A page can sometimes be accessed through multiple URLs. Search engines may treat these URLs as separate pages, which can lead to duplicate content and affect your search rankings.
A canonical URL tells search engines which version of a page is the preferred one to index.
Setting a canonical URL
- In the editor, go to Pages and open the Page Manager.
- Click the three-dot menu next to the page you want to edit and select Settings.
- Open the SEO tab and scroll down to the Canonical URL section.
You have two options:
- Same as page URL – Uses the page's published URL as the canonical URL. This is the recommended option for most pages.
- Custom canonical URL – Clear the Same as page URL checkbox and enter the preferred URL manually.
Click Submit and publish your website to apply the changes.
When should you use a custom canonical URL?
A custom canonical URL is useful when the same content is available through multiple URLs and you want search engines to treat one of them as the primary version.
For example, if two pages contain nearly identical content, you can set the canonical URL of one page to point to the other. This helps search engines understand which page should appear in search results.
Notes
- If you leave the Canonical URL field empty and Same as page URL is not selected, no canonical URL will be added to the page.
- Canonical URLs only take effect after you publish your website.