Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user

The "Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user" error message in Google Search Console indicates a discrepancy between the canonical URLs specified by the website owner and those chosen by Google. This typically occurs when Google identifies duplicate content across multiple pages on a website.

Reasons for this Error may include:

Multiple Pages with Similar Content:

Sometimes, websites have multiple pages that essentially contain the same content but with slight variations, such as different parameters or query strings in the URL. In such cases, if a canonical URL isn't specified, Google will autonomously select one, potentially not aligning with the website owner's preference.

Incorrect Canonical Tags:

If canonical tags are incorrectly implemented or point to the wrong URL, Google may disregard them and select its own canonical URL instead, leading to confusion.

Pages with Redirects:

Pages that redirect to other URLs may not be indexed by Google as expected, and it may not consider the canonical tag for such pages, resulting in the error message.

Changed Page URLs without Redirection:

If a website changes the URLs of its pages without setting up proper redirection from the old URLs to the new ones, Google may interpret the old and new pages as duplicates.

Indexing Timing:

Google may index the main page before crawling other pages with similar content, which can lead to confusion over which page should be considered canonical.

Solution:

To address this error comprehensively, the following steps can be taken:

Identify Problematic Pages:

Use Google Search Console's "Duplicate content" report to identify pages causing the error.

Choose Canonical URLs:

For each identified page, decide on a canonical URL that best represents the content and that you want Google to index and rank.

Implement Canonical Tags:

Add canonical tags to each page, specifying the chosen canonical URL. Ensure these tags are correctly implemented in the HTML of each page.

Manage Redirection:

If page URLs have changed, set up proper redirection from the old URLs to the new ones to inform Google of the changes and avoid confusion.

Remove Duplicate Content:

If there are genuinely duplicate pages, consider consolidating or removing them to prevent Google from indexing multiple versions.

By following these steps, the "Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user" error can be addressed comprehensively, leading to improved search engine optimization and website performance.