Duplicate content - I'm confused...

[Michelle Carvill]

Hi there
I've read various stuff (accept everything, believe nothing!) about duplicate content - and I am aware that Google have guidelines on it. Having read these and other docs, I have to say I'm still confused. I'm not using duplicate content to 'dupe' the search engines - but I am posting for example links to my blog articles on Digg and other such sites. They ask for a link back to the article, which I am assuming they realise is hosted on a website - which is indeed duplicate content. So I'm confused. What's the go? All advice welcome.

[capsule01]

two way linking isnt duplicate content.

right an article, post it everywhere you can! have that article linking back to your site :)

inward linking is your friend.

[Write My Site]

A link is simply a direction to content posted elsewhere - this is fine, in fact it's a big part of what the internet is all about. Duplicate content means posting the same content, word-for-word, on different websites. Google doesn't like that: it values unique content.

If you're ever in a situation where, for example, a competitor copies the text from your website and publishes it on their own site you should act immediately or you risk being blacklisted. First you would send them a "cease and desist" letter ordering them to remove the content, and if that failed you would report them to Google using the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act).

[Ian J]

If you're ever in a situation where, for example, a competitor copies the text from your website and publishes it on their own site you should act immediately or you risk being blacklisted. First you would send them a "cease and desist" letter ordering them to remove the content, and if that failed you would report them to Google using the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act).


Is that really the case or do Google just ignore the sites that have used the duplicate text.

[Write My Site]

Yes, one of the sites I worked on was copied by someone else, and it resulted in our site losing its postion in the rankings. It's important to let Google know straightaway if your site is copied, so they can de-list the imitator.

[Ian J]

My factoring site has been in the top three or four in Google solidly for five years whilst my trade finance site has been in the top two since it was launched two years ago.

Both sites are regularly downloaded in bulk and copies in part or whole launched all over the world but it has never affected my rankings

[fisicx]

...but I am posting for example links to my blog articles on Digg and other such sites. They ask for a link back to the article, which I am assuming they realise is hosted on a website - which is indeed duplicate content. So I'm confused. What's the go? All advice welcome.

This isn't duplicate content - is just cross link linking, pingbacks and other connections that are the arteries along which the blood of the interweb flows.

[silklink]

Hi Michelle. The sort of link-backs you are creating should benefit your source website. Some people go over-board with linking, which can have adverse effects. So, as a rule-of-thumb, endeavour to link with sites that have something in common with your site. All the best

[FireFleur]

It sounds like the article is existing in two locations? You sort of say that, with definite duplicate content but hey you might just be meaning the actual text link.

If the article is duplicated, then you do run a slight risk that the second article won't count. If that is the case, then just alter your original article a bit, a rework, and that will avoid the duplicate article problem.