Key takeaways
- Canonical vs redirect is a consolidation decision: do you want Google to index this URL (canonical) or replace it (301/308)
- Use this practical decision tree, real scenarios, and GSC validation steps to avoid duplication, crawl waste, and ranking splits
Table of Contents
Most “duplicate without user-selected canonical” problems are self-inflicted.
Not because you need more SEO tricks, but because you have not made a clear consolidation decision:
- Redirect: “this URL is not the one — replace it”
- Canonical: “this URL can exist — but treat that URL as the primary”
If you want the bigger indexing map first, start here:
- Technical SEO audit checklist
- Internal linking strategy (topic cluster blueprint)
- For international sites: Hreflang and canonical (the correct setup)
TL;DR (decision tree)
Use a 301/308 redirect when:
- the page moved permanently
- you want users and crawlers to land on the new URL
- the old URL should stop competing (old slug, old category, http→https, www→non-www)
Use a rel=canonical when:
- both URLs must exist (filters, tracking params, print views, variants)
- you want one page indexed, but you cannot (or should not) redirect the alternates
- the alternate URLs are primarily for UX, not for search
Rule of thumb:
- If you want the old URL to disappear: redirect.
- If you want the old URL to exist but not be indexed as primary: canonical.
What a redirect does (in practice)
A redirect is a routing decision:
- users get sent to the destination
- crawlers learn the old URL is not the final location
- signals tend to consolidate over time (not instantly)
Common redirect use cases:
- URL changes during a redesign
- consolidating duplicate slugs
- removing trailing slash vs non-trailing slash (pick one)
- http→https and www→non-www
If you have redirect chains/loops, fix those first:
What a canonical does (in practice)
A canonical is a hint about indexing preference:
- users still stay on the current URL
- crawlers may index the canonical instead of the current URL
- it reduces ranking splits by consolidating signals toward one “primary” URL
Canonical use cases:
- URL parameters that do not change meaning (UTM, sorting)
- filtered pages that you do not want indexed (facets)
- duplicate content due to multiple paths (e.g.
/blog/postand/resources/post)
If you want the meaning layer (what “canonical URL” actually is in the system, not just what to implement):
Relevant GSC statuses:
Canonical vs redirect: common scenarios (what to do)
Scenario 1: You changed the slug (old URL should be replaced)
Do: redirect old → new.
- Use 301 (or 308) for permanent changes.
- Update internal links and sitemap to point to the new URL.
Don’t: leave both 200 with a canonical unless you have a UX reason to keep the old URL accessible.
Scenario 2: Tracking parameters (UTM, ref, etc.)
Do: keep the URL accessible (200), but canonical to the clean version.
Also:
- avoid generating internal links with UTMs
- ensure the clean URL is in the sitemap
Scenario 3: Sort / pagination parameters (same products, different order)
Usually:
- canonical to the base list (if the content is substantially the same)
- keep parameter pages crawlable only if they serve a real search intent
Scenario 4: Faceted navigation (filters change the set of items)
This is where sites create crawl debt.
If filters create near-infinite combinations, do one of:
- canonical filtered URLs to the base category, and keep the filtered pages out of index
- or intentionally pick a small set of “indexable facets” (real demand) and make them stable landing pages
Scenario 5: Product variants (color/size) or near-duplicates
Decide based on intent:
- if variants deserve separate search intent (e.g. “red nike air max”) you may keep separate URLs
- if not, canonical variants to the main product
The key is consistency: one primary URL per “thing”.
Implementation checklist (avoid common failure modes)
Redirect checklist
- prefer one-hop redirects (no chains)
- avoid loops
- keep destination 200 and indexable
- update internal links to the final URL
Canonical checklist
- canonical points to a 200 page (not 404/5xx)
- canonical points to an indexable page (no
noindex) - use an absolute URL (safer)
- avoid cross-domain canonicals unless you truly mean “this content belongs there”
- keep canonical consistent with sitemap + internal links
If you canonical to a page that itself redirects or is blocked, you can end up in confusing GSC states.
How to validate (Google Search Console)
Use URL Inspection on:
- the “alternate” URL (parameter/duplicate)
- the intended canonical
Confirm:
- User-declared canonical matches your intent
- Google-selected canonical matches your intent (this is the real outcome)
Then validate in Coverage/Indexing reports by monitoring:
- duplicates and alternates declining over time
- crawl stats stabilizing
- impressions consolidating to the canonical URL
If you want the full indexing mental model:
FAQ
Can I canonical to a redirected URL?
Avoid it. Canonicals should generally point to the final 200 page. If you need a redirect, redirect directly to the final destination and canonical there.
Should I canonical from a non-www to www (or http to https)?
No — those should be redirects. Canonicals are not a transport/security preference signal.
Why does Google ignore my canonical?
Usually one of:
- content is not actually equivalent (Google picks a different canonical)
- internal links and sitemap disagree with your canonical choice
- canonical points to a non-indexable page
If you’re seeing “duplicate without user-selected canonical”, start here:
Next in SEO & Search
Up next:
301 vs 308 redirect (2026): does it matter for SEO and Next.js?301 and 308 are both permanent redirects. For Google, they are usually equivalent. The real difference is HTTP method handling and implementation defaults (Next.js, CDNs). Here is the decision rule, pitfalls, and how to validate in GSC.