Use A Filter For Duplicate Content
Hello folks. I am continually amazed at the amount of content on websites that I have seen elsewhere. And this content isn’t just put there as an example or as something to refer to. This content has been passed of as the site owners own work.
Personally I liken internet marketing to a race where websites are competing for a high ranking with the search engines. But in this race it’s important to avoid duplicate content and its penalties, because, and make no mistake folks, those sites will be penalized.
This is because search engines have filters which removes duplicate content from pages they’re indexing.
As website owners you need to understand how filters function and know how to avoid being filtered out.
I recently published a blog on search engine spiders and another one where I gave the URL for a spider simulator. I hope everyone who is reading this blog has also read these other two. If you have - You Will Avoid Duplicate Content On Your Site, Guaranteed.
Getting back to spiders
When a search engine sends out spiders the filters leave out:
websites that feature identical content.
This is when a site the owner includes many copies or versions of pages to cheat the search engines. Filters are also extremely sensitive to "Doorway" pages.
Content masked by different packaging.
Known as "scraped content" this duplication of pages with little, or no relevant changes will be filtered out as well.
Product descriptions featured by e-commerce sites.
Most e-commerce sites publish alongside a product the manufacturer's description of the product and this content then appears on millions of e-commerce sites falling victim to filters.
Articles distributed widely over the net.
While some engines are programmed to find the origin of the article there are others who may not be able to source the origins.
Pages that are not duplicates but contain the same core material written by different people.
To get the better of filters you need to:
• Use a tool like this one I mentioned in that earlier blog - www.webconfs.com/search-engine-spider-simulator.php - to ensure that the pages in your site are not mirroring content from elsewhere. In case there are other URLs with similar or identical content the tool will reveal them to you and you will be able to make changes in your pages.
• Lookout for people who have helped themselves to your content. Use - http://www.copyscape.com/ - you can determine which websites have stolen or copied your work. You can also access this blog of mine if you want to protect your site - https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/robert-a/blog/protecting-your-website. It’s a personal choice, but you know it makes sense to protect your work.
• If you cannot avoid using distributed content to make a point or as a reference you can add a commentary or make changes to the page focusing on its relevance to your site. By making any content your own you are making it unique and different and this will ensure that the pages are not filtered by search engines.
• Even if you are running an e-commerce site you must include product descriptions that are distinctively yours and not run of the mill or copied from somewhere else such as the vendor’s site.
Learn as much as you can about duplicate content because search engines such as Google or Yahoo do not want to be flooded by duplicate content web pages.
I read recently that the most duplicate content mistakes were -
circular navigation
inconsistent linking
product only pages
transparent serving domains
bad cloaking.
Get your site ranked high with fair means and not foul people and you wont go far wrong.
Please feel free to leave a comment and of course share any other tit bits of info that might help your fellow WA members.
Have a great day.
Robert Allan
Recent Comments
24
Hi Robert .
Simply not worth doing,as you say( copying content)
Always enjoy your blogs.
Thanks.
Hello Papi and thank you for dropping by.
It is sometimes a necessary evil to include someone else's work or at least a piece of it but as long as you give credit where credit's due it is acceptable because the spiders will report that you have done so.
I nearly always put in a link and that way you are looked on favourably by the search engines.
But each to his or her own and if they get caught out then they can only blame themselves.
Have a good day.
Robert
Thank you for your comment Val.
Glad to help out and this really is a blog so many WA members should be reading or they will come a cropper as we say here.
Enjoy your day.
Robert
Excellent information Robert, and most certainly things to look out for, and really pay attention to.
It really tells you allot about a person that will do such things as to steal another persons content. Although the up side is it tells you that you are on the right tract for some one to want to steal your information. But I would think that would hurt a person too.
Thanks Robert and have a wonderful week ahead.
Linda
Always a pleasure to see you have read one of my blogs Linda.
Have you used the simulator yet, just to make sure all is well with your site.
Thank you for your comment.
You have an excellent day.
Robert
Yes indeed Sami and you know it makes sense.
Thank you for your comment and keep on rocking.
Robert
No probs Bill and glad to help out.
Thank you for taking the time to visit and read my blog.
Have a nice day.
Robert
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Useful resources Robert will keep them to hand thank you
No probs Katie.
Thank you for your comment.
Robert