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Is this duplicate content? Please help SEO experts!

by nathandegrave
14 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Ever since I made a page on my blog the front page of my site, rankings disappeared almost overnight. I was top 3 for multiple keywords when I simply had my most recent posts on the front page, but when I got a new page with really in depth content written and then made the front page, the rankings disappeared. Why is that?

Is it possible that google is viewing both the page and the home page as duplicate content? And if I want to rank for a certain keyword, do I build backlinks to the page or to the home page? I am really confused here. This is a fan site on a specific person, so I had a long bio written on a page which I then set as the home page.

What went wrong? Any ideas? Also, I am going to build the backlinks for the person on the home page correct? Any answers will be really appreciated.
#content #duplicate #experts #seo
  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    So you completely changed the content of a page that was ranking and you are wondering why the rankings shifted?

    It's not a duplicate content problem. It's that you completely changed the page.
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    • Profile picture of the author elislayla
      Siteliner help you to check duplicate contents.
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  • Profile picture of the author nathandegrave
    I should note that at one point, I had backlinks pointing to both the homepage and that particular page as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author nathandegrave
    I see. However, now the content is far more in depth, keyword rich, and the backlinks that I had which caused it to rank are still there.

    What can I do to recover? Does google just need time? The rankings aren't just on the front page now, they've vanished from google all together.
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  • Profile picture of the author nathandegrave
    Also, the other pages which ranked that haven't been touched have also vanished.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by nathandegrave View Post

      Also, the other pages which ranked that haven't been touched have also vanished.
      I'm just guessing, but I'd bet they were linked to from the home page before.

      Changing from a dynamic page to a static page completely changes how linkjuice and authority are flowing throughout your site.

      Personally, I always build sites with a static home page, otherwise you often see rankings bounce around.

      You are probably going to have to wait for a few weeks for the site to settle down.
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  • Profile picture of the author nathandegrave
    Well the front page which was displaying certain posts on it is still linking to the other posts from within the new page, but what you say makes a lot of sense. The site did change, so I'm sure the rankings are going to change too. I will give it time and hopefully the rankings will make its way back to page one.
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  • Profile picture of the author vdsthor
    Originally Posted by nathandegrave View Post

    Ever since I made a page on my blog the front page of my site, rankings disappeared almost overnight. I was top 3 for multiple keywords when I simply had my most recent posts on the front page, but when I got a new page with really in depth content written and then made the front page, the rankings disappeared. Why is that?

    Is it possible that google is viewing both the page and the home page as duplicate content? And if I want to rank for a certain keyword, do I build backlinks to the page or to the home page? I am really confused here. This is a fan site on a specific person, so I had a long bio written on a page which I then set as the home page.

    What went wrong? Any ideas? Also, I am going to build the backlinks for the person on the home page correct? Any answers will be really appreciated.
    Duplicate content penalty, This punishment is applied by Big G and perhaps other search engines when carbon copy content found on your webpage is for the most part identical as what is found to a different place on your site or on other webpage across the internet. Duplicate Content Won't harm Your Site, except It Is Spammy, Matt Cutts said twice that "I wouldn't constantly worry about this unless the content that you have duplicated content is spammy or stuffing keywords.
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    • Profile picture of the author nathandegrave
      Originally Posted by vdsthor View Post

      Duplicate content penalty, This punishment is applied by Big G and perhaps other search engines when carbon copy content found on your webpage is for the most part identical as what is found to a different place on your site or on other webpage across the internet. Duplicate Content Won't harm Your Site, except It Is Spammy, Matt Cutts said twice that "I wouldn't constantly worry about this unless the content that you have duplicated content is spammy or stuffing keywords.
      I'm a bit confused, as you say it's a duplicate content penalty but go on to say it won't harm my site. If it IS because of duplicate content, how can one make their homepage default to a specific page w.o it being duplicated content?
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
        Originally Posted by nathandegrave View Post

        I'm a bit confused, as you say it's a duplicate content penalty but go on to say it won't harm my site. If it IS because of duplicate content, how can one make their homepage default to a specific page w.o it being duplicated content?
        I don't think that was a real post. I think they are a spambot.
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    • Profile picture of the author TallCoolOne
      Originally Posted by vdsthor View Post

      Duplicate content penalty, This punishment is applied by Big G and perhaps other search engines when carbon copy content found on your webpage is for the most part identical as what is found to a different place on your site or on other webpage across the internet. Duplicate Content Won't harm Your Site, except It Is Spammy, Matt Cutts said twice that "I wouldn't constantly worry about this unless the content that you have duplicated content is spammy or stuffing keywords.


      With the latest Penguin updates, it appears that duplicate content is being punished.
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  • Profile picture of the author jackluter
    Banned
    Copyscape.com and PlagSpotter.com will help you to find content.
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  • Profile picture of the author nathandegrave
    I still don't get it though...even if I figure out that it IS duplicate content, how can someone make a page display on the home site without it being duplicate content? How can I keep the current content on the homepage if I don't use a page to do so?
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Use a static page for the homepage with a proper canonical tag and you will be fine.
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