A: Informs search engine on standard URL when seeing identical titles. Cannot replace main link canonical, just supplemental.
Q: What factors matter for long content split across multiple pages?
A: Logic of splits, relationship between start/end and intermediate content pages, links to full content versions also necessary.
Q: What is the relation and difference between rel=“alternate” and canonical?
A: Alternate points to substitute versions, canonical tags point to main authority version. Complementary without conflict.
Q: Can mobile app web pages have canonical link? Limitations?
A: Universal Links can insert canonical metadata, but external link support in apps varies. Needs evaluation.
Q: Any recommended ways for applying canonicals in CMS sites?
A: Many CMS platforms like WordPress have canonical plugins. Also customizable by modifying templates.