There may be numerous speak within the wider web optimization neighborhood round pound indicators, #, within the Google Search Console stories, which means one thing about canonicalization. John Mueller from Google, together with quite a lot of SEOs, stated it has nothing to do with canonicalization. As an alternative, it has to do with Google monitoring on-page sitelinks from the Google Search outcomes.
John Mueller from Google posted on LinkedIn saying, “In case you are seeing URLs with “#” in them in Google Search Console: these are from on-page sitelinks, and should not associated to canonicalization.”
He added that “Sitelinks are counted individually within the efficiency report.” “When you filter by URL you will see them there. When you take a look at queries, they’re folded along with the opposite pages (prefer it all the time does when there are a number of URLs from the identical website in a search consequence),” he wrote. He stated then advised everybody to take a look at this help document on how these impressions and clicks are tracked in Google Search Console.
John shared this screenshot of the tacky sitelinks:
I’m not positive the place this got here from however Graham Grieve shared on LinkedIn, Graham wrote “Then I listened to considered one of Carolyn Holzman’s podcasts, the place she talked in regards to the canonical system at Google being damaged.” “Carolyn pointed to broadly used desk of contents plugins producing dozens of additional indexable pages that will usually be non-indexable through canonicals, all being indexable, as a big drawback for a lot of affiliate websites,” he added. Right here is that video. Briefly, the video goes off on how GSC reveals #s, and that someway proves some kind of canonicalization bug in Google Search, which additionally someway paperwork unhelpful content material. I’m not positive in the event you ought to watch it or not.
Now, Lily Ray commented on that LinkedIn publish saying, “Google has all the time proven # URLs in GSC. UTMs as properly. For any website with jumplinks, not simply affiliate. What am I lacking?”
Mark Williams-Cook dinner added on LinkedIn a deeper dive on this confusion. He wrote, “Unsolicited hashtag#web optimization tip: This week I regarded into claims that Google’s canonical system was “damaged” – and my conclusion is that many individuals are nonetheless confused about how Google Search Console works, so I wished to share just a few issues.”
He stated that the “most important ‘proof’ that the canonical system is damaged is that GSC is reporting soar URLs (with #) in increased positions than their mother or father pages, so the conclusion is Google has the unsuitable canonical: however I consider that is incorrect.”
He then posted this defined on how Google Search Console works:
1) Leap hyperlink URLs seem as little website hyperlinks beneath mother or father URLs. The soar hyperlinks inherit the Place (as tracked by GSC) of the mother or father URLs they’re proven beneath. Sitelinks seem extra continuously when a URL is ranked properly. Rankings often fluctuate so much, so when the mother or father URLs pops into excessive (prime 3) place, the Sitelinks present and get a superb common place for the soar hyperlinks proven. For many searches, the mother or father URL ranks decrease, which drags down its Common Place, whereas the soar hyperlink URLs stay with higher Common Place however fewer impressions. See my screenshot.
2) Once I checked my soar hyperlinks in GSC Reside Examine they have been “Not Listed”. They might be “Listed” if used as a canonical URL and if Google thought one other URL was canonical, it could specify it right here.
3) 1 (and primarily 2) exhibit it’s really nothing to do with the canonical system. As I’ve beforehand posted about, Google primarily ignores # URLs for indexing / showing in normal internet search.
4) As a reminder, Google can present “Not Listed” URLs in SERPs (akin to lengthy carried out “Not Listed” origin 301 URLs), however this once more has nothing to do with the canonical system.
John Mueller from Google endorsed it by including, “Good abstract, thanks!” within the feedback.
Discussion board dialogue at Linked.
