TagScan
Fetch and display the canonical tag for a given URL. Quickly check canonical tag implementation and identify potential SEO issues.
Quick Scanning
Instantly check if a page has a canonical tag and what URL it points to, saving time on manual inspection.
SEO Audit
Identify canonical tag issues quickly, helping you fix duplicate content problems and improve SEO performance.
Technical SEO
Essential tool for technical SEO audits, helping you ensure proper canonical tag implementation across your site.
How It Works
Enter URL
Type in the URL you want to scan
Fetch Page
The tool fetches the page HTML
Extract Tag
Canonical tag is extracted from the HTML
Display Result
View the canonical URL or identify missing tags
Why Canonical Tags Matter
Prevent Duplicate Content
Canonical tags tell search engines which version of a page is the original, preventing duplicate content penalties and ensuring proper indexing.
Consolidate Ranking Signals
When multiple URLs show the same content, canonical tags consolidate link equity and ranking signals to the preferred URL, improving SEO performance.
Control Indexing
Canonical tags give you control over which page version search engines index and rank, preventing unwanted versions from appearing in search results.
Fix Common Issues
Common SEO issues like www vs non-www, HTTP vs HTTPS, and URL parameters can be resolved with proper canonical tag implementation.
Best Practices for Canonical Tags
Use absolute URLs
Always use absolute URLs (with https://) in canonical tags, not relative URLs
Point to accessible pages
Ensure the canonical URL is accessible and returns a 200 status code
Self-canonical when appropriate
Pages should typically canonicalize to themselves unless they're duplicates of another page
Avoid cross-domain canonicals
Don't canonicalize to a different domain unless absolutely necessary (e.g., domain migrations)
Check regularly
Regularly audit your canonical tags to ensure they're correct and haven't been broken by site changes
Use in head section
Place canonical tags in the <head> section of your HTML, not in the body
Frequently Asked Questions
A canonical tag (rel='canonical') is an HTML element that tells search engines which version of a page is the preferred, authoritative version. It helps prevent duplicate content issues and consolidates ranking signals.
Canonical tags prevent duplicate content penalties, consolidate link equity, and help search engines understand which page version to index and rank. They're essential for sites with multiple URLs showing the same content.
If a page doesn't have a canonical tag, search engines will decide which version to index. This can lead to duplicate content issues, split ranking signals, and potential SEO problems.
Yes, you can scan any publicly accessible URL. However, some pages may require authentication or have restrictions that prevent scanning. The tool works best with standard HTML pages.
If no canonical tag is found, you should add one. The canonical URL should typically point to the preferred version of the page (often the HTTPS version or the version without URL parameters).
Ensure each page has a canonical tag pointing to the preferred URL. Use absolute URLs, ensure the canonical URL is accessible, and make sure it's not pointing to a different domain unless necessary.
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