One of the best ways to get Google to select top content faster is the canonical tag. This feature helps Google to identify any similar content quickly. When placed on the page, Google pays more attention to the address entered. No doubt it indexes that page in Google search results.
It is very convenient to use the canonical tag to show the preference of each address. URLs in this tag are removed from the search results, and only one page with the desired category is seen. Many people may wonder why the canonical tag is necessary. This tag is very important to prevent duplicate content.
Copy and duplicate content is one of the problems that many websites face. If the number of copy pages on a website is high, there is a possibility of a problem with the website’s SEO. You can remove negative effects from your websites without having a canonical tag. Today, modern content management systems are used for a variety of websites.
Important points about using canonical tag
If you plan to use it, keep some things in mind. Some of the essential points about canonical tags are:
1. This tag is self-referenced
You should be well aware that the canonical tag is self-referencing. This tag is used on the page that is most preferred to you. Today, various URLs are used in duplicate content. If one of the addresses is introduced as the main page, it is better to use the canonical tag on this page. This tag is best used in any URLs of various web pages.
2. Use canonical tags on the website
It is better to use it on the main page of your website. Duplicate content on main pages is known as a problem. In this case, Internet users may encounter various URLs on the website’s main page.
Therefore, it is better to use this tag to avoid duplicate content and problems that are not anticipated. Rank downgrading is one of the most important problems if websites do not use the canonical tag.
2. Avoid sending useless signals
Do not send mixed and ambiguous signals under any circumstances. Search engines may not consider the canonical tag, which contains a vague signal. Simply put, you should avoid using this tag on various pages in a mixed and vague way. You should seriously avoid using the canonical tag on the first page to point to the second page and redirect the second page to the first page.
It is possible to send a vague signal to the search engines in either case. They do not consider the canonical tag because they do not recognize the home screen. In addition to the above, do not use the Internet as a chain. In general, try to prevent a possible error of any search engine by sending a simple signal.
3. Do not use the duplicate and similar content in the canonical tag
Use the canonical tag for pages that have relatively similar content. Many of you are probably familiar with the use of canonical tags. The use of this tag is not limited to pages that have the same content. Using this tag for pages with similar content in different categories is best.
Even though these pages are very similar in product type, their layout and spatial descriptions differ. Note that non-focal versions may not be indexed in search results. Conversely, if the difference between the pages is large, the search engine will probably not consider it.
4. Use tags in external links
Using the canonical tag, you can link to external pages. You can manage multiple websites at the same time and publish duplicate content. In this case, you can use the canonical tag to control all websites. Also, focus their ranking power on each of the websites.
Keep in mind. However, that centralization prevents any websites from being ranked that are illegal. Before using this tag, you should ensure that its efficiency is useful for your business. Search engines and canonical tags will ignore pages that are very different from each other.
Use canonical tags on social networks.
Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks are compatible with the canonical tag. If you share an address via Facebook using a URL, Facebook will share all the information and details about the focal point. Twitter uses the canonical tag in the same way.
If you use the Just plugin in your WordPress content management system, you will easily be able to use the canonical tag tool for a variety of pages. In this case, you need to go to the management section of the Just plugin and enter the page address in the section. Since you can use the canonical tag to use external links, you can get good use for it.
This functional tag is similar to a redirect. Put, when you decide to change your website’s domain, the website may not allow you to redirect. By placing the canonical tag on the pages, you can well show the domain transfer process to the search engine crawlers.
Conclusion
Canonical tags are a powerful tool for optimizing your website. But like many other powerful tools, you have to use it consciously. Otherwise, you will not get the power you need from the Internet. Using canonical tags in various sections of websites is not a difficult task.
So anyone can easily use it. Applying this trick is important in many large websites. This tag has a great impact on website SEO. We have fully explained how the canonical tag works, along with its advantages and disadvantages. In this case, you will have enough information about this SEO tool.