Pages that answer on more than one host

The same page should have one address. When both www and the bare host return HTTP 200, or both http and https do, search engines can keep two copies.

What we look for

We look at indexable pages that returned HTTP 200. This opens once for the site when those pages exist on both www and the bare host, or on both http and https. /guides/leather-care and /guides/leather-care/ count as the same path. The row names each host and lists a few paths that answered in more than one place.

What to do

Pick one address, usually https and either www or the bare host, and redirect every other address to it. One hop is enough. Do this for the whole site.

Example

Before, the care guide answers in two places:

<a href="https://example.com/guides/leather-care">Leather care</a>
<a href="https://www.example.com/guides/leather-care">Leather care</a>

After, links use the host you keep, and the other host redirects there:

<a href="https://example.com/guides/leather-care">Leather care</a>

https://www.example.com/guides/leather-care should redirect to https://example.com/guides/leather-care.

Technical note

Login, cart, account, and feed URLs are skipped, and so are noindex pages and files such as images. A host that only redirects, and never returns HTTP 200 for an indexable page, does not open this row.