What is a canonical?

A canonical is a term used to tell search engines which version of a page is the original or preferred version.
This tag is used to prevent Google from seeing duplicate content as separate pages.

The canonical tag is placed in the HTML of a page and looks like this:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.jouwwebsite.nl/originele-pagina/" />

This tag indicates that this URL is the primary version that Google is allowed to index.

Why is a canonical important?

Duplicate content is more common than many people think.
It can be caused by different URL structures, filters in web shops, or pages with similar content.
Without canonical, Google doesn't know which page to show in search results.

By setting a canonical:

• Do you prevent Google from punishing duplicate content
• Make sure the right page builds SEO value
• Send your authority to the URL you want

So a canonical not only helps to clean up technical SEO problems, but also strengthens the clarity of your website for search engines.

When do you use a canonical?

A canonical tag is useful in many situations, for example:

• With duplicate or similar content on multiple URLs
• For web shops with filters or parameters in the URL
• For multilingual websites where pages are very similar
• For content that appears on multiple domains or subdomains

By adding a canonical, you indicate which version Google should consider leading.
This prevents pages from competing with each other in search results.

Canonical and SEO

A correct canonical tag contributes to a healthy SEO structure.
It consolidates link value, prevents Google from indexing the wrong page, and helps distribute authority better.

Although the canonical tag itself is not a ranking factor, it does protect the accumulated value of your most important URLs.
Without canonical, you run the risk of Google indexing wrong or duplicate pages, leading to lower visibility and reduced traffic.

Rank Rocket tip

Regularly check that the canonical tags on your website are set correctly.
A common mistake is that multiple pages point to themselves or that canonicals are missing on dynamic URLs.
Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to easily monitor this.

Do you have a WordPress website?
Then you can automatically add canonical tags to each page via SEO plugins such as Yoast or Rank Math.

My advice

Always add a canonical tag when there is a risk of duplicate content.
Make sure the tag refers to the version you want indexed and check it periodically.

A well-designed canonical structure prevents internal competition between pages and keeps your SEO signals clean.
It is a minor technical intervention with a major effect on the findability of your site.