According to a study, 29% of websites have duplicate content issues.
In the quest to improve your website's content creation and SEO performance, regularly monitoring your data for good performance is a strategy that is widely implemented. However, beyond this, it is crucial to pay attention to Google's algorithm systems.
- With the Panda Algorithm, Google made sure to display primarily high-quality and original content on the SERP, while relegating low-quality and duplicate content to the bottom of the ranking.
It is not enough to simply present quality content; it is equally important to ensure that your content is not categorized as duplicate content by Google Algorithms. Considering this, many experienced eCommerce companies are extra careful to be perceived as original by Google and avoid creating duplicate content.
This article delves into what duplicate content entails, its effects on your SEO performance, and how to detect and avoid it, so you can maintain a strong online presence.
How to detect duplicate content
Detecting duplicate content with heybooster is easy with just a few clicks! Let's see how to get a duplicate content report in 5 steps!
- The first thing you need to do to get your report is to sign up to heybooster.
- In the second step, click on the Integrations and connect data sources with heybooster
- In the third step, click on Insight categories and run the Organic Performance (SEO) package.
- In step four, click on Duplicate content insight.
- And that's it! Now your duplicate content report is ready. Don't forget to click on Set a Notification and be aware of changes in data!
What is duplicate content?
Duplicate content refers to content that is identical or very similar to another piece of content on your website or someone else's website. This can be confusing for both users and Google's algorithm. Google's algorithm aims to provide users with the most relevant and useful content.
- So, if there are multiple pieces of content that are similar, it may not be able to determine which one to prioritize on the SERP.
- This can result in a lower ranking for your content, even if it is original, and negatively impact your business's visibility and reputation.
- To avoid creating duplicate content, it is important to understand the different types of duplicate content.
What are the different types of duplicate content?
- Internal Duplicate Content
This occurs when you have two identical or very similar pieces of content on your own website. The Google algorithm may not be able to differentiate between the two pieces of content, resulting in a lower ranking and lower visibility for your page.
Examples of Internal Duplicate Content
- External Duplicate Content
This occurs when the content on your website is the same or very similar to content on other websites. This may be due to content being copied without permission or rewritten with minor changes. Google may classify your page as containing duplicate content, which can negatively impact your ranking and reputation.
Examples of External Duplicate Content
The Negative Impact of Duplicate Content on SEO
Duplicate content can have severe negative impacts on eCommerce SEO. Let's explore them in detail:
- Decline in SERP Ranking
There are numerous factors that influence a website's rank on the SERP, but having unique and original content is one of the most important ones. Google's algorithms are designed to understand the search intent of users and display the most relevant content.
If there are numerous sites with the same or similar content, the algorithm has to select which one to display. This can result in your website ranking lower than your competitors, reducing your visibility and reach.
Additionally, having internal duplicate content can cause further confusion for the algorithm, leading to one page being overlooked while the other is prominently featured.
- Reduced Site Value for Google
When you have too much duplicate content, Google may perceive your site as unoriginal and not meeting user requests, resulting in a lower perceived value.
This can have a snowball effect, creating unwanted problems for your site's SEO performance and credibility. Although a few duplicated contents may not cause significant harm, a growing number of duplicates may lead to the devaluation of your site.
To maintain a strong online presence, it is vital to avoid creating duplicate content. By doing so, you can improve your SERP ranking, enhance your site's credibility, and attract more visitors to your eCommerce site.
Of course, there are some other negative impacts that you need to consider about duplicate content.
Best practices to avoid duplicate content
To start, our first recommendation would be to act swiftly. Allowing duplicate content to accumulate over the years and grow in effect like a snowball can contribute to insufficient SEO performance. So, how can you avoid this situation?
- Create original content
While it may not have a direct impact on your performance, using only a few sentences from other sources or giving references can potentially damage your SEO performance. In contrast, generating original and unique content contributes to your website's value and enhances its credibility.
For Google algorithms, the important aspect is finding as many different responses as possible to the variety of search intents, which are continuously evolving. The more original your content, the more valuable it is to Google.
- Examine other websites' content!
Before beginning to create your content on a specific topic, it is helpful to examine the content of other websites. This way, you can understand how other pages address the topic and chart your own course by following different methods.
Examining the content of other websites allows you to see different perspectives to approach the topic and fill in the gaps where other websites miss by providing redundant information on the same topic.
- Check if your content is duplicated!
Despite being rigorous and demanding to achieve success, Google's algorithm also provides you the opportunity to safeguard your content. If you feel that your content is being used by other websites with the same or very similar frequency, notify Google of the situation and establish your ownership of the original content.
Consequently, regardless of the other site's authority on the SERP, your original content will be in the forefront, and you will protect your rights.
- Keep a close eye on your content!
Duplicate content is not a one-time problem that you can just check and forget after taking action. You need to review your content regularly and ensure that everything is in order, especially if you're actively creating content.
To make steady progress in your SEO performance, you must remain in control throughout the process, and even the slightest details are crucial.
Conclusion
In conclusion, duplicate content is a serious concern for any website owner or digital marketer. Not only can it confuse users and search engines, but it can also harm your SEO performance and reputation.
By understanding the different types of duplicate content, monitoring your content regularly, and following best practices such as creating original content and examining competitors' content, you can avoid these negative consequences and improve your online visibility.
Now, join heybooster and the duplicate contents!
