Resolve a Canonical Conflict Cluster
Fix a canonical conflict by aligning URL generation, internal links, sitemap entries, and rel canonical tags.
The clean category URL declares itself canonical, but internal navigation points to a sorted parameter URL, and Google chooses the parameter URL as canonical. 5 Whys canonical diagnosis: symptom, discovery path, generator, ownership, prevention. The common trap is treating canonical tags as a force field. If internal links, generated URLs, and sitemap entries contradict the tag, Google receives mixed signals. Why 1 Why is the parameter URL selected? Because most internal links point to /shoes/running?sort=popular rather than /running-shoes. The selected canonical follows a strong discovery and linking signal, not just the tag on the clean page. Why 2 Why do…
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