Canonical Links
Canonical links help AddSearch identify the preferred version of a page when multiple variations exist, preventing duplicate content issues.
What are canonical links?
A canonical link is an HTML element on your webpage that specifies the main version (canonical URL) of content that might be accessible through different URLs.
Example:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/preferred-page-url" />
Why use canonical links?
Proper use of canonical links informs AddSearch’s crawler which page version to index, avoiding duplication and improving search result relevance.
Common issues with canonical links in indexing
- If every product page uses a canonical link pointing to a single main product page, AddSearch’s crawler treats these pages as duplicates and excludes them from indexing.
- Incorrect canonical link configurations can cause valuable pages to be ignored.
How to resolve duplicate content issues caused by canonical links
- Check your canonical link tags on pages flagged as duplicates.
- Ensure that each canonical link points to the actual URL of the page it appears on, or to the correct preferred version.
- Adjust the canonical tags so the crawler correctly understands the page’s identity.
When you cannot change canonical links but indexing is affected
If your site’s structure requires specific canonical links that interfere with AddSearch’s indexing:
- Contact AddSearch support to request disabling canonical link recognition for your index.
- This measure prevents the crawler from using canonical tags in its processing.
Summary
Maintaining proper canonical links ensures that AddSearch indexes the intended pages without duplication. When canonical links conflict with indexing needs, modify them or get support assistance.