Okay, so we all know that duplicate content is bad for your search engine optimization (SEO), right?
If you didn't know that already, Google has no-doubt been boxing your website like a heavy bag in search rankings, so please do an immediate site analysis.
Having multiple pages with similar content can hurt your SEO, but sometimes, you need to have multiple pages that have similar content. So, what can you do to avoid getting dinged by Google or other search engines and hurting your ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs)?
It's time to learn about canonical tags for URLs. Unlock the power of this advanced SEO practice in HubSpot to enhance your site’s visibility and avoid some common pitfalls of abusing them.
A canonical tag is a piece of code in your website page's <head> section that is used to tell search engine crawlers which pages are original content and which ones are duplicates of the original page. This is useful for maintaining the authority and SERP ranking of the original page and avoiding penalties for having a duplicate page elsewhere on the site.
The code of a canonical tag looks something like this:
<link rel="canonical" href="https.sampleurl.com" />
This nifty piece of HTML code tells search engines which version of a webpage is the 'master' or 'canonical' page, directing their attention to the original content so they aren't confused by duplicate pages.
Why all the fuss? Without canonical tags, search engines might get confused by similar or duplicate pages, diluting your SEO efforts and scattering your hard-earned search engine ranking. Instead of wading through swaths of identical content, canonical tags help search engine crawlers find and rank your unique content.
By setting a canonical tag, you consolidate your SEO clout. This helps ensure your site's visibility isn't compromised by doppelgänger content.
You might be wondering "What if I don't have any duplicate pages on my website? Do I still need to use canonical tags?" The short answer is "yes." The thing is, as Moz explains it, "we, as humans, tend to think of a page as a concept... For search engines, though, every unique URL is a separate page."
So, let's say you have a homepage of www.exampleurl.com. But, you have other URLs that lead to the homepage like:
To you or me, all of these URLs are effectively the same page, because we'd be taken to the same destination and see the same content. To a search engine crawler bot, however, these are all different pages that have identical content.
So, what are the benefits of using canonical tags?
When you mark a page as the canonical version of that page, you're telling search engines which page should take the lead. This prevents self-competition and ensures that link equity (the value passed through hyperlinks) is funneled to the designated page, fortifying its SEO standing.
Properly used, canonical tags can help your pages rank higher on search engine results pages. They ensure search engine users can easily find relevant and valuable content on your site. This helps maximize your site's visibility and reach.
Fear not, intrepid HubSpot user, for adding a canonical tag doesn't require an advanced coding degree. As a matter of fact, on HubSpot, when you create a new blog post or web page, the default settings set the URL for that new page or blog post as canonical without you having to do a thing!
Of course, you can manually change this setting if you need to or add canonical tags to individual posts and pages if you so desire.
Need to modify a canonical tag for a particular post or page? Need to remove or add a tag? Here's how you can do it:
Remember, each page should point to the most authoritative version. HubSpot makes it a breeze, so even if you're more poet than programmer, you can still master the art of canonicalization.
To wield the power of canonical tags like a seasoned SEO expert, there are a few best practices to keep in mind.
While canonical tags can be your SEO superheroes, they can also be your kryptonite if misused. Some common pitfalls or canonical tag mistakes that you might encounter include:
Use them wisely, and remember that the best SEO strategy combines technical savvy with a dash of creativity and a whole lot of common sense.
Reach out to the experts at Bluleadz to schedule a website design, migration, or optimization discussion. We have years of experience in helping organizations of all sizes and industries optimize their HubSpot websites to rank higher in SERPs to drive traffic, leads, and revenue.