Why is Google marking my localized URL as a duplicate page?

Shopify Discussion
1

i have added a localized url for belgium called mywebsite.be my primary domain is mywebsite.nl, now i get a message from google saying the following: “page is not indexed: Duplicate page, google chose a different canonical page then the user” but then some pages do get indexed when they are also duplicates some pages have small localized changed made in the text but that is only 1-5 words. I would really appreciate if anyone knows a fix for this.

1 Like
2

Hi @S02K can you please provide website URL?

1 Like
3

klapwijkstore.nl and klapwijkstore.be and the .be is the one i currently want to fix indexing issues with .nl is the primary domain

4

Hello @S02K ,

I am Gina from flareAI app helping Shopify merchants get $6Million+ in sales from Google Search, on autopilot.

If you have added a localized URL for Belgium with the domain mywebsite.be, and your primary domain is mywebsite.nl, you might encounter a message from Google stating, “page is not indexed: Duplicate page, Google chose a different canonical page than the user.”

To address this issue and improve indexing, consider the following fixes.

  1. Ensure you have properly implemented hreflang tags on each page to indicate the language and country targeting for the specific URL. This helps Google understand that the pages are intended for different audiences and reduces the likelihood of duplicate content issues.

  2. On each page, include a rel=“canonical” tag pointing to the preferred version of that page. This tag signals to search engines which version should be considered the primary and indexed. Make sure each page has its own unique canonical tag.

  3. While it’s natural for localized versions to have some similarities, make an effort to provide unique and valuable content for each version. Review the pages that are not getting indexed and consider making more significant localized changes to differentiate them from the duplicates.

  4. Monitor crawl errors
    Regularly check Google Search Console for any crawl errors or issues related to duplicate content. Address any reported issues promptly to ensure proper indexing.

Remember to allow sufficient time for Google to crawl and process the changes you have implemented. If the issue persists, seeking assistance from an SEO specialist or consulting Google’s official documentation might provide further insights.

Gina

1 Like