GLOSSARY TERM
What is Canonical Tag?
Definition
An HTML link element (<link rel="canonical" href="...">) that tells search engines which URL is the preferred version when duplicate or near-duplicate pages exist.
Why it Matters for AI Search
Canonical tags consolidate ranking signals to one URL when multiple URLs serve the same content (HTTPS/HTTP, www/non-www, parameter variants, syndicated copies). A self-referential canonical on every page is good practice and prevents accidental signal splits.
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