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Tools

Canonical Checker

SEO and marketing

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The page canonical, whether it resolves, and conflicts with noindex.

What the canonical tag does

It tells search engines which URL is primary when the same page is reachable at several. Without it Google picks one itself, and not always the one you want.

A page with parameters Filters, sorting and UTM tags create dozens of URLs with identical content. A canonical collapses them into one.
With and without a slash /page and /page/ are different to a search engine. If both return 200, a canonical must name one of them.
A product in several categories One product reachable by three paths. The canonical names the main one so the rest do not compete with it.
A print version A copy with different styling. A canonical to the main page keeps the duplicate out of the index.

Why a canonical fails

Several tags on one page Two different canonicals and Google ignores both. Common when both the theme and a plugin insert one.
It points at a redirect The canonical URL redirects onward. The signal chain breaks and the page ends up with no defined version.
It points at a 404 The page the canonical names was deleted. Google sees a dead reference and decides on its own.
Combined with noindex The page says “this is my main version” and “do not show me” at once. The signals contradict each other.
A relative URL href="/page/" instead of an absolute URL. Not universally supported, and it breaks silently after a domain move.
Every page to the homepage A frequent misconfiguration. Google stops indexing the inner pages entirely.

Canonical or something else

Different jobs need different tools, and confusing them is costly.

canonical Both pages stay accessible but only one belongs in search. Equity passes to the canonical.
301 The old URL is no longer needed. The visitor physically lands on the new one.
noindex The page serves people but not search: a cart, a thank-you page, utility sections.
robots.txt The crawler should not spend time there at all. It does not remove the URL from search, though.

FAQ

Canonical or a 301 redirect?
It depends on whether the second page must stay reachable. If yes, use canonical: both open while only one competes in search. If the old URL is no longer needed, use a 301 and send the visitor onward.
Should a page name itself as canonical?
Not required, but useful. It states plainly which URL is primary and shields the page from accidental parameter duplicates. Google recommends it for every page meant to appear in search.
Why is my canonical ignored?
The usual causes: several tags on one page, a URL that redirects or 404s, a relative address, or the tag sitting alongside noindex. It is a hint rather than a command, and Google decides for itself when signals conflict.
Can a canonical point to another domain?
Yes, and it is the standard approach for syndication: a partner page names your original as canonical. Do not overuse it though — pointing at another site without agreement effectively hands them your page.
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