Being found

Canonical tag

Telling Google which copy of a page is the real one.

UPDATED 3 SEPTEMBER 2026

What is Canonical tag?

A canonical tag is a line in a page’s code that names the one true address for that page. It stops Google treating www and non-www, with and without a trailing slash, or a page reachable two ways, as separate competing pages that split each other’s standing.

What it means for a small service business

Most owners never see this and never need to. It matters because a page that exists at four addresses ranks worse than one that exists at one. It is part of building a website properly and it is one of the things a health check looks for.

Does your business need to do anything about Canonical tag?

Not personally. Whoever builds the website should set it on every page and get it right.

See also

Act on it

The tools and guides that deal with Canonical tag on this website, then the free review if you want it looked at properly.

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