In short. Set the preferred URL in the HubSpot editor's Settings > Advanced > Customize canonical URL field, then click Publish or Update.
Definition: A canonical URL identifies the preferred version of duplicate or very similar content. As of 17 October 2026, HubSpot documents a Customize canonical URL field under Settings > Advanced in the page editor; publishing or updating the page makes the change live.
Key facts
- HubSpot's canonical URL documentation states that canonical URLs configured on individual pages or posts take priority over the website's canonical settings.
- Google's canonical URL guidance recommends absolute URLs in canonical link elements, including the protocol and domain.
- Google's URL Inspection documentation distinguishes User-declared canonical from Google-selected canonical in the indexed page information.
Where is the custom canonical URL field?
HubSpot's page-level instructions cover website pages, landing pages and blog posts. For a website page, the documented route is Content > Website Pages. For a landing page, it is Content > Landing Pages. Some accounts show these routes under More.
Hovering over the existing page exposes Edit. In the content editor, Settings > Advanced opens the dialog containing Customize canonical URL. The field accepts the preferred content URL. Publish or Update, in the top right, applies the change to the live page.
The same documentation states that a newly created page or blog post uses its own URL as canonical by default. A custom value provides a page-level override when another URL represents the preferred version of the content.
What URL belongs in the field?
Google's canonicalization instructions describe canonical links as a strong signal for selecting a preferred URL among duplicate or very similar pages. The target therefore corresponds to the preferred version of that content.
Google recommends an absolute URL and advises against specifying different canonical URLs through different methods, such as a sitemap and a canonical link. Its documentation gives this HTML example:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/dresses/green-dresses" />
In HubSpot's field, the value is the URL inside href. The code above illustrates the canonical link element in Google's example. Google accepts that element in the HTML document's <head> section.
How can the result be checked?
Google's URL Inspection instructions explain that User-declared canonical shows an explicitly declared canonical URL. Google-selected canonical shows the URL Google selects when it finds similar pages. Google can select a different URL from the declared preference.
The documented report location is:
Page indexing > Google-selected canonical
This comparison uses the indexed version of the page. The live test cannot predict canonical selection, so its result alone cannot verify which URL Google chooses.
Related terms
- Canonical URL
- How do I change HubSpot's default canonical URL behavior?
- How do I control canonical URLs for HubSpot blog listings?
- Where do I compare Google's selected canonical with my declared URL?
FAQ
Do I need a custom canonical URL on every HubSpot page?
HubSpot's documented default makes a new page's own URL canonical. You can enter a custom value when another URL is the preferred version of duplicate content.
Does editing the field make the change live immediately?
The same HubSpot documentation requires Publish or Update after editing the canonical URL. You complete that step in the top right of the editor.
Sources
- HubSpot, "Set canonical URLs for duplicate content", 22 April 2026
- Google Search Central, "How to specify a canonical URL with rel="canonical" and other methods", 10 July 2026
- Google Search Console Help, "URL Inspection tool", undated
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