Glossary / Canonical URL
What is Canonical URL?
A canonical URL tells search engines which version of a page is the official one, so duplicate or near-duplicate pages do not compete with each other.
The same content often lives at several addresses. Your homepage might load with and without 'www', or a product page might exist in three category paths. Search engines see each address as a separate page.
A canonical tag is a line of code that says 'this address is the real one'. Search engines then combine the credit for all versions into that single page instead of splitting it.
Most website platforms, including WordPress and Wix, set canonicals automatically. Check them when you A/B test pages, run campaigns with tracking links, or syndicate content to other sites.
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