Why canonicals matter
A canonical URL tells search engines which version of a page is the preferred one. This matters when pages can be reached with tracking parameters, mixed casing, trailing slashes, or older route aliases.
What to check
- The canonical points to the final public URL.
- The canonical page returns a successful response.
- HTTP and HTTPS versions are not mixed accidentally.
- Old aliases redirect to the preferred page.
- The sitemap lists the same preferred URL.
Common mistakes
A canonical pointing to a broken, redirected, or unrelated page can confuse indexing. Also avoid using the homepage as the canonical for many different tool pages.
FAQ
Can canonical tags replace redirects?
No. Use redirects when a URL has moved. Use canonicals for preferred indexing signals.
Should tool pages have unique canonicals?
Yes. Each useful tool page should normally point to itself as the canonical URL.