How can I force a certain URL for Google to use in search results?

Question

Each page on my site can be accessed by a shortened URL and normal "long" URLs. The shortened URL redirects to the long URL and the long URL includes an optional title that's not parsed (much like on this site, where http://webmasters.SE/questions/7/accepting-money... is equivalent to http://webmasters.SE/questions/7).

When pages show up in Google search results, there is a mixture of three kinds of URL.

• http://site.com/Ab1C.html
• http://site.com/content/123/full_name
• http://site.com/content/123

Is there a way to encourage Google to use a specific format in the results?

Answer 1

You need to use a canonical meta. I've explained it in this answer.

You question is not exactly a duplicate but the answer is the same. Put a meta canonical in your file indicating the right name of search engines to use. As in:

<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.site.com/path-you-want" />