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[Dave Kotecki Company: One-24 Contribution Level: 5]

Ok, riddle me this networkers.

I have seen a lot of talk about "duplicate content".

I say "duplicate content" doesn't matter.

If, as so many like to point out, it's bad for your
Google rankings to have the same content on lots of
sites, then wouldn't it be the worst thing of all for your
rankings if your content went "viral"?

You'd have your same content all over the place!
Oh NO!
Duplicate content!

I guess you'd better get on the horn quick and ask all
of those webmasters to remove your article or whatever.
You wouldn't want to be "slapped" by Google.

If someone out there can tell me why "duplicate content"
matters (besides your content being the same on a bunch of
sites with the same ISP, in other words, they're all your sites)
please post a reply.

I think duplicate content has an undeserved bad reputation.
It's been framed!

[Cheryl James Company: Talk Fusion Global Contribution Level: 3]

Dave,

I don't understand the mechanics of the search engine rankings, but who does?

I agree with you 100%. Re posting of content is encouraged by article sites and some of the ezinearticles get the best rankings in the search engines.

[Sean Soboleski Contribution Level: 2]

The recent changes at Google are making duplicate content matter....to Google.

But, this only applies to the content of landing pages from Google ads. They have begun to crack down on this, to weed out "affiliates". And to continue to enrich the user experience. Think about it, if someone searches a keyword, and then all of the top ten pages are exactly the same page, with a different url, the user doesnt have any unique content to go through. They would feel robbed. Especially if that content sucked.

I personally think this is why Bing has come out with the ads emphasizing that they are the "decision engine". There's not much of a decision if all 15 of your choices are exactly the same. They are trying to promote their algorithm as an alternative to Google's. It's a good idea.

However, posting an article to several different sites, for example, is not "duplicate content", as google would see it, because you are most likely not buying ppc clicks to each of those article sites. (I know you're not doing that!).

On the other hand, your organic ranking "is what it is". So, if you have 10 sites with exactly the same content and the same SEO, you could technically take up the first 10 organic spots if someone happened to search for the exact content of your page.. But this also would be as likely as that old saying about the monkeys and the typewriters randomly producing a novel...it's possible, but unlikely.

So, you mainly want to be concerned with "unique content" only if you are advertising on google. This also may be a priority if your goal is to provide your readers with a unique experience.

[Jeffrey Taylor Contribution Level: 2]

If you want to get a better understanding of what google sees as duplicate content and what they do check out this recent video by Greg Grothaus Engineer, Google Search Quality August 12, 2009 - SES San Jose

Here is the link

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/duplicate-content-and-multiple-site.html

hope it helps

[Dave Kotecki Company: One-24 Contribution Level: 5]

Ok, we're getting closer.

I really don't care about duplicate content.

My concern is that lots of people are talking about
it and I think the wrong idea is getting passed around.

So far, it looks like duplicate content doesn't matter
the way most think it does.
Anyone who has done any PPC on Google knows about
the affiliate link thing.
I don't think that's what most are talking about when they
tell people not to post duplicate content.

In the interest of good information being passed around,
I wanted to bring this question up.
Maybe we can all get a better understanding of the subject.

Thanks for helping clarify things.

[Mike Contribution Level: 2]

In my opinion getting traffic to my sites is more important then ranking in Google. The internet is always changing anyways and Google is always making changes so I just focus on traffic.

[Dave Kotecki Company: One-24 Contribution Level: 5]

I knew it!

Thanks guys.

This is just one of those things that I hear
being repeated by people who think that
they're "giving value".

I'm sure they mean well, but we've got to
take a harder look at "common knowledge",
especially when it comes to the bottom line.
You know, where the profit (or loss) is shown?

I don't know how many times something has
to be heard and who has to deliver it to
convince people, but somehow these myths
are being promoted as truth.

Let's keep dispelling these myths.
It's fun!

[Richard Bravo Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 8]

.

Dup content is a big deal in the "replicated website" arena, which anyone in mlm has probably seen or even used and maybe even still uses today. These are the sites typically furnished by your company of choice, the distributor or member replicated website that comes with your membership in the company, paid and free alike.

The problem with "these" websites is that they are all EXACTLY the same. Clones.
Which in Google's eyes, poses a problem. The Google algorithm is desperately trying to provide "unique" relevant content to it's viewers. So if it finds a group of sites that have the exact site structure, page content, onpage links, etc., etc., it has no choice but to serve only one in the search results and discredit the rest from the index.

Some view this as a slap. It's not. Nor is it a penalty per say.
It's just the way the algorithm is programmed and how the search results work.
It makes sense really. How useful would Google be if every listing in the top 10 were the same content, no matter how many domains were listed? It would suck.

Where people confuse the issue is when it comes to one page or another containing content that may be on another site. Page to page, from one to the next, this is a myth. It may have been an issue at one small point in time about 5 years ago. There were traces of this type of behavior in the algorithm, but it's obvious Google realized pretty quick that "the information age" is about the syndication of information, therefore, like any media channel, information WILL be distributed, shared and redistributed in mass online. To "penalize" webmasters for this would be foolish.

Consider Google itself, or any other directory or search engine for that matter.... that's all they are...
Content syndication delivery services..... shelling out "duplicate" content with every search result.

As far as "weeding out" affiliates, this is another myth. Google is not against affiliates. What Google is against is LAZY affiliates that try to hustle the system. The same principles apply as in the organic search results. If every single ad had the exact same landing page for the exact same product, over time, visitors would catch on and stop clicking on ads. Google CANNOT allow that to happen. It's called LOST REVENUE. So, they have to apply the high standards, if not greater, to the Adwords program, to ensure the USER experience is the highest quality it can be.... NOT the affiliates. So, with that said, as an affiliate you must learn to embrace Google's rules and guidelines and be SMART.... not lazy.

But it has nothing to do with Google having it out for affiliates or network marketers.
If you are going to chose to use this channel in your marketing, then YOU just need to get better at playing the game. Period.

~richard

[Joyce Penner Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 7]

Richard. Once again you have hit the nail on the head. I appreciate your logical explanations you provide.
To your success,
Joyce Penner

[Chris Gustafson Contribution Level: 2]

Very well said Richard!

Thanks,

Chris