Fix: AMP Pages have no Canonical Tags

Understanding the "AMP Pages Have No Canonical Tags" Issue in Semrush

In this post, we’re diving into the Semrush issue titled “AMP pages have no canonical tags.” We'll cover what this means, why it's important for SEO, and how you might consider addressing it.

What Are AMP Pages?

AMP stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages. Introduced by Google around 2015, AMP was designed to speed up the mobile web experience. At that time, mobile internet connections were often slower, and AMP provided a way for pages to load quickly on mobile devices by removing non-essential elements. These pages are stripped down, often featuring just an image, a header, and formatted text.

However, in recent years, AMP pages have become less critical. Internet speeds have significantly improved, and Google has even scaled back its infrastructure related to AMP. Many SEOs believe that AMP doesn’t provide much, if any, direct SEO advantage today.

Why "AMP Pages Have No Canonical Tags" Is an Issue

Canonical tags signal to search engines which page version is the "primary" or "original" version, helping to avoid duplicate content issues. This is crucial for SEO, as duplicate content can confuse search engines and dilute your site's ranking potential.

When AMP pages lack canonical tags, search engines might not understand that these are duplicate, mobile-optimized versions of the main page. This can lead to indexing issues and potential ranking problems. It’s worth noting that this particular issue is quite rare—I’ve personally only encountered it a few times, but if it appears in your Semrush audit, it’s worth addressing.

How to Approach This Issue

Evaluate the Need for AMP PagesAMP has become less relevant as mobile internet speeds improve. Unless your site heavily relies on fast-loading pages with minimal design, such as a news website, you might not need AMP pages. Platforms like Squarespace might add AMP by default without users being aware, so check your settings. If AMP isn’t critical to your goals, consider disabling it to eliminate the canonical tag issue altogether.
If You Want to Keep AMP PagesIf you do choose to keep your AMP pages, you’ll need to add a canonical tag to each one, pointing back to the primary (non-AMP) version of the page. This ensures search engines recognize the original page and understand the AMP version as an alternative for mobile users. Adding these tags often requires some manual setup, so consult a developer if you’re unsure.
Seeking Further AssistanceIf you’re not sure what’s causing this specific error in your Semrush audit, consider sharing a screenshot or description of the issue in a comment or forum. I’d be curious to explore it further and help you identify the cause.

The Bottom Line: Is AMP Still Worth It?

Today, AMP may no longer provide the SEO benefits it once promised. If your main objective is faster load times without sacrificing design elements, there are alternatives like optimizing image sizes, reducing JavaScript, and leveraging other mobile-friendly techniques. However, if AMP still suits your needs, resolving canonical tag issues will help ensure that search engines handle your AMP pages correctly.

I hope this guide helps clarify the "AMP pages have no canonical tags" issue and provides you with some practical ways to address it. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences with AMP, feel free to comment below!