Rel Canonical for HTTP and HTTPS pages
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My website has a login that has HTTPS pages. If the visitors doesn't log in they are given an HTTP page that is similar, but slightly different. Should I sure a Rel Canonical for these similar pages and how should that be set up? HTTP to HTTPS version or the other way around?
Thank you,
Joey
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The HTTPS are inaccessible without logging in because it is paid content. The HTTP version is a preview of the actual documents and images. I would like the pages to be indexed so people will sign up to preview the actual docs and become a paying member. Thank you for the advice.
Joey
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Hey Joey,
Are your HTTPS pages inaccessible to crawl or require a login to see the content? Would you want that content to be visible on Google? If so, I'd have it on HTTPS pointing to HTTP, but make sure that if they need to login, that you give them a smooth transition on the HTTP page.
There are some other questions that could alter your needs such as:
- How similar are the pages?
- Do you want target to be indexed at all?
- Pagination? Other on-page directives?
Here's a good article on common mistakes with canonicals, it's helped me out in the past.
Beau
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