Understanding Canonical URLs: The Definitive Guide

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Marketing On-Page 13 Feb 2022 admin

In the world of digital marketing, there are some things that can confuse even the most seasoned business owner. Such is why it’s such a good idea to hire skilled marketing agencies to do most of the legwork. That said, you won’t get much done if you rely only on marketing companies to help spread the word for your business.

In most cases, search engine optimization (SEO) requires plenty of work from both the marketing agency and its client to get the best results. It involves understanding SEO from both sides to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

One of the most common examples would be the use of canonical URLs. While it’s understandable to be a little confused about the term, canonical URLs are a crucial part of the marketing process, ensuring that your company’s links online are fully organized.

What exactly is a canonical URL?

When it comes to marketing your website online, there will likely be many different addresses that link to the same page. A search engine algorithm is typically quite good at figuring out which is which, but when there are too many different URLs pointing to the same thing, it can lead to duplicate content — something that can negatively affect your digital marketing strategy.

The canonical URL is something that tells the search engine algorithm that a certain number of URLs all lead to the same place. Effectively, it allows business owners to choose which URLs to use without necessarily being flagged by Google for having multiples of the same content.

A picky search engine algorithm

Considering how many queries Google has to deal with daily, it’s no wonder why the algorithm is so strict when it comes to duplicate content. Duplicates often make their job harder, and as a result, you won’t get as much web traffic when you have plenty of duplicates online. As a result, the search engine is forced to crawl through multiples of the same thing instead of effectively ranking your business in the right way. Inefficient web crawling is typically the reason why some companies end up falling short of expectations.

Why is a canonical URL so crucial?

It might not seem like much, but how the search engine algorithm sees your business is a matter of success and failure in the industry. So if you want to make your mark, it’s crucial to take the time and understand just how canonical URLs can be implemented. Coincidentally, Google states that the algorithm having to crawl through multiples of the same URL might not necessarily be a big deal — but the results show otherwise.

Similar to how you wouldn’t want Google to send up dead links when ranking your web pages, you also wouldn’t want them to crawl through too many of the same URLs without offering meaningful results.

Looking between desktop and mobile versions

Another reason why canonical URLs are so important is that they can make the distinction between mobile and desktop versions easier for the search engine to handle. Consider that misuse of URLs could result in mobile users accidentally going through the desktop version and the other way around. If you want to market your business the right way, it’s crucial to keep things as organized as possible.

Conclusion

Canonical URLs might feel like a tiny piece of the puzzle, but it’s something that can help companies market their primary website much easier in the long run. Take the time to learn all about how SEO works, and you’ll end up with a marketing strategy that gets the job done.