Duplicate Content

Why It Matters

• Search engines have to choose one version. When multiple pages have the same content, search engines pick a "canonical" version to show. If they pick wrong — or if the duplicates dilute signals — your preferred page may lose visibility.
• Link authority gets split. If people link to different URLs that all have the same content, the authority those links carry is divided among the duplicates instead of being concentrated on one page.
• Crawl budget gets wasted. Search engine crawlers spend time downloading and processing duplicate pages instead of discovering new, unique content on your site. This is especially problematic for large sites.
• It can happen accidentally. URL parameters, www vs. non-www versions, HTTP vs. HTTPS, trailing slashes, and print-friendly pages can all create duplicate URLs without you realizing it.

How to Fix It

1. Use canonical tags. Add a <link rel="canonical"> tag to each page pointing to the preferred version of the content. This tells search engines which URL you want them to index.
2. Redirect duplicate URLs. If the same content is accessible at multiple URLs (www and non-www, HTTP and HTTPS), set up 301 redirects so all variations point to one canonical URL.
3. Write unique content for each page. If two pages serve different purposes, make sure their content reflects that. Even pages covering similar topics should have unique angles, examples, and wording.
4. Handle URL parameters carefully. Sorting, filtering, and tracking parameters can create hundreds of duplicate URLs from a single page. Use canonical tags or parameter handling settings to tell search engines which version matters.
5. Consolidate thin pages. If you have multiple pages with overlapping content that each say very little, consider merging them into one comprehensive page that covers the topic thoroughly.

Common Mistakes

• Not setting up redirects between www and non-www. If both www.example.com/page and example.com/page serve the same content, search engines treat them as two separate pages with duplicate content.
• Copy-pasting product descriptions. E-commerce sites that use manufacturer-provided descriptions end up with the same text as every other retailer selling the same product. Write original descriptions instead.
• Ignoring pagination duplicates. Paginated content (page 1, page 2, etc.) that shares introductory text or meta descriptions can be flagged as duplicate. Use proper pagination markup and unique descriptions.
• Syndicated content without canonical attribution. If your content is republished on other sites without a canonical tag pointing back to your original, search engines may choose the syndicated version as the canonical one.