Tangible Information About Duplicate Content

Last Update: June 02, 2011

If you're anything like me, you're tired of myths and conjecture, and you want to know the real deal on the Google change regarding unique content. Just doesn't make sense to me that an article can't be syndicated. The directories are built on that idea.

Here are some links to info that should clear up some of the fog about duplicate content.

http://www.seositecheckup.com/articles/47

http://www.seositecheckup.com/articles/121

http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=66359

 

"Duplicate Content"

"Just about everyone who has an online business knows how important fresh and relevant content is to their site's SEO. However, growing concerns about duplicate content penalties and plagiarism are causing many myths to be circulated and a lot of site owner's are being mislead.
  • What constitutes duplicate content?
Two variables are required in order for content to qualify as negative use of "duplicate content". The first is that it has to be a word for word copy of the original content. If there is either a 30% difference or more the content is no longer considered to be duplication. This is why the 30% rule is used in approval guidelines for sites like "Ezine Articles."
 
The second variable is that negative use of "duplicate content" will not contain a LINK to the original content or article. This is known as "content scraping" in which the original content is copied verbatim without linking to the original. The difference is that as long as there is a link to credit the original article publisher, that link can be followed by the Google bot and it can verify which content is original.

Plenty of blogs are built by the use of content syndication where the original source is copied verbatim linked to and these blogs do just fine with the search engines. It is when the link is absent that the content gets removed from the Google index due to being regarded as "duplicate content."

 

I apologize if I've been obsessive. Too important to let slide by. You can miss out on opportunity through misunderstanding. From what I have read, it is fine to publish your own EZA article on your own site, particularly if you provide a link to the original publication. To publish that same article all over your own site/s is a bad idea however, such as on multiple pages. I do not know how this applies to SA. Kyle and Carson will determine that.

I intend to write EZA and ask them their thoughts too. 

Please provide your thoughts to enlighten all of us hard working stiffs.

Thanks, J

UPDATE: Heard from EZA. They could offer no advice. They suggested I consult the search engines. Also emphasized writing quality content in order to create a following. Well, duh.

 



 

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jatdebeaune Premium
Bruce, Why don't the directories inform those who want to reprint an article of the NOINDEX meta tag, right in the directory? You may honor that request. I may honor it, and everyone else here may honor it. But I can't imagine everyone will honor it. So, does that mean the writer will be penalized?
dataplextech Premium
I posted a response in the thread. As for that convertingcopy site, that was written 18 months ago. It claims no penalty for duplicate content on different sites. Yet Google suggests that you ask people or directories that reprint your article that they use the NOINDEX meta tag. Why would they suggest that if what convertingcopy says is true? BECAUSE IT'S THE FUTURE! Google is tell us what is coming next if we'll just listen. The problem is people want to write one article and then get "Google credit" a hundred times for the same work.
klrrider Premium
This would explain why I like submiting my Ezines to iSnare paid distribution so much.

One link in the article to my site the other to my original Ezine article for a boost. This works well and your original Ezine article is populated to another 100 or so sites plus gets backlinks... all for a buck and a half. ArticleBase and GoArticles are in iSnare's distribution network!
Premium
Premium
Seems to be a vexing issue with no clear definitive answers. Here's one writer's perspective
A search of EZA blog for "duplicate content" brings up too many blogposts to be useful
so I guess the debate will continue.
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