An HTML hint that tells search engines which URL is the master version of a page.
A canonical tag (rel="canonical") is a link element in the head of a page that names the preferred URL when the same or very similar content is reachable at multiple addresses. It consolidates ranking signals onto one URL instead of splitting them across duplicates.
It is a hint, not a directive. Google treats the canonical you specify as a strong signal but may choose a different canonical if other signals (internal links, sitemaps, redirects) point elsewhere.
Common duplicate scenarios include tracking parameters, HTTP vs HTTPS, www vs non-www, trailing slashes, and print or paginated versions. Point each variant at the clean canonical URL so link equity accrues to a single page.
Canonicalising every page to the homepage, using relative URLs, or setting a canonical that is itself noindexed or blocked. A page should almost always be self-referential unless it is a genuine duplicate.
Common questions
Straight answers on how this fits your marketing and build.
No. It is a strong hint, not a command. Google weighs it against internal linking, redirects and sitemap signals, so keep all of those consistent or Google may override your choice.
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