Canonicalisation is the process of establishing a single URL as the location of a web document, even if there are multiple paths or addresses that can reach the page. Search engines see different URLs like http://www.url.com and http://url.com as duplicate content. To resolve this, the standard practice is to set up a 301 redirect by creating an .htaccess file with redirect code and uploading it to the root folder, which canonicalizes the domain to a single URL.

2. Canonicalisationwww.LearnSEOandWebDesign.com

3. What is CanonicalisationSimply put, it’s...The process of establishing a single URL as the location of a web document. Ensuring that although you may be able to arrive to a page via multiple paths or addresses, there is only one final address which will be resolved by the server.www.LearnSEOandWebDesign.com

4. A search engine deems these examples as different URLs or Duplicate Content!http://www.url.comhttp://url.com http://www.url.com/indexwww.url.com Even though, to you and me they go to the same place.www.LearnSEOandWebDesign.com

5. So what do we do?The standard practice in SEO is to set up a permanent redirectOften known as a 301 redirect.We can do this very easily by setting up just one root file!www.LearnSEOandWebDesign.com

6. 1. Open a note pad document and copy and paste the following code into itwww.LearnSEOandWebDesign.com

7. 2. Save it as .htaccess (remember the ‘ . ’)3. Upload this to your Root FolderThat’s it!You’ve Canonicalised your domain www.LearnSEOandWebDesign.com