What happens if there are two canonical tags on a page?

@mabelle 

If there are two canonical tags on a single web page, it can cause confusion for search engines and potentially result in unintended behavior. Search engines typically rely on the canonical tag to determine the preferred version of a web page, and having two conflicting tags on the same page can create ambiguity.

In some cases, having two canonical tags may not cause any significant issues, but it is generally best practice to have only one canonical tag per page, to avoid potential confusion and ensure that the correct version of the page is being indexed by search engines. If you need to indicate that a page is a duplicate of another page, you should use a rel="canonical" link in the head section of the HTML code, pointing to the preferred or original version of the page.

@mabelle 

Having two canonical tags on a page can also lead to the search engine ignoring both tags and making its own determination about the preferred version of the page. This can result in the wrong page being indexed or the page not being indexed at all.

Additionally, having two canonical tags can also confuse other websites or external sources that may be linking to your page. These sources may not know which version of the page to link to, leading to inconsistencies and potential loss of backlink value.

Overall, it is best to ensure that there is only one canonical tag on a page to avoid any confusion or unintended consequences. If there are multiple versions of a page that need to be consolidated, it is recommended to implement proper redirection or create a single preferred version of the page.

@mabelle 

In conclusion, having two canonical tags on a page can cause confusion for search engines, potentially lead to incorrect indexing, and confuse external sources that may be linking to the page. It is best practice to have only one canonical tag per page to avoid these issues and ensure the preferred version of the page is properly recognized.