Author: Franz Malten Buemann

If you’re an SEO, I know you can relate to the following scenario.
You do thorough keyword research and create super awesome content that ends up performing well — score!
You are riding the waves of growth in SERPs and feel like you’re on top of the world.
And the next day, there’s an algorithm update that comes along … and just like that, your rankings have tanked.
Regardless of whether an algorithm update rocks or destroys your world, they’re an inevitable occurrence. So it’s time to face the facts, and take the changes in stride.
As difficult as ranking in the coveted number one spot may seem, there is a list that’ll help you get there: Google’s 200 known ranking factors.
This list serves as our guide in a field that’s constantly evolving.
In 2006, Google declared that it was using over 200 ranking factors. While that’s certainly the most comprehensive perspective, I’ve pulled all the known ranking factors together in one post and shared my personal top 10 to make it a bit more tactical.
But before you jump in, understand that everything is arguable in SEO, and there have been some controversies concerning these “200 known ranking factors”. SEO’s often differ in their perspective on which ranking factors matter the most — or whether they’re important at all.
Nevertheless, user experience is one thing Google continually improves for their users. If you want to create more helpful content for your ideal audience, it’s worth referring to these ranking factors to improve both your SEO and your overall marketing strategy.

What is a ranking factor on Google?
Ranking factors are the criteria applied by Google (and other search engines) when evaluating pages to decide the best order of relevant results to return for a search query.
Understanding ranking factors is necessary for effective SEO. All marketers, content creators, and SEO strategists should be familiar with them — not because they’re the end-all, be-all of SEO (they’re not), but because they help create a better user experience, which ensures more leads and conversions for your business. So I would strongly recommend using these factors as a guide.
How many Google ranking factors are there?
There are over 200 ranking factors that are generally considered correct (but again, it’s debatable). Since 2006, there have been thousands of algorithm updates.
With each update, SEOs test to see what’s changed. So, some of these factors are proven, but others are just speculation.
All 200 (Known) Ranking Factors
I’ll start with a rundown of all 200 ranking factors, then go in-depth into the top ten ranking factors that, based on my experience as an SEO consultant for B2B and B2C companies, have the most impact.
Here are the top categories:

Domain Factors
Page-Level Factors
Site-Level Factors
Backlink Factors
User Interaction
Special Google Algorithm Rules
Brand Signals
On-Site Webspam Factors
Off-Site Webspam Factors

Domain Factors
Domain factors are all ranking factors that connect with your domain (the basic example.com version of your website), including:

Your domain age
Keyword in your domain
Keyword is the first word in your domain
Domain registration length
Keyword in subdomain
Domain history
Penalized Whois owner
Public WhoIs instead of private Whois

Page-Level Factors
Page-level factors are factors on each page that you can optimize, such as:

Presence of the keyword in the title tag
Having the keyword at the beginning of your title tag
Keyword in your meta description tag
Presence of the keyword in the H1 tag
Keyword is frequently used in the content
Content length
Word count rankings
Presence of a linked table of contents
Keyword density
Presence of semantically related keywords
Semantically related keyword in meta title and description
In-depth quality content
Useful content
Page loading speed via HTML
Page loading speed tested on Chrome
Core web vitals
No duplicate content on the same site
Image optimization through ALT, title, and  file name
Content recency (the newer, the better)
Page age
How many edits were made to the content during updates
Historical data on page updates
Proper use of rel=canonical
Presence of keyword in H2 and H3 tags
Presence of keyword in the first 100 words
Grammar and spelling
Originality of the page’s content
Entity match
Number of outbound links
Mobile useability and optimization
Hidden content on mobile (may not be indexed)
Page optimized for mobile
Presence of multimedia, for example, images and videos
Number of outbound links
The quality of outbound links
Theme of outbound links
Presence of helpful supplementary content, like free tools and calculators
Content hidden behind tabs (it may not be indexed and wouldn’t show up in search snippets)
Number of internal links pointing to the page
Quality of the internal links
Presence of too many broken links (could lower ranking capabilities)
The reading level of the page
Presence of many affiliate links
Presence of many HTML errors
Authority/trust-level of the domain
Authority/trust level of the page
PageRank
Length of URL
Closeness of URL to the homepage
Presence of keyword in URL
Opinion of human editors
Relevance of page’s category to page
Content formatting for user-friendliness and readability
Priority of the page in the sitemap.xml
UX signal from pages ranking for the same keyword
Citing references and sources
Use of a user-friendly layout
URL string in Google search engine results
Internal link anchor text to the page
Use of structured data

Site-level factors
Site-level factors go above the page level and take a look at things on the entire site. They include:

Presence of a contact us page or appropriate amount of contact information
Content on site provides value or new insights
TrustRank (how close your site is to a known and trusted site in terms of linking)
Website updates for freshness factor
Site architecture
Presence of a sitemap
Long-term site downtime
Location of server
HTTPs / use of a valid SSL certificate
Presence of legal pages (terms and conditions and privacy policy)
Unique metadata
Use of breadcrumb markup
Site-wide mobile optimization
Site-wide user-friendliness (usability and interactiveness)
Bounce rate
Domain authority
User reviews
Site reputation

Backlink factors
Backlink factors look at the sites that are linking to you to determine where to rank your page. Sites with better quality sites linking to them tend to be higher in rankings when they have quality content. The backlink factors are as follows:

Age of linking domain
Number of referring domains
Number of links from separate c-class IPs
Number of referring pages
Anchor text of backlinks
ALT tag of image links
Number of links from .edu and .gov domains
Trust factor of linking page
Trust factor of linking domain
Presence of links from competitors
Number of links from expected sites in your industry
Links from bad neighborhoods
Number of links that are not from ads
Country TLD of referring domains
Domain authority
Presence of some nofollow links
Diversity of link profile
Context of content the content of linking page
Presence of more follow links that sponsored or UGC
Lots of backlinks to URL with 301 redirects
The text that appears when you hover over a link
Link location on page
Location of link in content
Links from relevant domains
Links from relevant pages
Presence of your page’s keyword in the title of the linking page
Natural rate of growth in number of links
Spiky and unnatural rate of growth in number of links
Links from top resources on a certain topic or hubs
Number of links from sites that are considered authority sites
Linked as a source in a Wikipedia article
Words around your backlinks
Backlink age
Links from real sites vs fake blogs
Natural link profile
Excessive reciprocal links
Links in real content vs. UGC
Backlinks from a page with a 301 redirect
TrustRank of linking site
Fewer outbound links on linking page
Links in real content vs links in forums
Word count of linking content
Quality of linking content
Sitewide links = one link

User Interaction
Google  always emphasizes in their update announcements how important it is to provide an excellent user experience to website visitors. These factors measure user interaction to rank your page accordingly, including:

Organic click through rate for exact keyword
Organic click through rates for all ranking keywords
Dwell time
Bounce rate
Measurement of how users interact on your site based on RankBrain
Total direct traffic
Percentage of repeat visitors
Blocked sites
Percentage of visitors that click on other pages on the SERP after clicking visiting your page
Page frequently bookmarked by Chrome users
Number of comments on page

Special Google Algorithm Rules
Some Google Algorithm rules are not directly connected to your page or domain. They include factors that look at personalizing search results for the user or better search results as a whole. Here are some of them:

Need for diversity in the SERP
Need for freshness in the SERP
Browsing history of user
Search history of user
Succinct answers, formatting, page authority and HTTPS for featured snippets
Geo-targeting
Adult content or curse words (excluded from safe search results)
High content quality standards for YMYL keywords
Legitimate DMCA complaints
Need for domain diversity in SERP
Transactional searches
Local search results
Presence of news stories related to keyword for Top Stories box
Search intent
Presence of big brands with relevant content (they are often ranked higher)
Presence of results optimized for Google Shopping
Image results
Branded search
Easter eggs and April Fools’ Day jokes and hoaxes from Google (this one makes me laugh)
Spammy queries
Spammy sites

Brand Signals
How great is your branding strategy in terms of SEO? If you haven’t taken care of your brand mentions and brand all over the internet, you need to start now. Because there are some serious ranking factors related to your brand:

Brand + keyword searches (for example, Hubspot SEO)
Branded anchor text
Twitter profile with followers
Official LinkedIn page
Facebook page with lots of likes
Branded searches
Known author or verified online profile
Real social media accounts
Top stories with brand mentions
Brand mentions without links
Physical location of offices

On-site Web
To rank high on search engine results, you need to ensure your site isn’t spammy and doesn’t look spammy – as with many things in life, looks play a role in how we’re perceived. Here are some factors around that:

Low-quality content
Links to bad neighborhoods
Multiple and sneaky redirects
Flagged server IP address
Distracting ads and popups
Popups that are spammy and difficult to close
Over-optimizing the site
Gibberish content
Use of doorway pages
Lots of ads above the fold and not much content
Hiding affiliate links
Low-value content sites
Affiliate sites
Keyword stuffing in meta tags
Compute generated content
Nofollowing all outbound links

Off-site Webspam Factors
The Off-site webspam factors affect spam based on what’s done outside your website that connects with your website. They include:

Unnatural and sudden increase in backlinks
Hacked site
Lots of low-quality backlinks
High percentage of links from unrelated websites
Low-quality directory links
Automatic links in widgets
Links from sites with the same server IP
Using “poison” in your anchor text
Ignored manual actions in search console
Selling links
Temporary link schemes

Phew, we made it! Even though this list might seem overwhelming, I’ve condensed it to my top 10 to make things a bit more palatable.
Top 10 Google Ranking Factors
Before we go into my top 10 Google ranking factors, keep this in mind: everything is debatable in SEO. While several SEO experts might accept these 10 factors as their top ranking factors as well, other SEOs might disagree. But for me, these are what I’ve found to be most important.
I chose my top 10 based on what I’ve seen improves the user experience, optimizes conversion rates, signals trustworthiness, ranks well, brings in high amounts of organic monthly traffic, and promotes customer retention and loyalty. Let’s dive in.
1. Content that provides valuable and unique insights.
As mentioned above, Google has always emphasized quality content. Providing content that provides value and unique insights not found on every other website can improve your ranking simply because your audience enjoys it.
To do this:

Ensure you are the subject expert in what you are writing about or that you understand that topic in-depth according to research.
Hire subject experts to write your content.
Provide factual information that informs your audience about the questions that are the most important to them.
Don’t write fluff.

2. Content that covers a topic in-depth.
Want to rank on the first page? Stop writing thin content. Research has proven time and time again that content that covers all areas, whether long or short form, tends to do better in search results. Here’s what to do:

Study your competitors’ content and write about what they missed.
Cover all relevant areas and answer all questions that readers might have.
Make the text readable by adding elements like images, a clickable table of contents, jump links, and CTAs to relevant information.

3. Organic click-through rates.
Your organic click through rate helps Google understand whether people like your content or not. If more people are clicking on your post in the SERP, Google will believe your content is more relevant to that keyword and rank you higher for it.
You need to write a convincing meta title and description to improve your organic click-through rate. Here are tips for writing the best meta title and description:

Use power words.
Ensure your keyword is visible in the meta title.
Keep your meta title under 62 characters.
Keep your meta description at about 150 characters.
Your meta description should be helpful to readers (use it to show them how they benefit from reading your content).

Note that to get to a point where you can improve organic click through rate, you should have all other SEO factors in place for higher rankings. I mean anyways, if you are in the 100th position, most people wouldn’t see your page to begin with.
4. Keywords in H1.
The H1 is an indication of what your content is about. So, include your keyword in your H1. Be careful, though; some SEOs say that using the same sentence in your H1 and meta title is an indication that you are keyword stuffing. So, you might want to spice it up a bit while still ensuring that your keyword is present. Do this in combination with all on-page optimization (meta data, URL, other headings).
5. The content’s length.
Content length is one thing that several people debate about when it comes to SEO. Some believe an upward of 2000 words should be the standard. However, that shouldn’t always be the case. Sure, long-form content seems to get the most backlinks, but it’s crucial that you write long-form only when you need that to cover the entire topic.
It’s also a best practice to check what your competitors have because that can be an indicator of quality content. If all competitors have between 2000-4000 words and you write 200 words, you will likely not rank high for that term.
6. Website domain authority.
Domain Authority (DA) is not a ranking factor despite what many say, and the simple reason is: Google didn’t create it. When asked if it is a signal, John Mueller replied, “…it’s a tool by Moz”.
But from my perspective, it’s good to keep in mind because Moz uses particular signals to create that score (and other tools like SEMrush and Arel=” noopener” target=”_blank” hrefs) that are similar to Google’s ranking factors.
When more trusted sites are linking to yours and you have content that ranks well, that is an indicator that you should be trusted, which in turn increases your rankings even further – all of which plays into DA. So in a nutshell, you might want to focus on growing your DA even if Google doesn’t confirm it.
7. Total number of backlinks from relevant sources.
The total number of your backlinks and referring domains are important, but only when they are from relevant sources. In February 2021, John Mueller commented about the importance of link relevance and that you can build many backlinks, but Google will ignore them if they are not relevant.
Rather than focusing on building millions of backlinks, focus on more relevant and quality backlinks.
8. Page loading speed via HTML.
Last year, Google announced that core web vitals would become a ranking signal and it’s planned to launch in mid-June. Core web vitals is a part of PageSpeed, and page speed affects user experience.
If your site is too slow to load or slow to interact with, Google is more likely to reduce your rankings, especially when your competitors have fast site speed and great content.
9. Mobile usability.
User experience is key for SEO success and users are increasingly accessing your website via mobile. That’s why Google sends constant mobile-friendliness notifications in Search Console when it sees that your site isn’t responsive.
If you want to score points with Google and, more importantly, your users, work on your mobile usability.
10. Over-optimization.
Don’t overdo it — this serves as a reminder that you must prioritize optimizing for humans, not the algorithm. When you over-optimize your pages, Google sees that you’re trying too hard and might believe you are trying to game the system. If that happens, you get penalized.
Here are other important ranking factors that didn’t make the top 10 cut, but you should make sure to work on as well:

Quality of internal links pointing to page
Site architecture
Site usability
Contextual links
Outbound link quality
Dwell time
Branded searches
Image alt text

That’s all, folks!
You’ve now gotten to know the 200 known ranking factors and my preferred top 10. Use this article as a guide, not as hard rules. I’m not Google and only Google can confirm what the exact ranking factors are. Most of this data is from what I have seen from working with several websites over the years.
Remember, user experience is key, so continually optimize for your target audience, and you will be duly rewarded.

Invoices and infographics may seem like two entirely different business materials, but they actually have one key thing in common: they both exist to convey information.
However, while infographics are known for employing colorful designs and data visualizations, invoices are typically pretty straightforward.
While your invoices might not be a front-facing part of your business, it doesn’t mean they should be plain and boring. Of course, conveying important payment information in a clear and concise way is the name of the game — but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little brand personality to them.

To help you get a sense of the possibilities, we put together a collection of impressive invoice samples that may inspire you to rethink your current design.
But first, let’s review how to design an invoice in the section below.
How to Design an Invoice
You don’t need to be an expert to create professionally designed invoices. In fact, you can use customized templates to get started (more on that later).
However, you need to know a bit about an invoice’s structure if you want to create and send invoices that ensure you receive your payments on time.
Here are some best practices for creating professional invoices:
Decide on your invoice format.
Start by choosing the format you want to use for your invoice.
Do you want it in print? Or in digital formats like a PDF, Google Docs, Word, or Excel? Once you’re sure of the format, move on to create room for essential details on the invoice.
Add essential information.
Every invoice you create should include the following information:
Your details: This includes your name, company name, address, telephone number, and email address.
Client details: Add your client’s address, company name, telephone number, and email address. You might need to add the department and the contact person’s name if you’re working with a large organization.
List of services: Make a list of all the services you’re charging the client for. Your list should be as specific as possible to eliminate any confusion in the client’s mind.
Payment terms and methods: How would you like your clients to pay you? Bank transfer? PayPal? Check? Make it clear in your invoice. You should also make the payment’s due date clear and include what will happen when payments exceed said date.
Add your company’s branding.
You’d be missing out on an ideal branding opportunity if you create generic invoices. So instead, add a bit of razzle-dazzle to your invoice that carries your brand colors, logo, and fonts.
You can also distinguish your invoices by giving them a monochrome look.
Invoice Design Templates and Examples
We’ve put together a collection of impressive invoice designs and templates that may inspire you to rethink your current design. Many of them are free to download and customize.
1. Basic Invoice

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No frills, just business. This basic invoice template, developed here at HubSpot, gives you all the necessities of paper billing without the written fields that more complex business services might want distinguished.
The template above offers space for your name, your client’s name, invoice date, and a base of 10 itemized services. You can add more as needed.
2. Blank Invoice

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Like the basic invoice template, the blank invoice design contains all the necessary fields you need in an invoice. 
However, this blank invoice template allows you to go into specifics concerning your client’s contact details. You also get to include a detailed breakdown of the cost, including tax and shipping fees.
3. Commercial Invoice

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Are you selling a variety of products and services? The commercial invoice above might be just what you need. Developed here at HubSpot, this template allows space for product origin, manufacturing origin, discounts offered to your client, and more.
4. Blue Service Invoice

This soft-colored, service-based invoice template allows you to include multiple jobs and how much each cost your client.
Download this template together with a pack of 10 free templates using the link in the header above the image — each design conveniently opens in Microsoft Word.
5. Green Shipping Invoice

This green template can be downloaded using the link in the header above the image. Dedicated to shipping-based services, the vibrant document is perfect for transactions that involved the transportation of goods.
6. Orange Standard

It doesn’t get much more basic than the orange standard invoice template, shown above. Download this template for free using the link in the header above the image. It opens in Microsoft word, allowing you to insert your logo in the top-righthand corner and add additional service rows to match how many services you provided your customer.
7. Blue Minimal Standard

The minimalist invoice template shown above caters to services that are hard to describe in individual lines of services. Using the large “Notes” tile in the center of the document, you can put the focus on the nuances of your business, so it’s clear why you’ve charged your client the price you’ve listed. Download it for free using the link in the header above the image.
8. Black and White Shipping Invoice

Sometimes, you might just want your invoice to have a monochrome feel to it. And that’s exactly what this black and white design template offers. It’s geared mostly towards shipping invoices, but can be customized for other uses as well. Click on the header above the image to download this template. 
9. Amir Hossain

This simple invoice template allows you to add your logo and customize the design to match your brand colors. You also get clearly defined fields where you can enter a list of services you want to receive payment for, alongside your payment info.
You can download this template by clicking on the header above the image. 
10. Minimalist Invoice

This template takes the basic invoice template up a notch with its minimalistic view. Whether you’re using it for personal or business use, this template helps you save time, and it allows you to assign Customer IDs that help you quickly find who needs to receive the invoice.
11. Fabio Basile

Business in the front. Party in the back.
This double-sided invoice sample offers an interesting twist on an otherwise standard design.
We especially love the “handcrafted for” language on the design side, which side helps to make the customer feel valued by the business they’ve worked with.
6. Front and Center

Put your final price to the client “front and center” using this design by Ari Krzyzek. Contact this designer using the link in the header — her project comes with matching letters and business cards. Or, simply use her concept as inspiration to create an invoice of your own.
The document makes excellent use of contrast in font color, allowing the red price to pop against the thIn black text surrounding it.
13. JPWTemplates

This is a more specific invoice sample focused on billing for services — in this case: photography.
This invoice uses an actual photograph in the header to highlight the quality of its services. This is a clever idea you can leverage for multiple services such as graphic design, illustration, interior design, and so on.
If you want to personalize your invoice further, you can use a photo or design from the customer’s specific project to give it a custom look and feel.
14. Classic Designs

Here’s an example of a straightforward invoice design that details all of the critical invoice criteria — contact information, itemized purchases, payment information, and so on.
The design leverages pops of red to call out key pieces of information to make the statement feel less overwhelming.
15. Bold Stationary

This invoice sample uses a split design to divide contact information and payment information. This approach is free of any distractions or fancy elements, yet it still feels carefully designed.
If your business is a bit more traditional, this sample serves as a great guide.
16. Novomatic

This invoice sample uses various shades of yellow to chunk out different parts of the invoice into digestible sections.
This invoice also leverages the footer of the statement to point customers towards the company’s social media channels as a way to offer a lasting connection.
17. Yellow Minimalist

There’s something about yellow that makes a document friendlier. Vibrant but unaggressive, this template emphasizes your price in large font on the bottom-righthand corner, with a yellow border to make sure it doesn’t get forgotten in a pile of other white sheets of paper on your client’s desk.
18. Victory

This invoice template offers space for a logo on the bottom-lefthand corner, rather than the top, for professionals who want to make it clear right away that this document is a bill to be paid (hence “INVOICE” listed on the top-righthand corner).
The invoice’s midsection allows the sender to include a thorough description of each service provided — a helpful billing format if your business spanned multiple projects over a long period.
19. Soft Banner

Professional designers, here’s an invoice concept just for you. Showing your clients a colorful, brand-aligned invoice is a surefire way to get clients remembering you and rehiring you for more work. 
In this design, the centered price banner uses a soft green background to make steep costs look a bit less frightening to the customer.
20. Classic Designp

Here’s another elegant invoice template to serve as inspiration for your own. The template is simple and quickly highlights how much clients are expected to pay for a product or service. 
You can also insert the “terms and conditions” of your contract in this template so you can remind customers what they signed up for when choosing your business. After all, they might be confused why you’re charging them a certain fee and may want to review the terms and conditions of their contract before reaching out for help.
21. Martin Ehrlich

One look at this invoice design from Martin Ehrlich tells you that it’s built with photographers or visual creatives in mind. 
This template comes with plenty of white spaces that make it easy to scan and identify the essential details like the supplier’s name, amount due, and the different services offered.
22. Invoice by ThemeDiviser

It’s hard for clients to miss how much they owe you with this invoice template, thanks to the amount’s bold description at the top of the invoice.
Below the “total payment” is a breakdown of the services rendered, along with your contact information as well as your branding.
23. Invoice Template by Guuver

Your invoice doesn’t need to have a white background, and this template from Guuver is a perfect example. 
The template’s slightly pink background and distinct blue font — both of which are customizable — are sure to leave a lasting impression on your client’s mind.
24. Clean Word Corporate Invoice

This invoice template adds a modern and elegant look to the otherwise dull template standard in the corporate world. 
You can use the template on MS Word without any complications — just plug and play.
25. Invoice Template by Ariodsgn

How would you like an invoice that looks like a resume? This template from Ariodsgn is the right mix of creative, modern, and professional. Perfect for making a positive first impression on your customers. 
26. Retro Invoice

Take your clients back to the ’80s with this retro invoice design. Although old-fashioned, the focus of this template remains on passing across a clear message regarding your payment information to clients.
How to Write an Invoice
Want to make your own invoice? We’ve got you covered.
Check out HubSpot’s Invoice Template Generator to create a professional invoice PDF in just a few clicks. Here’s how to use it:

Click this page to visit the Invoice Template Generator.
Click the dotted square on the top-righthand corner of the template to upload an image file of your logo. Or, drag and drop this image file into the square.
Use the circular wrench/paintbrush icon to the left of the template to change the invoice’s color scheme.
Hover your cursor over the “Item Description” section to “Add More” rows if you’re billing your client for more than one product or service.
Hover your cursor over each individual field to customize details such as invoice number, company name, item quantity, and relevant notes to the recipient.
When you’ve finished customizing your invoice, click “Download Now” just below the template. Your invoice will download as a PDF.

You can also download ten other invoice templates that you can customize to meet your needs, whether you’re a freelancer or a large corporation.
At the end of the day, invoices should tell clients how much they owe, what they’re paying for, and what date they need to pay by. If you’re having trouble designing an invoice, or just want to shake things up, choose one of the pre-made templates above and get started with redesigning your invoices today. 
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

“That’s canon!” 
You might’ve heard this phrase used to describe a creative piece that stays true to an original piece of work or fictional universe.
If you’re familiar with canon, you are well on your way to understanding canonicalization and how it impacts web pages.
Here, let’s explore what canonicalization is, why it matters for SEO, and how to add the tag to your own website.

What is canonicalization?
Canonicalization declares an original or preferred web page, which helps consolidate duplicate pages for crawling.
Without naming a canonical URL, web crawlers could crawl and index multiple versions of your web page. Google indicates that it will crawl non-canonical pages less frequently to reduce the crawl load on your website.

Less frequent crawling of low-quality, duplicate pages means more important pages can be prioritized for crawling, instead.

Okay, but why would we purposely have duplicate content? Well … ever post your content on your website and also on Medium? Or, perhaps after guest posting you place a version of the blog post on your website, as well.
To do so, you should reference the original version as the canonical URL. Canonical URLs can reference different domains — meaning the canonical can be on another website.
Even if you aren’t actively creating duplicate pages for cross-channel promotion, duplication happens naturally due to the different parts of a web address. Does your website use a secure protocol, like HTTPS? Then you may have an HTTP and HTTPS version of your webpage.
The same goes with www vs. non-www. Does your website use trailing slashes, or not? If your website doesn’t always redirect to the preferred version of your page (secure or not, www or not, and trailing slash or not), duplication can occur.
Even if you are forcing the preferred version through a redirect, query parameters used for tracking visits or filtering views on a page can also look like separate URLs to crawlers. Declaring a canonical URL indicates to web crawlers to ignore query parameters or other versions of the URL.
What is a canonical URL?
The external resource <link> element defines relationships between the current page and other resources. A “rel” attribute is used on the <link> tag to indicate the type of relationship. Some common link types include “prev” and “next” for pagination, “stylesheet,” and, of course, “canonical.”
The <link> tag uses the “rel=” noopener” target=”_blank” href” attribute to set the URL that serves as the canonical to the active page. Although these are intended to be external resource links, the canonical URL can be “self-referring,” meaning it is the exact version of the current page. Using self-referring canonicals helps to reduce the unnecessary crawling of non-preferred versions of your page, as long as you are always using the absolute URL as the “rel=” noopener” target=”_blank” href” value.
In Google Search Console, you can use the Inspect URL tool to understand what Google considers the canonical URL, even if you have not set one. Even when you have declared a canonical URL, Google will sometimes still pick a different URL, listed as the “Google-selected canonical.” Because of that, canonicalization is not a guarantee that Google will select your preferred version or that other versions will not be indexed.

How to Add a Canonical Tag
Add a Canonical Tag in an HTML Document
As mentioned, you can use the <link > element to set your canonical URL. Link elements are self-closing tags. The “rel” and “rel=” noopener” target=”_blank” href” attributes are required.
To add a canonical link to an HTML document add the <link> element within the <head> element. Ensure the “rel” attribute value is set to “canonical.” Remember to put the absolute URL of your preferred web address as the value of the “rel=” noopener” target=”_blank” href” attribute.
<head>
<link rel=”canonical” rel=” noopener” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.mypreferredwebaddress.com/canonical-url”>
</head>
Add a Canonical Tag in HubSpot
In HubSpot, you can set your canonical URL in the individual page or post settings under Advanced Options. Read more about canonical URL settings options.
Add a Canonical Tag in WordPress
Common WordPress SEO plugins, including Yoast and RankMath, simplifies setting up canonical URLs, especially for several pages. If you are a little more advanced and don’t want to add another plugin, it is possible to update the canonical URL using WordPress Hooks too.
1. Using the get_canonical_url Hook.
A filter WordPress hook allows you to modify data as WordPress is executing. The add_filter() function accepts at least two parameters, a tag and a callback function. The tag would be the hook, which in this case is get_canonical_url.  
The callback function parameter would be the name of a function you create that returns the canonical URL. The callback function could use conditional statements to match to specific posts. Refer to this Stack Exchange answer example.
In the example, the “wpse_302620_canonical_url” callback function uses an if statement to return a new canonical when the post ID, which is passed as an argument on the function, matches a specific post. With that in mind, this solution seems like a fix for a few posts or post types but may not scale well. To apply to several pages, using a plugin would probably be the best option.
2. Using the Yoast Plugin.
If you are using Yoast, you can apply canonical URLs to posts, pages, and taxonomies. Select the type of content you want to edit from the left-hand menu, then “edit” the individual piece of content. In the Yoast SEO meta box, toggle the “Advanced” section. Add your preferred web address in the “Canonical URL” field and save. Learn more about Yoast’s canonical URL settings.
3. Using the Rank Math Plugin.
While editing your specific page or post, select the “Advanced” tab on Rank Math. Add your preferred web address in the “Canonical URL” field and save. Learn more about setting canonical URLs in Rank Math.

Answering questions in this post on r/iAmA: https://redd.it/ojj72e
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Burnout has been a particularly hot topic during the past year, and understandably so. Even as more and more people receive their vaccines and resume normal activity, reports of burnout continue to rise.
Editor’s Note: This post was updated in July 2021.
In a survey from Indeed, 52% of respondents said they’re experiencing burnout in 2021, up from 43% in a survey done before COVID-19.
For those of us in creative fields, creative burnout is more than inconvenient. In some cases, it can actually be detrimental to our work.
If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur, you’re probably responsible for securing your income. This lifestyle can be especially difficult if you’re feeling creatively stifled or bankrupt.
So, what is there to do about it? Let’s take a look at what creative burnout is, and hear from some of our in-house creative team about their strategies for keeping it at bay.
What is creative burnout?
Creative burnout can mean different things to different people. Ultimately, creative burnout happens when those in creative fields begin to feel overworked and unstimulated by their projects.
Phil McKinney defines it like this: “Creative burnout is often associated with the feeling of doing the same thing over and over again or with the feeling of being in your own way.”
Whatever your personal definition is, you know how stressful and isolating burnout can be. In this article, we’ll discuss how to recover from burnout, and we’ll focus on processes from professionals who are in the same boat.
How to recover from creative burnout

Change your surroundings
Take a break
Focus on your health (physical and mental)

Change your surroundings
Changing your surroundings may not seem especially profound, but studies show your environment strongly informs your creative process, as well as your ability to focus.
In fact, sounds, colors, temperatures, lighting, and the space around you are all factors in your creativity and cognitive abilities.
If you want to get increase creativity, consider some moderate background noise: 70-80 dB, to be exact. Enjoy an organized, dimly-lit space where you subconsciously allow yourself to relax. And, utilize the color blue when you can! Studies suggest taking these steps actually increases the creative flow.
Take a break
Taking a break from the grind can feel counterproductive, but breaks can be healthy, whether you’re taking a brief reprieve from your desk or a vacation.
Breaks from the computer
Never leaving your computer may make you feel more productive. In reality, you may actually be suffering the consequences of overwork. Without breaks, your productivity and mental health suffer.
Because of this, consider the ways you can get away. Coffee dates with coworkers, the occasional long lunch, and eating away from your desk are all healthy ways to get away and recharge.
Vacations from work
Maybe you need more than just a short break. If this is the case, consider taking a vacation.
If breaks seem counterproductive, vacations probably seem downright absurd. But actually, studies show people who don’t take vacations are more likely to be depressed, suffer from heart attacks, and are even less productive at work. So, take a vacation. For your productivity and wellness.
Focus on your health
Creative burnout could also be related to health issues in general. This is why it’s important to take a step back and consider your physical and mental health.
Physical health
We all know exercise and a good diet are essential. But they can seem more impossible the busier you are. Still, even busy professionals should make time for health, since healthier employees are statistically more productive.
To focus more on your physical health in a packed schedule, try replacing old habits with new ones.
For instance, instead of going out with people from work, you might try a yoga class with them instead. Replacement can also be applied to food. Replace a processed breakfast with a smoothie, or try switching that late-afternoon snack to fruits and veggies.
Mental health
You most likely apply psychology in your own work, so why not incorporate it into your personal life?
If you’re feeling depressed or anxious, take time for self-care. Meditation may help to an extent, but professional help is also a great long-term plan for treating mental health. A therapist can offer objective, educated opinions on your work environment, as well as your personal life.
Professionals tell us about their creative burnout strategies
Once you’ve taken time to refresh and recover, consider incorporating other people’s methods into your process. We asked various professionals about their tips for treating overwork fatigue. Here’s what they said:

For me, it’s really about changing habits or routines. That means moving around to different rooms or workspaces throughout the day instead of being planted in the same spot.
I also change the channel and mix up my work soundtrack. Different tempos, styles, or genres can change your mood and reinspire.
And I change projects frequently It’s easy to feel burned out when I’ve been buried in one project for hours. Unless deadlines dictate otherwise, I need to shut down certain projects sometimes and literally forget about them for a few hours or days. Amazing how you can come back with fresh eyes and new ideas when you’ve been away from something for a while.

– Randy Kershner, Sr. Copywriter, Selligent/CM Group

Don’t put pressure on yourself to have a “creative moment” during working hours. Usually, my “ah-ha” moments come to me when I least expect or have stepped away from the screen. This leads me to my next point:
Step away from your screen! Take a walk, change your scenery — it’s like giving your mind a mini nap. 15-20 minute meditations are great to just reset and refocus.
Oh, and make sure to set boundaries. This is different for different people. Some like to come in and hammer out an 8/9 hour day straight. Others like breaking up the day with various activities and then get things done later at night or earlier in the morning when things are quiet. Figure out what times work best for you and stick to them.

– Becky Chastain, Sr. Art Director, CM Group

For me, burnout is almost always correlated to lack of personal connection with my coworkers. Someone once shared an insightful tidbit with me that I will never forget; “if you really want to be happy in your work space, you’ll make your goal to work with people versus working with tasks.”
I value the time I am able to dedicate to catching a quick (virtual) coffee with teammates because it allows me to breath, connect, and be human. I’d advise those who are experiencing work burnout to simply toss some time on the calendar to greet a new coworker or catch up with an old one.
It’ll make a heck of a difference— I promise.

– Brianna Glenn, Marketing Content Manager, CM Group
Wrap up
As you can see, changing your environment, taking time for yourself, and concentrating on your health aren’t the only steps you can take when faced with a block.
Like the professionals above, you may also choose to visit other creative outlets for inspiration, or you may approach other professionals for feedback and one-on-one time.
The post Creative Burnout: How Do You Keep It at Bay? appeared first on Campaign Monitor.

Not really a master marketer myself, Really just still trying to figure out how all of this works. I found this platform called Ojamu that uses AI and blockchain technology to predict the most effective digital marketing strategy for cutting-edge brands. It made me wonder, why doesn’t everyone just use AI for their marketing? Doesn’t already do what marketing is but a lot better? aka looking at patterns, seeing what sells, etc. Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this, thank you.
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