A canonical URL allows you to tell search engines that certain similar URLs are one and the same. Sometimes you have products or content that is accessible under multiple URLs, which search engines (like Google) see as the same content but different pages.
Applies to Version(s): All Versions
Using a canonical URL (a special HTML link tag with attribute rel=canonical), these duplicate URLs can exist without harming your rankings.
Examples of where this would be an issue are an affiliate, session, or conversion tracking script parameters as well as an alternate domain presence that may change your URL slightly. For example:
storename.mypinnaclecart.com/page.php?script-id=2323&script2-id3234&etc_id16
storename.mypinnaclecart.com/page.php
In the example above, both URLs essentially go to the same page. However, search engines may not realize this. Therefore, you may not always have control as to which URL is represented on your search engine results. This causes some search engines — most notably Google — to flag situations like the above as possible "duplicate content" which may indirectly hurt your search rankings.
The good news is that canonical URLs are built into the cart already and require no extra work on your part. Pinnacle Cart even automatically handles secure/non-secure URL switching, fully behind the scenes.
Some examples of what your canonical URL could look like are listed below:
storename.mypinnaclecart.com/category-name/
storename.mypinnaclecart.com/product_name.html
storename.mypinnaclecart.com/page/pagename/
Now, you can see what this would look like in your cart, by looking at the example screenshot shown below in red.
This is what a canonical URL looks like when it is embedded in PinnacleCart's store, which is what Google and other search engines are looking for.
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If you didn't get your question answered, please contact the Pinnacle Cart Support Team. To submit a ticket, go to the My Account drop-down menu at the top right of the admin area and select Support.
