Canonicalization, in the context of the internet, refers to the process of specifying the single, authoritative (canonical) version of a webpage when multiple versions or duplicate content exist. It helps search engines identify the primary URL to index and display in search results, avoiding issues related to duplicate content.
Some key points about canonicalization:
- It is used when a webpage can be accessed through multiple URLs or when similar content appears on different pages
- The canonical URL is the preferred version of the page that search engines should index and rank
- Canonicalization is typically implemented using the rel=”canonical” HTML tag, HTTP headers, or sitemaps
- Proper canonicalization helps consolidate link equity, improve crawl efficiency, and provide a better user experience
- It is essential for SEO, as it prevents search engines from treating duplicate content as separate pages, which can lead to lower rankings and diluted link authority.