Do I need to set a global canonical page URL in Webflow for my website with unique content in all pages?
TL;DR
- Only use self-referencing canonical tags per page in Webflow if each has unique content; avoid setting a global canonical to the homepage.
- For static pages, manually add the correct canonical in Page Settings; for CMS pages, use dynamic slugs in the canonical link within the CMS template’s custom code.
If your Webflow site has unique content on every page, you do not need to set a global canonical URL—but you should still ensure accurate canonical settings per page to avoid duplicate content issues.
1. Understand Canonical URLs in Webflow
- Canonical URLs tell search engines which version of a page is the preferred one, helping prevent SEO penalties for duplicate content.
- In Webflow, canonical tags are not set globally by default; instead, they can be added per page manually or through the CMS.
2. Use Canonical Tags Only Where Appropriate
- Do not use a global canonical to your homepage (e.g., setting "/" as the canonical for all pages). This can seriously harm SEO by signaling that every page is a duplicate of your homepage.
- Each page should have a self-referencing canonical URL unless there's a good reason to do otherwise (e.g., pagination, filtered views).
3. How to Set Self-Referencing Canonicals in Webflow
- Go to Page Settings for each static page.
- Under the Custom Code section, in the Header, add:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.yourdomain.com/your-page" />(adjust link per page).- For CMS pages:
- Use the slug field to dynamically set rel=canonical using Webflow CMS variables:
- Example:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.yourdomain.com/blog/{slug}" />(insert this in CMS Template's Custom Code).
4. When Canonicals Are Necessary
- Use canonical tags if you have:
- Duplicate or near-duplicate pages
- Session parameters or tracking links that create alternate URLs
- Paginated content pointing to a main canonical page
Summary
You do not need a global canonical URL in Webflow if all your pages have unique content. Instead, use self-referencing canonicals per page or CMS-generated templates to inform search engines of the correct page version. Avoid setting a site-wide canonical to your home page, as it can harm SEO.