Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag Error in Google Search Console

Google Search Console is an essential tool for webmasters and SEO specialists. One common error that appears in the Coverage section of Search Console is the "Alternate page with proper canonical tag" error. This might seem confusing at first, especially if you’re diligently managing your site. In this article, we'll explain what this error means, why it happens, and how to fix it to ensure your SEO efforts are not affected.

What Is the "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" Error?

The "Alternate page with proper canonical tag" error in Google Search Console occurs when Google has identified a duplicate page on your website that includes a canonical tag pointing to the correct version of the page. While this may sound alarming, it is not an actual error. Instead, it is more of an informational notice from Google indicating that there are duplicate pages on your site, and Google is crawling them but will index the page you've designated as the canonical version.

In simple terms, Google tells you that while multiple versions of a page exist, it has already been pointed to the right one (canonical). However, if too many of these alternate pages exist, it can still affect your site’s crawl budget and SEO. Understanding this report helps you optimize your site further and prevent unnecessary duplicates.

Why Does This Error Appear in Google Search Console?

This issue often occurs due to the following reasons:

1. Duplicate Content

If you have similar pages with slight variations (such as HTTP vs. HTTPS or www vs. non-www), Google may treat these as duplicates. The canonical tag helps resolve this by pointing to the correct, original page.

2. URL Parameters

URL parameters (such as tracking codes, session IDs, or filters in eCommerce stores) can cause multiple URLs to show the same content. Even if these URLs use different query strings, they can appear to Google as the same content.

3. Pagination

If your site contains paginated content (for example, a blog with multiple pages of articles), this can also trigger the alternate page notification. The canonical tag can direct Google to the first or main page in the series.

4. Content Syndication

If you syndicate your content on other websites or republish articles, you should use the canonical tag to point back to your original page. This helps avoid confusion for search engines and reinforces that your version is the authoritative source.

Why You Should Care About This Error?

While the “Alternate page with proper canonical tag” report indicates that Google is already aware of the correct canonical version of your content, there are still a few reasons you should pay attention:

1. Crawl Budget: Google assigns a specific crawl budget for each website. Excessive alternate pages may waste this budget, leading to less frequent crawling of important pages.
2. Duplicate Content Concerns: Too many alternate pages may dilute the overall quality of your site by creating duplicate content issues.
3. Indexing Efficiency: Fixing these alternate pages ensures that Google’s bots are efficiently indexing the correct content on your site.

Well structured information to Understand the meaning of URL Parameter in simple words.

How to Fix the "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" Error

Fixing this error doesn’t always require drastic changes. Often, it just requires cleaning up your site's structure and making sure the canonical tags are used correctly. Here are the steps to fix it:

Step 1: Identify the Affected Pages

In Google Search Console, you can navigate to the Coverage section and find the error under the “Excluded” tab. From there, you will see a list of URLs marked as “Alternate page with proper canonical tag.” Take note of these URLs to identify the scope of the issue.

Step 2: Review Your Canonical Tags

Check whether the alternate pages in question have canonical tags pointing to the right page. Ensure that each canonical tag is consistent across duplicates and points back to the main version of the page.

Step 3: Consolidate Duplicate Pages

If you find that too many alternate versions of the same page exist (for example, due to URL parameters), consider consolidating these duplicates:

• Use 301 redirects to direct users from alternate pages to the correct canonical version.
• Adjust your URL structure to reduce the creation of duplicate pages. For instance, use canonical tags on all pages with parameters or filters.

Step 4: Implement a Consistent URL Structure

Make sure that your URLs are structured consistently to avoid creating unintentional duplicates. Choose between HTTP/HTTPS and www/non-www versions of your website, and set this in your domain’s settings.

Step 5: Update Your Sitemap

Make sure your XML sitemap only includes the canonical version of your URLs. Remove any duplicate or alternate pages from your sitemap to ensure that Google only crawls and indexes the most important content.

Step 6: Monitor for Updates in Google Search Console

Once you have made the necessary fixes, regularly check Google Search Console to ensure that the issue has been resolved. It may take a few days or even weeks for Google to reflect the changes, so be patient.

Example of Proper Canonical Tagging

Let’s look at a simple example of how the canonical tag works:

Assume you have the following two pages with similar content:

1. https://www.example.com/page?color=red
2. https://www.example.com/page

If you prefer Google to index the second page, you would place the following canonical tag on the first page:

<link rel="canonical"  />        

This tells Google that the original version of the content is located at https://www.example.com/page and that the ?color=red variation is an alternate version. Google will then index the main page and ignore the query-string version for ranking purposes.

Best Practices to Avoid Canonical Tag Issues

To prevent canonical tag-related errors and make your website more SEO-friendly, follow these best practices:

1. Use Self-Referencing Canonical Tags

Every page should have a self-referencing canonical tag pointing to its own URL. This tells Google that this version is the preferred version of the page.

2. Canonicalize Pagination Properly

For paginated content, make sure that each page of the series has the correct canonical tag. Typically, the canonical tag on each page should point to itself, not to the first page in the series.

3. Handle HTTP vs. HTTPS

Ensure that all your content is accessible via only one version, either HTTPS or HTTP. Ideally, the preferred version should be the HTTPS one for security reasons.

4. Eliminate Duplicate Pages

Whenever possible, merge or remove pages that provide the same content. Use 301 redirects or properly place canonical tags to avoid duplication.

Know what is the meaning of Canonical URL.

FAQs

Q1: Is the "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" an error I should worry about? No, it’s more of a warning than an error. Google is telling you that while it found alternate versions of a page, it knows which one to index based on your canonical tag. However, keeping duplicates under control is still essential for SEO.

Q2: Can this issue impact my SEO? Yes, indirectly. While Google understands which page to index, too many alternate pages can waste your crawl budget and create unnecessary duplicate content concerns.

Q3: How long does it take for Google to reflect changes after fixing canonical tags? It can take a few days to several weeks for Google to re-crawl your website and reflect changes in Search Console. You can speed up the process by submitting your updated sitemap.

Q4: What’s the difference between 301 redirects and canonical tags? A 301 redirect physically redirects users and bots to the new URL, while a canonical tag simply tells search engines which URL to index without redirecting the user.

Q5: Can I have multiple canonical tags on the same page? No, you should only have one canonical tag per page. Having multiple canonical tags can confuse search engines.

Conclusion

The "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" issue may not be a pressing problem, but managing it properly will help improve your site's SEO health. By identifying duplicate pages, setting up correct canonical tags, and optimizing your URL structure, you can ensure that Google indexes the right pages, making your website more efficient and user-friendly. Regularly check Google Search Console to stay on top of any issues and make adjustments as necessary.