The first thing that you should do is check the soruce code of the article using both URL’s and check the value set for the <canonical> tag. If the vlaue in there is the same on both of the differnt URL’s then you will have no problems with SEO.
If they aren’t the same then I’d suggest changing your permalink settings so that it’s only postname. This will let you have the post as http://www.mywebiste.com/my-post instead. This may not get the same SEO value from the URL (which is pretty negligable really) but it will solve any duplicate content issues that your site might have.
They are the same and thanks for your suggestion. But I would also love to have the 301 redirect implemented because there are many search systems in other countries, not only the Google and I don’t know how they will react to the canonical tag.
The solution with creating the post without category in the url is not good enough for me. I want to solve the problem, not to go with the easiest way.
If the link in the canonical tag is the same for both pages, then you don’t need to do anything. That’s what the canonical tag is for. It tells Google and other SE’s that the URL in the canonocal tag is the main reference so index that page. From the sounds of it you do not need to do anything. You’re all good.
Yeah but I read some articles, listened to Matt Cutts, and everyone says that rel canonical is the last resort. I mean you should try 301 and only then rel canonical. Here is the fresh video with Matt Cutts:
http://www.webpronews.com/matt-cutts-talks-301s-vs-relcanonical-2012-12
if you’re worried, then set up the 301’s. It sounds like you’re answering your own question there.
catacaustic no, maybe you just didn’t understand the question. I know that I need 301 redirect, but I don’t know HOW to implement it in this particular situation. That’s where I need help.
I understand the question perfectly well, I just think that you are over-complicating things. I do understand that using a canonical tag may not be your first do-everything option, but it does just as well as anything else does and in your case it does exactly what you want it to. If you really want to do 301’s there’s a lot of good plugins on here that can do that. If it was me, I wouldn’t worry about it, mainly because having both URL’s set up like that would allow the breadcrumb trail to flow the way it’s meant to for the visitor. When people get caught up in SEO they forget the most important rule of SEO – Websites are made for people, not bots. If you make your site to keep your visitors happy that will have a far greater effect then worrying about these 301’s vs canonical issues.
