Canonical Links - Static vs CMS Sites

[azlinda]

I'm confused. I understand that Google Analytics will be based on canonical links.

I have a static site with 40,000 pages. Will these pages require canonical links? Needless to say, they would have to be added manually. If canonical links are not used, will Google still apply their analytics to the site?

[tangor]

Unless you have duplicate content issues, you probably don't need to worry about rel=canonical

If each page/url is unique and unambiguous, there's no need for it. I have never used it and never had a problem.

Others may have different opinions.

[azlinda]

Thank you, Tangor. I appreciate it very much.

[tangor]

You're welcome, though no thanks required. Commonsense and care for output solves many problems before bad code./shoddy content management rears its head.

[not2easy]

Some CMS URLs (notably WordPress URLs) show the same content at several different URLs, that may be where the canonicals become important.

When an article is posted in WordPress on either a page or post it may be assigned to more than one category as well as date archives and tags. That gives visitors many ways to find the content but it means they may find the same content in different places on the site. Google is not interested in indexing the same content at different URLs so it helps if canonicals are used and if you're only trying to index one version of each post or page.

[lucy24]

You said at the outset that you've got a static site. That means there's nothing to canonicalize, unless when you say “static” you actually mean a custom-made CMS that carries the same multiple-URLs-for-same-content as WP or similar. (This doesn't seem likely.)

Can you point to any places on your site where the same content is in fact reachable by more than one URL? If no, you can simply wipe this question from your mind and never thk about it again.

[azlinda]

lucy24, no, I don't have any content reachable by more than one URL. Mine is truly a static site. I was concerned because the article stated that analytics will be based on canonical links, but I'll just forget about it now. All of you have put my mind at ease. Thank you!

[tangor]

Glad for the happiness!

Meanwhile, sometimes we read too many articles chasing SEO and get sidetracked by opinions of others. Most times if we just take a breath and do a little more research anxiety and heartburn can be avoided.