Canonical chain
A canonical chain is a sequence where page A declares B as canonical and B declares C, rather than pointing directly at the final URL.
Why it matters
Google follows one hop and stops, so the page at the start of the chain falls out of the index entirely while still rendering correctly to a human.
How it is measured
Fetch a page's canonical target and read its canonical. On a healthy page the second value equals the first.
Checks that involve canonical chain
Related terms
Questions
What is canonical chain?
A canonical chain is a sequence where page A declares B as canonical and B declares C, rather than pointing directly at the final URL.
Why does canonical chain matter?
Google follows one hop and stops, so the page at the start of the chain falls out of the index entirely while still rendering correctly to a human.
How is canonical chain measured?
Fetch a page's canonical target and read its canonical. On a healthy page the second value equals the first.