what is canonical url?

[connectinfosoft]

A canonical URL is the preferred version of a web page that you want search engines to index when there are multiple pages with similar or duplicate content. By using a canonical tag (<link rel="canonical" href="URL">) in the HTML of a page, you inform search engines about the source of the content. This helps consolidate ranking signals, avoid duplicate content issues, and improve SEO by ensuring that the correct page appears in search results.

[Astrokarthikji]

Canonical URLs are preferred versions of web pages containing similar content. In this way, search engines are able to determine which pages to index and rank, preventing duplicate content issues. Canonical tags allow webmasters to ensure the correct page is recognized for SEO purposes.

[Finacustech]

A canonical URL represents the preferred version of a web page when more than one page has similar content. Search engines use this information to determine which version of a page to index, thereby preventing duplicate content problems. SEO is improved by the use of a canonical tag, which consolidates link signals and improves search engine ranking. This leads to better website traffic and ensures search engines don't penalize duplicate content.