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Indexability

Invalid canonical URL

A canonical tag names the preferred version of a page. When it points somewhere invalid, you hand indexing control to chance.

What it is

This check flags canonicals that target a non-200 URL, a redirect, or a different domain.

Why it matters for SEO

Search engines may ignore a broken canonical and pick a URL themselves, or consolidate signals onto the wrong page, costing rankings.

Example

<!-- on https://example.com/page -->
<link rel='canonical' href='https://other-site.com/'>

How to fix

  1. Point the canonical to the page's own indexable 200 URL (often itself).
  2. Use absolute HTTPS URLs; never canonicalise to a redirect.
  3. Make canonical and internal links agree on the same URL.
  4. Re-crawl to confirm each page self-canonicalises.

Related checks

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