<b>Q: Should I use a canonical tag or a 301 redirect for old URLs?</b>

<b>Q: Should I use a canonical tag or a 301 redirect for old URLs?</b>

Short answer: for a migration, use 301 redirects. Canonicals are for a different job.

Long answer: These get confused constantly. A 301 redirect physically sends the user and crawler to the new URL — the old page no longer loads. A canonical tag leaves both pages live but tells Google 'index this other one as the main version.' During a move, you want the old URL GONE and visitors landing on the new page — that's a redirect.

Use a canonical when you can't redirect: duplicate content you must keep accessible, print versions, tracking-parameter URLs, or syndicated content. It's a softer hint Google can ignore; a 301 is a hard instruction it follows.

Next step: for your moved URLs, set 301s. Then check the NEW pages don't have leftover canonicals pointing back at the old domain — that's a sneaky bug that tells Google to keep indexing the dead URL.