Canonicalisation is a Technical SEO process used to indicate the preferred version of a webpage when duplicate or similar content exists across multiple URLs. It helps search engines avoid indexing duplicate content, which can dilute SEO value.

For example, if your website has multiple versions of the same page:

  • https://www.example.com/product
  • https://example.com/product
  • https://www.example.com/product?ref=123

Search engines may treat these as separate pages, leading to ranking issues. By implementing a canonical tag (rel="canonical"), you tell search engines which version to index.

Canonicalisation is essential for:

  • E-commerce sites with filtered product pages.
  • Blogs with tag or category duplicates.
  • Sites using HTTP and HTTPS versions.

For Essex businesses, properly setting canonical URLs prevents ranking dilution and ensures search engines focus on the right pages. Failing to do so can lead to lower visibility and poor SEO performance.