Google Reports Duplicate Metas on Categories

Hi:

Please watch the SEO Ultimate Video Tutorial here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZwZuUPCAto

The meta description editor module starts at 19:24 in.

You should make sure that the canonicalizer module is checked under SEO Ultimate > Modules > Misc.

And you can also go to the Meta Description Editor Module and click the categories in question and rewrite them individually.

Not sure why your site is looking at each category as all the same, but, if you are running any type of redirection plugins that could be an issue.

Nonetheless you can use the canonicalizer and mass editor in addition to the Meta Description Editor to fix the duplicates.

Best.

Jeffrey

To answer second part of your question, {description} under category description format is the appropriate format (since this is like a shortcode that is telling SEO Ultimate to put the meta description in the appropriate place).

Screen cap is here for default – https://screencast.com/t/QDUWNRMx2

But you can simply use the categories tab and rewrite any or all en masse.

Best,

Jeffrey

Hi Jeffrey,

Thank you. Please allow me to go through your suggestions one by one.

#1 – the canonicalizer module is and was checked.
#2 – I have over 260 categories – and I didn’t think I had to write actual descriptions for them – since they are categories – not actual posts or pages. I dont WANT google to list a post with a category preceding it in a DIFFERENT URL – and in fact I have this setting checked, using SEO Ultimate – but I am not sure it is doing what I think its supposed to be doing —
Permalink Tweaker: Remove the URL bases of. Categories IS checked.

To me, that appeared to mean by checking it, a “category” would not be included or added to any post or page URL, since it is only categorized. (?) OR the actual WORD ‘category’ (which is what is showing up in Webmaster tools on Google…

#3 I AM running a Redirect tool – not sure how that could be interfering?? – I need to have the redirect tool – but I also need to find out why I have the very first one in Webmaster tools showing up as “/?cat=28” for every single category (and of course with a different number)

PS: and what is “and mass editor”??

Hi Bcr8tive:

#1 – ok good.

#2 – that’s allot of categories, but should be fine. For permalink tweaker this is simply removing the word “category” from the actual URL slug / category base. But, this could be colliding with your redirect plugin.

#3 – Redirection tool could be creating conflict with native WP .htaccess file or permalink tweaker or somehow redirect is making new categories parameter strings /cat=”28″ then parameter… not sure about this one as we have never had a ticket about this in particular.

Jeffrey

Yes it’s a lot of categories which is why I hoped to not have to write individual descriptions – especially since they are only categories.

(bcr8tive.com)

I don’t think the redirect tool writes to htaccess at all – but might disable it just to see if that helps (though I’ll have to wait for Google to respider too – and that will be another headache while I wait)

and more perplexing, is it isn’t doing it on every single category…

I have 58 duplicate metas on categories – but 261 categories – (with subcategories of course) – like under Designers – there are individual designers, then their collections are featured IN that category…

It gets confusing when some are reported with the /cat=”#” and others with the actual word included in the string “category” – and that option is checked to remove that – in Ultimate Seo

SIGHHHhhhhh

Sounds like a canonical issue, and once again, without knowing what the other plugin is doing, hard to say.

In the meantime, just use the [x] redirect for nonexistent pagination option in SEO ultimate Misc. module. This could at least clean up some of the mess.

Thanks Jeffrey – I’ll try that.

I thought all the redirect was doing was redirecting – where necessary. They are all specific and do so when manually added.
This is the plugin: https://urbangiraffe.com/plugins/redirection/

Going to work on it, add some descriptions, see what happens. ?

ok, let me know if you determine what is the issue or if there is collision so we can address. All the best and marking as resolved for now.

Jeffrey