GLOSSARY TERM
What is Canonical URL?
Definition
An HTML element (rel="canonical") that tells search engines which version of a URL is the "master" copy when duplicate or similar content exists across multiple URLs.
Why it Matters for AI Search
Without proper canonical tags, search engines may split ranking signals across duplicate pages or index the wrong version of your content. This dilutes your SEO authority and can cause significant ranking drops for your most important pages.
Related Terms
Canonical TagKeyword CannibalizationDuplicate ContentSERP CannibalizationHreflang TagsDomain Authority (DA)
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