Demystifying google search console alternate page with proper Canonical Tags. blogger& shopify

Описание: When you see the status *"Alternate page with proper canonical tag"* in Google Search Console, it indicates that Google has discovered a duplicate or variant of a page but has chosen not to index it. This occurs because the page specifically identifies a different URL as the primary or "master" version using a canonical tag.

*Why This Happens*
This status is common and often intended, appearing in several standard scenarios:
*Blogger Mobile URLs:* Blogger automatically generates mobile versions of pages ending in **?m=1**, which point back to the desktop version as the canonical source.
*Shopify Product Variants:* Products may appear in multiple collections or have different tracking parameters, but the system points Google to one clean, preferred URL.
*AMP Pages:* Accelerated Mobile Pages are designed to point to their non-AMP counterparts to ensure the original version is prioritised for indexing.
*URL Parameters:* Tracking codes (such as UTM parameters) or session IDs can create multiple URLs for the same content, which are then consolidated via canonical tags.

*Is It an Error?*
In most instances, this is *not an error* but a sign of healthy technical SEO. It helps **avoid duplicate content penalties**, improves crawl efficiency by saving your "crawl budget", and consolidates link equity into a single, authoritative page.

*When and How to Fix It*
Action is only necessary if Google is indexing the *wrong version* of a page or if an important page is missing from search results. If you need to make changes, follow these steps without using angled brackets in your code management:

1. *Inspect the URL:* Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to see which URL Google has selected as the canonical version.
2. *Verify the Tag:* Check your page source code to ensure the *link rel=canonical* tag points to the exact URL you want indexed.
3. *Update if Incorrect:*
In *Blogger**, you may need to edit your theme HTML to add or adjust the **link expr:href='data:blog.url.canonical' rel='canonical'* tag.
In **Shopify**, you can often manage these via the theme editor or by ensuring products in multiple collections point to the master product page.
In **WordPress**, plugins like Rank Math allow you to specify the preferred URL in the advanced meta box settings.
4. *Consolidate Signals:* Use *301 redirects* for redundant pages to strongly signal the preferred version to Google.
5. *Audit Regularly:* Tools like **Netpeak Spider**, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs can help you identify canonical chains or non-compliant tags across your entire site.

#SEO #TechnicalSEO #GoogleSearch Console #BloggerSEO #ShopifySEO #DigitalMarketing #SearchEngineOptimization #CanonicalTags #WebmasterTips