One page, one preferred address

A canonical URL is the preferred address for duplicate or very similar pages. Google can choose another version.

Imagine a plumbing business with this boiler-repair page. These addresses are hypothetical:

Preferred address: https://example.com/boiler-repair/
Host and protocol variants: http://example.com/boiler-repair/
https://www.example.com/boiler-repair/
A campaign link to the same page: https://example.com/boiler-repair/?campaign=spring

The campaign address can keep working while its canonical points to the plain address.

1. Compare your choice with Google's

Open the public page source and search for rel="canonical". Its full address is your declared preference.

In Search Console, inspect that same URL. Compare the user-declared canonical with the Google-selected canonical in the indexed-page information.

If no indexed information exists yet, Google's choice may be unavailable. The live test cannot predict that choice.

For our example, write down both addresses before changing anything. This separates a wrong declaration from Google choosing differently.

Open the HTTP and www variants. Note whether they end at your chosen HTTPS address or show separate copies.

Use permanent redirects for retired duplicates. Avoid redirect chains and loops; send each old address straight to its intended replacement.

Check that the preferred page works directly and declares itself. Use a full HTTPS URL in its canonical tag.

In WordPress, inspect your SEO plugin's canonical setting and the generated page source. Controls differ between plugins.

If the source contains conflicting tags, ask your developer to check the theme, plugins, and custom code.

Choose one component to manage canonical tags. Save the current settings before removing duplicate output.

Link to the preferred address from your service menu and related pages. Avoid sending readers through an old redirect.

List that same address in your sitemap. Keep duplicates and retired addresses out of the submitted list.

Google treats sitemap entries as suggestions. A sitemap helps discovery but cannot guarantee crawling or indexing.

Boiler repair and bathroom installation describe different services. They are not duplicates just because they share a layout.

Do not point every service page's canonical to your homepage. Each distinct service needs its own preferred address.

For the example, compare the page content before choosing a replacement. A similar title alone is not enough.

Google can still choose another canonical. Align your signals, then check the indexed information after Google crawls again.

Tin GEO's documented checks cover one preferred address, canonical tags, and clean redirects.

These checks match the problems above. They do not guarantee Google's choice, rankings, or completed work on your website.