Canonical URL Category and Tags

[PratapSingh]

Hello,

I would like to know that I want to use both category and tags in my blog StylishMahi. 

If I index both category and tags, should I use canonical URL tag to pass referring to main category. As I want more my categories in SERP results ranking higher?

I have also attached a picture. Can someone please confirm?

Photo by Moz

ZigdWMx

[GPainter]

Hi,

Couldn't see categories in my brief look but to answer your other question -

If I index both category and tags, should I use canonical URL tag to pass referring to main category. As I want more my categories in SERP results ranking higher?

use the canonical tag if the content is the same (duplicated) I recommend using it on the folder closest to the main level. What the tag will do is tell Google "this content is the same - here is the original" and all juice will be fed to the URL you pointed to in the tag.

Using the tag won't get more categories in the results as I just mentioned they are not indexed as they are "duplicates" It does however give you a stronger structure to a degree but only if you've got duplicate content due to e.g categories.

Just to help you out a big more here is an example of a great way to use the tag:

two URLS with the same content

www.example.com/author

www.example.com/genre/author

you would put a tag on www.example.com/genre/author pointing towards www.example.com/author (however you can do it the other way around depending on how you feel)

More info here-

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/139066?hl=en

Good luck!