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    4. Does using a canonical with ?utm_source=gmb cause any issues?

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    Does using a canonical with ?utm_source=gmb cause any issues?

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    • Alces
      Alces last edited by

      All of our URLs in Google My Business are tagged with ?utm_source=gmb. This way when people click on it within a Google Map listing, knowledge graph, etc we know it came from there. I'm assuming using a canonical on all ?_utm_source _pages (we have others, including some in the index) won't cause any problems with this, correct? Since they're not technically traditional organic SERPs?

      Dumb question I know, but better safe than sorry. Thanks.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • paints-n-design
        paints-n-design last edited by

        You should use a canonical for pages with  this utm - but the canonical is without utm. Otherwise you have a chance that you earn duplicate content (you mentioned utms in SERPs).  It doesn't make sense to use a canonical with utm, because this would make organic users to utm=gmb users (if indexed and clicked).

        And if you dont use canonical and link internally without utm? It happens, that people click on the found knowledge panel url and link to it - bamm! indexed and you cant trust your utm anymore and again, duplicate content.

        Use canonical = yes 
        include utm = no

        your pages:
        https://yourpage.com/subpage
        

        https://yourpage.com/subpage?utm_source=gmb should both have this canonical:

        <link rel="canonical" href="yourpage.com/subpage">
        ```
        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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