Google also indexed trailing slash version - PLEASE HELP

[Jvalops]

Hi Guys,

We redesigned the website and somehow our canonical extension decided to add a trailing slash to all URLs. Previously our canonical URLs didn't have a trailing slash.

During the redesign we haven't changed the URLs. They remained same but we have now two versions indexed. One with trailing slash one without.

I've now fixed the issue and removed the the trailing slash from canonical URLs.

Is this the correct way of fixing it? Will our rankings be effected in a negative way?

Is there anything else I need to do.

The website went live last Tuesday.

Thanks

[Francisco_Meza]

I'm not 100% sure how to answer your question, but an .htaccess 301 might work.

/example.html/  example.html

Try that to see if it works.

[RanjeetP]

Jvalops,

This is a common scenario in SEO when you have 2 versions indexed of the same URL. This bascially creates a duplicate issue. Now, this situation has a solution which includes 2 things to implement:

1. Fix it from the search engines's perspective.

2. Make changes at the server level.

You did remove the trailing slash so you fixed it at the server level but you left the search engines to think - Where did the URL go? Am I supposed to show a 404 for that or what?.

So, it is important that you first fix them for the SE's and then make any server level changes because you never know how quick the crawlers can re-visit the disappeared URL and take their own action. Since this is just a recent change I hope that the SE;s will not evaluate it in a negative way but you should be quick to inform them. Now, since you have already removed it, do add a code in the .htaccess file stating that any URL with a slash redirects it to the URL without slash. I hope there are no URLs that have to end with a slash (just have a re-look on this, the home page and others).

After this is done, to make things more clear to the search engines, resubmit your XML sitemap with all the correct URLs on the website and I think you will be just fine.

On the rankings, I don't think it will be affected, unless there was a re-crawl after the indexation.

Cheers,

[Jvalops]

Please can you tell me how to redirect urls with slash to non slash urls using .htaccess.

[RanjeetP]

I think some of these posts can help you understand:

http://html5boilerplate.com/docs/Proper-usage-of-trailing-slash-redirects/

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4167539/remove-trailing-slash-using-htaccess-except-for-home-landing-page

Do try this a test environment and take a backup of the .htaccess file before making any changes, Have it go through a programmer.

Cheers,

[Jvalops]

RewriteRule ^([^/]+/)*([^/.]+).html/ http://www.mydomain.com/$2.html [R=301,L]

Looks like above did the trick

[RanjeetP]

Sounds good, do keep a check to make it 100% sure. I believe the SE's will be fine now.

Cheers,

[Jvalops]

I checked with this website: http://www.internetofficer.com/seo-tool/redirect-check/

It says:

http://www.mydomain.com/jason.html/

Type of redirect: 301 Moved Permanently

http://www.mydomain.com/jason.html

So looks as if it's done the job. Right?

[RanjeetP]

Yups, its done. Just need to be sure if the Home Page is fine. The indexed version of the Home Page stays as it is without any redirection.

Cheers,

[Jvalops]

Thanks a lot.

Now when i click the slash version of the indexed URL from google goes to nonslash version. So it seems we're safe now.

The other thing is when I submitted the sitemap.xml after launch it was without slash. Also all internal links are targeting nonslash URLs. I think google should understand that this is a technical issue and now it has been solved.

When should i remove that redirect?

[RanjeetP]

You are welcome.

Well, the first time you did submit the sitemap right, but now since Google has found new URLs on your website and indexed them, it would be good to notify the big G that they are no longer a part of your website and resubmitting would not hurt.

About the redirections, Google does take a bit of time to understand that the URLs have permanently moved and will gradually remove them from the index. So, keep checking the index for the trailing slash URLs and when they are gone, you can remove the redirections.

Cheers,

[Dr-Pete]

Could you clarify a couple of things:

(1) When you say canonical URLs, do you mean your internal links, or the actual URLs in your rel="canonical" tags?

(2) If it was just the canonical tags, is everything consistent now (tags, internal links, etc.)?

Since both version will resolve, just fixing the canonical tags (if that's the issue) should be enough - it's just going to take a little time. They should be as effective as a 301-redirect in this case. Either way, though, it can take Google a while to kick out the duplicates. I'd just monitor the index closely and make sure the top-level pages are clearing up (i.e. your home-page and major category duplicates should be disappearing). If that's happening, you're ok - you just need to wait a bit. If that's not happening, then you may have some other mixed signals in play.

[Jvalops]

1. Actual rel="canonical" tags.

2. As soon as we relised everything was fixed. Canonical tag is showing urls without slash and also aplied to htaccess to redirect slash version to non slash version.

<cite>we're using www.shopify.com</cite>

[Dr-Pete]

Seems like you got the 301-redirect resolved below - if you've got that in place and fixed the canonical tag, it should be ok. It'll just take some time (usually longer than you'd like) for Google to clear out the pages, especially the deeper ones. If you see gradual de-indexation, though, you'll probably be fine.

[RanjeetP]

Thats great! The canonical URLs are showing URLs without slash as they are probably reflecting their original URL which is without slash. Hope Google clears them soon..