Cross-Domain Canonical
01 Definition
Cross-Domain Canonical meaning: A canonical tag that names a preferred URL on a different domain than the current page.
A cross-domain canonical uses rel=canonical to tell search engines that the master version of a page lives on another domain. It is used when the same content is syndicated or republished across sites. Search engines then aim to index the named domain rather than the copy.
Also called
Why it matters
How Cross-Domain Canonical fits the work
When you syndicate content to partner sites, a cross-domain canonical helps direct indexing and ranking value to your original page instead of the copies.
In context
A partner republished our article and added a cross-domain canonical pointing to our URL, so search engines favored our page in results.
Practical note
It is a hint, not a guarantee; if you cannot add canonicals to partner sites, ask them to link back to your original as a fallback signal.