IT'S NUANCED
Canonical tags guarantee indexing preferences
TECHNICAL
MEDIUM Impact
INTERMEDIATE
The Myth
"Setting a canonical tag ensures Google will index your preferred URL version."
The Truth
Canonical tags are hints, not directives. Google may ignore them if other signals contradict (internal links pointing elsewhere, external links to different URL, etc.). They're respected most of the time, but not guaranteed. To strengthen canonical signals, ensure your internal links, sitemaps, and hreflang all point to the canonical version consistently.
DInsight from @dejanseo
"Canonicals are helpful, not magic. If your internal links all go to the wrong URL, that's a stronger signal than a tag. Align all your signals, and canonicals work great."