The same content at several addresses.
WHAT YOU SEE
Both http and https versions in results Both www and non-www A staging subdomain appearing The same page at several URLs
WHY IT MATTERS
Ranking signals split across versions, and engines choose which to show, which may not be the one you want.
FIXING IT
- Decide the canonical version: https, and one of www or non-www.
- Redirect every other version to it, with a 301, in one hop.
- Set the site address in your application to match.
- Ensure canonical tags reference the correct version.
- Update the sitemap.
- Update internal links.
FOR A STAGING SITE
Block it with directory privacy and a noindex. A staging copy competing with your live site is a common and avoidable problem.
If it is already indexed, add a noindex and request removal in Search Console.
FOR PARAMETER URLS
Tracking parameters create duplicates. Canonical tags pointing at the clean URL resolve it.
CHECKING
Search for a distinctive phrase from your content in quotes. Multiple URLs from your own site indicates duplication.
