Duplicate content can cause search engines to struggle with selecting the correct version of your content to rank, which can harm your SEO performance. This can also lead to lower visibility in search results.
In the world of SEO, it’s important to understand how search engines like Google deal with "duplicate content." What exactly is duplicate content? Does it affect your SEO? And if so, what can you do to avoid negative consequences?
Duplicate content refers to content that is the same or nearly the same across multiple web pages. This can occur both within your own website (internal duplicate content) and across different websites (external duplicate content). Typically, it involves larger sections of text, rather than just a few sentences or words.
Google has never explicitly defined what "substantial blocks of content" are, but it's clear that it refers to pieces of text that are copied literally or nearly identically in multiple cases.
This is common in e-commerce websites. For example, a product might fall under multiple categories, which can cause it to appear on different pages with essentially the same content. This can lead to confusion for Google regarding which page to index, increasing the likelihood of impacting search results.
External duplicate content occurs when you copy content from another website, such as copying a press release or product descriptions from a supplier. This often happens unknowingly, especially when you use the same text provided by your supplier. It can be problematic, especially when multiple e-commerce sites use the same product descriptions.
While duplicate content doesn’t directly result in a penalty, it does affect how your pages are ranked. Google always tries to identify and rank the original version of content. If Google detects that multiple pages have identical content, it often chooses the page that was published first.
However, there are cases where a duplicate might rank higher than the original article. This can happen if the duplicate page is more user-friendly, for example, with better mobile optimization or faster loading times.
The best way to avoid duplicate content is by creating original, unique content. If you have an e-commerce website, it’s essential to thoroughly modify the standard product descriptions you receive from suppliers. While this takes extra time and effort, it pays off with better SEO performance and reduced risk of duplicate content.
When the same product or page is available through different URLs, you can tell Google which version you prefer by using the rel="canonical" tag. This helps Google understand which page to index and signals your preferred version, thus reducing duplicate content. On platforms like WordPress, you can easily add this via SEO plugins like Yoast.
Use tools like Screaming Frog to check if your website suffers from duplicate content. This tool provides insights into potential issues so you can work on improving your site and preventing duplicate content.
Duplicate content can negatively affect your SEO performance, but there are several ways to address this issue. Create unique content where possible, use the rel="canonical" tag to help Google understand your preferred page version, and regularly monitor your website to avoid duplicate content.
Duplicate content can cause search engines to struggle with selecting the correct version of your content to rank, which can harm your SEO performance. This can also lead to lower visibility in search results.
Duplicate content often arises due to technical issues, such as multiple URLs pointing to the same content, or by copying text from other websites. It is important to identify and resolve these causes to prevent SEO problems.
The rel="canonical" tag gives search engines the indication of which version of a page they should index when there are multiple versions with the same content. This ensures that your preferred version ranks higher in search results.
Yes, copying standard descriptions can lead to duplicate content, especially if other online stores use the same texts. Rewriting these descriptions is essential to stay unique and avoid SEO problems.
It is important to take swift action by correcting the duplication. This can be done by rewriting the content, using the canonical tag, or checking your website's technical settings to prevent unintended duplications.
SEO
Copywriting
After three months of SEO optimization for Robbe Industries, we are pleased to share the results achieved so far. The website has experienced a significant improvement in search engine visibility and traffic growth.
+30.000 impressions per month
+800 monthly visitors
Website
SEO
Through local SEO optimization, Archipool has increased its online presence and now ranks at the top in more than 50 regions.
1300% more organic visitors
1st place in over 50 regions
Do you want to check your website for duplicate content or get help with improving your SEO strategies? Contact us for a free consultation and discover how we can help you rank higher in search results!