Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy Generator

Importance of Correct Canonicals Beyond SEO: iOS Email Sharing Pitfall

Go to the Best Of the SEO Community.

Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Dec 25, 2024, 7:49 AM
Here's a completely non-SEO reason to make sure your canonicals are correct.
 
If they aren't when someone shares the page via email with iOS, it pulls the canonical. If the user isn't checking, then what gets shared is the canonical vs the actual page the user was on.
 
This can cause issues with all kinds of shares, especially search results or product variants.
 
Forwarded thread from another channel:
Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller
Dec 25, 2024, 9:54 AM
From my perspective this sounds like strange behavior with no obvious benefit as to why it was done this way.
 
Is there a good reason why this functions as described?
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Dec 25, 2024, 9:55 AM
Which part? That iOS uses the canonical or that people aren't aware of that/have incorrect canonicals?
Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller
Dec 25, 2024, 9:59 AM
That iOS uses the canonical URL juxtaposed with the URL the user intended to use.
Mika Lepistö
Mika Lepistö
Dec 25, 2024, 10:08 AM
I can't speculate on why they would do that. Just know that they have for quite some time.
John Mueller
John Mueller
Dec 26, 2024, 12:33 AM
I don't think it's just iOS, but it feels somewhat impossible to search for. I bet one of the best ways to hide something is to call it by a word used in SEO.

Channels

  • agency (3)
  • ai-for-seo (11)
  • ai-llms (24)
  • analytics (13)
  • biz-of-seo (4)
  • career (4)
  • content (15)
  • cro (4)
  • data-viz-reporting (4)
  • datascience (2)
  • ecommerce (3)
  • events (1)
  • freelance (2)
  • general-seo (21)
  • in-house (2)
  • local-seo (12)
  • local-seo,biz-of-seo (1)
  • lounge (1)
  • reading-list-resources (3)
  • search-console (11)
  • shameless-plug (1)
  • technical-seo (37)
  • tools (1)


    • Join The Community

    The SEO Community is a free organization, with private Slack group and events, for those interested in search and AI optimization to learn, discuss, and meet others in the industry.

    Powered by MODX

    Resources

    The Community Story SEO Articles SEO Jobs SEO Conferences Top SEO Discussions Newsletter Free Tools Learn Claude Code

    The SEO Community © 2026

    Shop Merch Code of Conduct Partnerships Sitemap Update cookies preferences Terms of Service Privacy Policy