Understanding the warning:
Let's analyze the complexities of this message:
“Alternate Page”: This denotes a page that resides on your website and contains content similar to another page.
“Proper canonical tag”: This tag acts as a fundamental piece of code that tells search engines which page is the main or “original” page, the one you want to highlight in search results.
Basically, the warning indicates that Google has discovered your alternative page, and it is commendable that it has a canonical tag pointing to the favorited version – a positive sign! However, a feeling of suspicion arises. There is an anomaly in the canonicalization process, or perhaps, the presence of the alternative page itself is questionable. This enigma deserves further investigation.
Why is this warning bad?
Duplicate content is the bane of SEO. When search engines encounter multiple pages with similar content, they get confused and may choose the “wrong” one to index, or even penalize your website for duplicate content. The alternate page warning indicates a potential duplicate content issue, which could hurt your rankings and organic traffic.
Problem diagnosis:
Before we start troubleshooting, let's identify the culprit:
Review the “Alternate page with appropriate canonical tag” report – This report within Search Console lists the affected pages and the canonical URLs they point to. Analyze whether canonicalization makes sense and whether alternate pages should exist.
Investigate the alternative page: Check the content of both pages to see how similar they are. Are they identical except for minor differences such as pagination or sorting? If so, they may be unnecessary duplicates.
Check your canonical tags: Use a tool like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to audit your website’s canonical tags. Make sure they’re implemented correctly, pointing to the intended preferred URLs.
Solving the problem:
Once potential problems have been identified, let's dive into corrective measures based on your diagnosis:
Redundant Duplicate Pages:
Content Merge: Consolidate the content from the alternate page into the canonical page, ensuring that the information is not only accurate but also complete. Once the merge is complete, proceed to delete the redundant alternate page.
Redirect Strategy: Implement a permanent 301 redirect, seamlessly directing traffic from the alternate page to the canonical version. This strategic move informs search engines that the alternate page is now deprecated, strengthening the signal for the preferred version. This not only streamlines your site structure but also improves user experience by directing them to the most relevant content.
Canonicalization issues:
Adjusting the canonical tag:
To rectify the issue related to the canonical tag, consider these steps:
Canonical Tag Fix: In case the canonical tag on the alternate page is wrongly pointing to an incorrect URL, revise it so that it points precisely to the desired preferred version. Checking the accuracy of the canonical URL is critical to ensure that search engines prioritize the correct page in their indexing.
Strategic Deployment of rel=”canonical” Links: If the alternate page has a specific purpose, such as pagination, and must coexist with the canonical version, use the rel=”canonical” link attribute on the alternate page. By employing this attribute, you communicate to search engines the relationship between the alternate and canonical pages, emphasizing that they are connected but not identical duplicates. This strategic implementation helps guide search engine crawlers while delineating the distinct functions of each page.
Prevent warning in the future:
Implement these proactive measures:
Plan your content strategy: Before creating new pages, make sure they offer unique value and don’t duplicate existing content.
Standardize canonicalization practices: Define clear guidelines for your team on when and how to use canonical tags.
Monitor your website: Check the “Alternative page with proper canonical tag” report in Search Console regularly and fix any new issues immediately.
Remember: Fixing the “Alternative page with proper canonical tag” warning requires careful analysis and strategic action. By understanding the message, diagnosing the problem, and implementing the right solution, you can remove this warning and ensure your website shines in the eyes of search engines and users alike.