Member Avatar for ArtphotoasiA

Hello there.... in my photography blog I just changed my permalink in WP to a more structured solution that better cover and describe the variety of pictures and images displayed.

So i moved from...

to...


I use Platinum SEO pack plugin in WP and I have everything re-directly 301 smoothly to the new url.

If I digit the old url in the browser I got the new one and the correct page.

Also the canonical link is created correctly and is the new one.

All look perfect but... Google webmaster tool is finding out hundreds of duplicate content considering wrongly the old url and the new url as different pages (and so obviously same title and description).

What I should do?

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  • 2 Months Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Member #616971

Dani AI

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Quick expert summary tied to the thread: the permalink change you described and the 301s you put in place were the right move, and Search Console’s duplicate flags are a common temporary artifact while Google re-crawls and consolidates signals. A server-side permanent redirect (HTTP 301/308) is the strongest, clearest signal for a URL move and Google’s site‑move guidance explains what to expect during recrawl. (developers.google.com)

Practical checklist to avoid lingering “duplicate” entries:

  • Confirm the old URL actually returns a real HTTP 301 (not a JS/meta refresh or a 200 page that immediately forwards).
  • Eliminate redirect chains so the old URL points directly to the final URL.
  • Make sure every page’s rel="canonical" references the final new URL (canonicals should not point to URLs that themselves redirect).
  • Update the XML sitemap and internal links to use new permalinks, then submit the sitemap and use the URL Inspection tool for representative pages.
    A quick test command that auditors use is:
    curl -I -L 'https://example.com/old-url/'

    These checks are exactly what Google recommends when moving or restructuring URLs. (developers.google.com)

About the reported PageRank drop: public “Toolbar PageRank” is an old, rarely‑updated metric and has been retired for general use; a visible zero doesn’t mean link equity was lost. Google’s documentation also says server‑side redirects don’t inherently strip link credit—rank/traffic should stabilize as Google processes the moves. Focus on rankings, crawl/index status, and linking signals rather than toolbar PR. (developers.google.com)

Practical caution and wrap-up: don’t delete old URLs or remove redirects prematurely (contrary to ’s short suggestion); as and noted, patience is often enough once redirects are correct. If problems persist, inspect the specific URL in Search Console to see which canonical Google chose and remove any conflicting signals (old sitemap entries, internal links, or inconsistent canonicals). (developers.google.com)

Recommended Answers

All 8 Replies

Member Avatar for canadafred

delete one or the other

Member Avatar for ArtphotoasiA

The situation is going on, it takes time for Google to update the system and delete the old url in webmaster tool but after 1000 duplicate issue I'm now back again to 200 and getting better. Need to be patient.

Member Avatar for ArtphotoasiA

Ok guys can confirm.... it was just matter of time.... today there are no errors anymore.

Member Avatar for JorgeM

Your confirmation is correct as artphotoasiA described. It takes a bit of time, but it will self correct. As the search engine spiders visit the old link, they will be redirected to the new link. They will report back and the references will be updated.

Member Avatar for atomitservices

301 redirect is SEO friendly redirect. Don't worry if you have done 301 redirect on your website.

Member Avatar for ArtphotoasiA

Regarding this issue and experiment I just want let you know that today there is not anymore any issue with duplicate content in my website but the pagerank of all the changed url post in WP is now 0 (before was 2) like if it was a brand new page with new url.
That was really bad! and Google states exactly the opposite saying that a correct 301 redirection does not alter the old pagerank.
__________________

Edited by ArtphotoasiA
Member Avatar for mike00

you have Good option that delet one of these and fixed the issue in WEb master tool

Member Avatar for Member #616971

If you have done the 301 redirection properly then there is nothing to worry about. Wait for some time and these messages will go away automatically.

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