Canonical URL
A tag declaring which version of similar pages is the 'real' one, so search engines don't split credit between duplicates (www vs. non-www, tracking parameters, print views).
Free · no signup · last reviewed August 29, 2026
The definition
A tag declaring which version of similar pages is the 'real' one, so search engines don't split credit between duplicates (www vs. non-www, tracking parameters, print views).
Why it matters to an owner
Mostly your CMS's job — but if a page mysteriously won't rank, a canonical pointing somewhere unexpected is a classic silent culprit.
Keep going
This is the work. Want it done?
Everything here is free to use yourself — that’s the point. If you’d rather a senior marketer just handle it, in your accounts and your name: 20-minute call, no pitch deck.