The message "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" in Google Search Console indicates that a duplicate or alternate version of a webpage exists, but Google has correctly identified the canonical URL to index. This is a normal part of SEO and not an error. It helps avoid duplicate content issues and ensures your original content ranks in search results. Learn how canonical tags work, why alternate pages appear (e.g., ?m=1 , tracking URLs), and how to manage them. This guide simplifies technical SEO for beginners, bloggers, and AdSense publishers a like.
What is Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag?
When you check your website in Google Search Console, you might see a message that says:
"Alternate page with proper canonical tag"
This simply means that Google found a page on your website which is a duplicate or alternate version of another page, and it also found a canonical tag on it that tells which page is the original or main one.
What is a Canonical Tag?
A canonical tag is a small piece of HTML code that tells search engines which version of a page is the original or main one. It helps avoid duplicate content issues when the same content appears on different URLs. For example, if both example.com/page and example.com/page?m=1 show the same post, the canonical tag on the second page should point to the first one. It looks like this: <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/page">. This helps Google index the right version and improve SEO performance.
Why Canonical Tags Are Important in SEO
Canonical tags are important because they help search engines understand which version of a page to index when there are multiple similar or duplicate pages. Without a canonical tag, Google might index the wrong page or split your ranking between different URLs. This can hurt your search ranking, page authority, and even AdSense revenue. Canonical tags keep your SEO clean by telling Google:
→ This is the main page, ignore the others.
Example:
If you have both:
https://example.com/blog-post
https://example.com/blog-post?m=1
How to Add Canonical Tag (Step-by-Step)
Adding a canonical tag is super easy. You just need to add one line of code in the <head> section of your HTML page.
- Open your HTML file or blog template.
- Find the <head> section of the code.
- Add this line inside <head>:
- Replace the URL with your original/main page.
- Save and upload the file (or update your blog if using Blogger/WordPress).
- Done! Now Google knows which page to prioritize.
<link rel="canonical" href="https://yourwebsite.com/original-page-url" />
Common Mistakes with Canonical Tags
Avoiding these mistakes is important so Google doesn’t get confused:
1. Pointing to the wrong URL
→ Always point to the clean, main URL without tracking parameters or ?m=1.
2. Multiple canonical tags on the same page
→ Never use more than one canonical tag on a page. Google might ignore both.
3. Self-referencing missing
→ Every main/original page should have a self-referencing canonical tag.
Example:
On https://example.com/post, it should have:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/post">
4. Canonical pointing to non-indexed or broken pages
→ Don’t point canonical to a page that’s deleted or blocked by robots.txt.
5. Wrong domain version
→ Use the correct version: https:// vs http://, www. vs non-www.
Why Does Google Show This Message?
This happens when Google finds two or more pages on your website with similar or same content.
But one of those pages has a canonical tag that correctly points to the main page. So, Google chooses to index the main one and ignores the alternate.
This is very common for:
- Mobile versions of blog pages (like ?m=1)
- URLs with tracking parameters (like ?source=facebook)
- Same blog post appearing under different URLs
Is "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" a Problem?
No, this is not an error. It is just an informational message.
This means your website is doing the right thing — you are telling Google which page to index by using a canonical tag, and Google has accepted it.
Only in the following cases should you worry:
- If the wrong page is being indexed
- If your main page is being treated as alternate
- If you don’t understand where these duplicate pages are coming from
How to Check If Everything Is Working Fine?
To check whether your canonical tags are working properly, follow these steps:
- Open Google Search Console.
- Go to the “Pages” section.
- Click on the URL which is showing this message.
- Use the “Inspect URL” tool.
Check two things:
- User-declared canonical – This is what your page tells Google.
- Google-selected canonical – This is what Google decides to index.
Why These Alternate Pages Are Created?
There are many reasons why alternate pages are created automatically:
1. Mobile Versions (?m=1) – Platforms like Blogger/Blogspot create a mobile version of each post using ?m=1.
2. URL Parameters – When you share blog links with UTM codes or ref tags like ?source=facebook, they are seen as different URLs.
3. Duplicate Content – If the same post appears under multiple categories or tags, each might have a separate URL.
4. HTTP vs HTTPS or www vs non-www – Google treats http://example.com and https://www.example.com as different pages unless told otherwise.
5. Trailing slashes – /page and /page/ are technically different URLs.
Use Robots.txt to Block Extra Pages (Optional)
If you have too many alternate pages, block them from being crawled:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /*?m=1
Disallow: /searchWarning: Don’t block important pages by mistake.
How to Know Which Page Google Indexed?
To find out which page Google is showing in search:
- Go to Google and search your post title.
- Check which version appears in search results.
- You can also use "Inspect URL" in Google Search Console.
Conclusion
Alternate page with proper canonical tag means that Google found two similar pages, and it correctly picked the main one based on the canonical tag.
It is a good sign and usually means your website is SEO-friendly.
Just make sure:
- Your canonical tags are correct.
- You’re not linking to duplicate URLs.
- You keep your website clean and structured.
Q1. What does "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" mean?
It means Google found a similar or duplicate page on your site, but it knows which is the main/original page because of the canonical tag. This is not an error — it just shows that the tag is working correctly.
Q2. Is "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" an SEO issue?
No, it’s not a serious SEO issue. In fact, it means your site is using canonical tags properly. But if too many pages are marked as alternate, it may affect crawl efficiency.
Q3. What is a canonical tag in SEO?
A canonical tag is an HTML code (<link rel="canonical"...>) that tells search engines which version of a page is the original, helping prevent duplicate content issues.
Q4. How do I fix the alternate page with proper canonical tag issue?
Make sure your alternate pages (like ?m=1 or tracking URLs) have a correct canonical tag pointing to the main page. Also, avoid linking to alternate URLs internally.
Q5. Where should I add the canonical tag?
Add the canonical tag inside the <head> section of your HTML page. Example:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://yourdomain.com/page-url" />
Q6. Why do Blogger URLs like ?m=1 show up as alternate pages?
The ?m=1 is a mobile version of the page. Blogger automatically adds it, but it can create duplicate content. Canonical tags help tell Google to focus only on the desktop/original version.
Still Confused or Need Help?
If you still have any questions about "Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag" or facing issues on your website, feel free to drop your query in the comments section below. I’m always here to help you out! Whether you're a beginner or just want to fix your site's SEO, let’s solve it together.
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