Redirect vs Canonical: When to Move Users and When to Consolidate Signals
Redirects and canonicals are not interchangeable
A redirect moves users and crawlers to another URL. A canonical keeps the current page accessible while telling search engines which version should be treated as primary.
When a redirect is the better tool
Use a redirect when the old URL should stop being used: after a migration, a path rename, an HTTPS move, or host consolidation.
When canonical is the better tool
Use canonical when duplicate or near-duplicate pages still need to exist for users, filters, campaigns, or pagination patterns. It is a consolidation signal, not a navigation rule.
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