Duplicate Content

This thread is a spin off from a thread begun discussing the issue of duplicate content regarding Blog Posts and ended up being an entire other discussion.

This thread will try to continue the discussion here in the Google Group so folks can find this info easier.

What is Duplicate content according to Google? {{Thanks to Pam for the Link}}

I highlighted in Blue what I believe answers the question posed in the other thread concerning duplicating the descriptions that sellers copy & paste from their shops to VV.

Duplicate Content (full article)

Duplicate content generally refers to substantive blocks of content within or across domains that either completely match other content or are appreciably similar. Mostly, this is not deceptive in origin. Examples of non-malicious duplicate content could include:

Discussion forums that can generate both regular and stripped-down pages targeted at mobile devices
Store items shown or linked via multiple distinct URLs
Printer-only versions of web pages

If your site contains multiple pages with largely identical content, there are a number of ways you can indicate your preferred URL to Google. (This is called "canonicalization".) More information about canonicalization.

However, in some cases, content is deliberately duplicated across domains in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings or win more traffic. Deceptive practices like this can result in a poor user experience, when a visitor sees substantially the same content repeated within a set of search results.

Google tries hard to index and show pages with distinct information. This filtering means, for instance, that if your site has a "regular" and "printer" version of each article, and neither of these is blocked with a noindex meta tag, we'll choose one of them to list. In the rare cases in which Google perceives that duplicate content may be shown with intent to manipulate our rankings and deceive our users, we'll also make appropriate adjustments in the indexing and ranking of the sites involved. As a result, the ranking of the site may suffer, or the site might be removed entirely from the Google index, in which case it will no longer appear in search results.

There are some steps you can take to proactively address duplicate content issues, and ensure that visitors see the content you want them to.

Tags: duplicate content

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ElsiesAttic ~ CEO on June 22, 2012 at 9:59pm

Duplicate content on a site is not grounds for action on that site unless it appears that the intent of the duplicate content is to be deceptive and manipulate search engine results. If your site suffers from duplicate content issues, and you don't follow the advice listed above, we do a good job of choosing a version of the content to show in our search results.

Permalink Reply by ElsiesAttic ~ CEO on June 22, 2012 at 10:23pm

At this point it's really up to you all to decide how to interpret the wording because in my mind, I feel it's acceptable to copy entire descriptions word for word because we are not trying to "fool" Google or be deceptive. We are just promoting items.

I just listed items here (after 4 years of not selling, I am finally getting back to listing) and I feel comfortable enough to copy the descriptions here to VV. I might tweak some from time to time just for the heck of it.

Their wording seems open to the idea that each site is unique and is evaluated overall. They certainly are not out to get honest folk from the way I read it.... :)

Permalink Reply by White Deer Trading Post on June 22, 2012 at 11:05pm

I can understand why google would do that but it cabn be a pain. I sell a particular model of a Goddess bra. They are identical in every way except size. how many ways can you describe a bra, especially when you aren't a clothing expert. so I copy and pasted the description. Altering the titles was a challenge. because there was only so many was they could be written and still including the proper information

Permalink Reply by WhimsicalVintage on June 23, 2012 at 6:36am

Upon reading the info from Google, my interpretation of this is...Google is looking for duplicate content within or across one site, think of it like this

....the spammer who posts the same paragraph or line over and over again, adding it to every profile and/or every discussion topic

For people who post the same items on different selling venues (not VV, Facebook, Pinterest or other social networking sites) ...if you copy and paste those listings to RL, Etsy, EBay, Artfire...you could have a problem because Google gets confused as to what the "real" listing is and translates it as spam. So if you have listed items identically on a few different sites, I would definitely change up my wording. I'm not sure how much you're effected by this if your items are only on two sites but I would still probably change up the wording a little.

The flip side of this, is that google actually "rewards" you for repetition of a listing and it's links back to you - they pick up that as being legit because of it's consistent wording and linking back to an authentic site. (see video link below)

All of that being said, I have copied and pasted my listings (descriptions and titles) from the beginning and my page rank stays within the top 3 pretty consistently. However, I've only ever been on Etsy until recently when I opened my RL shop and those shops have completely different items. I noticed that Carolyn (Cobayley) had said that her items consistently come up on top and she copies and pastes as I do, however Carolyn is exclusive to RL...so in our own different ways - we're still doing the same thing - not copying and pasting to multiple venues, only to social networking sites.

@White Deer Trading Post - I wouldn't worry about creatively coming up with descriptions for the bra:)...as long as you're only selling it on one site, maybe 2.

Here's the link to the video that Lora has posted in another discussion, it's well worth the 5 minutes of viewing as it explains the whole Google search process on a large scale - for me it really opened my eyes as to how everything works.

http://thevintagevillage.com/group/google-101/forum/topics/how-goog...

The important thing to remember is that we are all unique in how we sell, so what works or doesn't work for one, may work for another...at that point go back to the basics and apply the principles to your situation.

Hope this helps:)

Permalink Reply by White Deer Trading Post on June 23, 2012 at 1:13pm

Hi thanks for the explanation, the bras in question are sold in only one site, the store are separate. Sewing pattern village is for patterns and related only. there is no cross over. You have made thing much more clear

Permalink Reply by CheriShops - Admin on June 23, 2012 at 3:54pm

If you are syndicated on Etsy ie your items being fed to Google Shopping aka Product Search, and if you have a number of listings that you have duplicated on both venues, then be sure to ask one of them to stop feeding to Shopping or you may find Big G blocks your items arbitrarily from one or the other.....

Green Desert Art said:

It sure is easier. I have no intention of manipulating. What about people who list the same items on, say, Etsy and Ruby Lane. I have noticed they use the same wording sometimes. I'm pretty sure they're not trying to manipulate, either. Come to think of it, one of my paintings is listed on both those sites. hmmmm. I'd better read up :)

Permalink Reply by White Deer Trading Post on June 23, 2012 at 4:23pm

none of my items are in 2 venues

Permalink Reply by Vintage Jewelry Chest on June 26, 2012 at 12:50pm

I've always been curious about this topic so thank you for the info.

I had always heard duplicate content was bad and wondered about the specifics as I post items from my shops to twitter, facebook, etc. with the exact same title. It's good to hear that this isn't a problem.

I do have vintage jewelry on multiple sites, feebay (very few- downsized to 50 free monthly listings), Etsy, Bonanza, ECrater and my own site. The jewelry items themselves are all different inventory pieces but obviously they are the same category of items. I was so confused by everything I had heard that I started to wonder if this wasn't allowed as well.

There's so much mis-information out there about what google wants / prefers / allows that it's dangerous!

Permalink Reply by San Marcos Art Glass on June 26, 2012 at 5:41pm

The Penguin Webinar is tomorrow. I know that many of us will get much reassurance if we aren't using black hat methods. I'm looking forward to learning how Penguin works and what things to avoid doing. Penguin, from what is written, is aimed at finding folks employing black hat methods. I personally don't have enough tech savvy to do that, particularly when being hosted on other sites. I look forward to the Webinar.

Permalink Reply by ElsiesAttic ~ CEO on June 26, 2012 at 5:47pm

Is there a link for folks to follow?

San Marcos Art Glass said:

The Penguin Webinar is tomorrow. I know that many of us will get much reassurance if we aren't using black hat methods. I'm looking forward to learning how Penguin works and what things to avoid doing. Penguin, from what is written, is aimed at finding folks employing black hat methods. I personally don't have enough tech savvy to do that, particularly when being hosted on other sites. I look forward to the Webinar.

Permalink Reply by ElsiesAttic ~ CEO on June 26, 2012 at 5:53pm

I found something but not sure if it's what you are referring to as this is from an older post.

http://www.buuteeq.com/blog/webinar-google-penguin-hotel-seo/

I will begin a new thread for it also.... :)

Permalink Reply by San Marcos Art Glass on June 26, 2012 at 6:01pm

Hmm, I thought all the Google people had been invited. I received an invitation from Google a while back and registered. There are only a certain number of connections available, so they may have been sent out to random people. If you google "Google Penguin Webinar" you might be able to locate it and see if you can register for tomorrow. If not, it will probably be made available after the Webinar is over. It promises to be interesting and is probably building on the video in the link.

I'm kind of confused about doing a new thread. I stay confused. ;) Penguin is all about duplicate content. It was launched in April to replace Panda. I have the feeling it is about to get stricter, but I don't know.