Audit a canonical URL inventory

Preserve distinctions until you have evidence to consolidate them.

Start from the URLs you actually serve

Combine a public sitemap with known navigation routes and relevant Search Console findings. Keep the source of each URL. A list assembled only from guessed keyword combinations is not an inventory of the live site.

Do not normalize away meaning

Hostnames are case-insensitive, but paths may be case-sensitive. A trailing slash or query parameter can alter application behavior. The checker intentionally keeps these distinctions. Inspect redirects and content before deciding that two addresses should become one.

Choose one preferred address

For genuinely equivalent public pages, choose a preferred URL based on the site’s existing structure and user needs. Keep internal links and sitemap entries consistent with it. Use a suitable redirect for retired equivalents and a canonical annotation where appropriate; verify the live result.

Record the change and watch for mistakes

Keep a mapping from old to preferred URLs, the reason for each change and the verification result. Avoid redirecting every missing URL to the homepage: visitors need a meaningful destination or a real not-found response. Recheck important inbound paths after deployment.