Why are some site pages showing the error "Duplicate without user-selected canonical" in Google Search Console?

When some of your site pages are showing the error "Duplicate without user-selected canonical" in Google Search Console, it means that Google has identified duplicate content across multiple pages of your website but cannot determine which page should be considered the canonical (preferred) version.

This error is significant from both a user experience and SEO perspective because it can lead to confusion for search engines and site visitors. Duplicate content can dilute the visibility and rankings of your individual pages in search engine results.

Here are some possible reasons why this error occurs and how you can resolve it:

1. Missing canonical tags: If you haven't specified canonical tags on your pages, Google may find similar or identical content across multiple pages and flag them as duplicates. To fix this, add a canonical tag to each page, indicating the preferred version of that page. The canonical tag should point to the same page on itself, for example: <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example.com/page">.

2. Incorrect canonical tags: If you have implemented canonical tags, but they are pointing to the wrong URLs or to non-existent pages, Google may not be able to determine the correct canonical version. Check your canonical tags and ensure that they are correctly referencing the preferred page.

3. Content scraping: Sometimes, other websites may scrape your content and republish it on their own sites, creating duplicate content issues. In such cases, you can use a DMCA takedown notice or contact the webmasters of those sites to remove the duplicated content.

4. Dynamic content generation: If your site generates pages dynamically (e.g., through URL parameters or session IDs), it can result in multiple URLs with the same content. Implement 301 redirects or use URL parameter handling in Webflow to ensure that search engines understand which version is the canonical one.

5. Pagination and sorting: If your website uses pagination or sorting functionality, it can cause duplicate content issues, as different URLs may display the same content in a different order or on different pages. Implement rel="prev" and rel="next" tags or use canonical tags to specify the preferred ordering of the content.

To prevent the "Duplicate without user-selected canonical" error, it's crucial to regularly monitor your website's performance in Google Search Console, implement proper canonicalization, and address any duplicate content issues promptly.

By resolving this error, you can improve your site's search engine rankings, enhance the user experience, and ensure that search engines understand which version of your pages to display in search results.

Additional Questions:

1. How can I determine if my website has duplicate content issues?
2. What are some best practices for implementing canonical tags?
3. What other tools can I use to identify and fix duplicate content issues on my website?