A canonical tag tells search engines which version of a page is the primary one. It is used when similar or duplicate content exists across multiple URLs, helping Google avoid indexing the wrong version or splitting signals between duplicates.
By adding a canonical tag, you are directing search engines to consolidate ranking signals like backlinks and relevance into a single preferred URL. This keeps your site cleaner, prevents duplication issues and strengthens overall SEO performance.
Canonical tags are especially important for ecommerce filters, URL parameters, blog categories, printer-friendly versions and any situation where several pages share near-identical content. Without clear guidance, search engines may decide for you, which is not always the outcome you would want.
Setting the canonical URL correctly ensures that users and search engines understand which page matters most.
Example: If two pages contain similar content, such as example.com/shoes and example.com/shoes?colour=blue, the canonical tag should point to the main URL to prevent duplication (i.e. example.com/shoes).
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