Indexing · Guide
Canonical URLs: Avoid Duplicate Content Signals
Use rel=canonical to point search engines at the preferred URL. Sourcer reports whether a canonical is present in the HTML.
A canonical tag tells search engines which URL is the preferred version when near-duplicates exist (HTTP/HTTPS, parameters, trailing slashes). Sourcer reports whether rel="canonical" appears in the HTML.
Best practices
- Self-canonical most indexable pages
- Point variants at the one URL you want ranked
- Keep canonicals consistent with internal links and your sitemap
- Avoid chaining conflicting signals (noindex + canonical to another URL needs care)
After CMS changes, re-scan with Sourcer and inspect the raw head via view source.
