Linked Products

[ElTel78]

Hi, I want one product to be in more than 1 category but I am worried about the SEO value because of duplicate content.

I have tried running a search here and I did find a few topics that mentioned that you link the categories to the product by using the small 'c' button next to the product listing and copying it over by choosing 'link product'. I read that this is supposed to take the multiple category listings to the same product page.

However, I have noticed that they have different urls and these are going to get listed in Google and possibly treated as duplicate content, so it worries me slightly. I notice that the cpath= in the url has different numbers.

I made sure I didn't choose duplicate product... I chose 'Link Product'.

Does anyone know how to match multiple categories to one single product using the same url & cpath?

Thank you

[ElTel78]

Sorry to add, I'll explain further because I have just re-read what I wrote and it doesn't make sense. I have products already in categories, but at the moment the product categories are set as certain sizes in my navigation menu, from lowest to highest, but the products within those categories are different colours of the same size. Now I want to create more categories and do it vice-versa, so my visitor can search via colour and not just by size (if that makes sense?) - so the new category in my navigation menu has all of the same colour but different sizes.

So... I want products to appear in different categories but when I link them together (using the 'c' the product is written to the new category, but there is a different number in the new product url where cpath= is, which I am assuming is the category number? These two different urls will get listed in Google and will therefore create duplicate content. So there lies my problem.

Thank you :)

[gilby]

These two different urls will get listed in Google and will therefore create duplicate content. So there lies my problem.

Thank you :)

Actually they won't if you are using zen 1.3.9 or higher
These versions use "canonical" links
so google WON'T store the path in the url
The stored link will look like

http://www.mysite.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=579

Use the view source to look at your pages, and you will see what google sees, in the canonical link.

[ElTel78]

Actually they won't if you are using zen 1.3.9 or higher
These versions use "canonical" links
so google WON'T store the path in the url
The stored link will look like

http://www.mysite.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=579

Use the view source to look at your pages, and you will see what google sees, in the canonical link.

Thanks Gilby, I am on version 1.3.9 and yes, you are correct, canonical tags are there. I lost a few hours last night trying to figure it out though, I guess canonical tags never even entered my mind.

{Edit} I have just noticed the canonical urls go to blank pages saying 'sorry, product not found

[ElTel78]

I cannot edit so here is a reply. I see the reason, the canonical url is not properly written, here is my url structure:

index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35

Here is what it is supposed to be:

index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35

So, the url is pulling the & instead of just &

Where can I fix this?

Thank you

[gilby]

I cannot edit so here is a reply. I see the reason, the canonical url is not properly written, here is my url structure:

index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35

Here is what it is supposed to be:

index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=35

So, the url is pulling the & instead of just &

Where can I fix this?

Thank you

Nothing to fix
The & in the canonical link is correct.
You can't use it in the browser directly however.