Duplicate Content on Forum

7 replies
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Hi all,

I've got a Wordpress site that I use for reviews of products. I also have a forum attached the same web address for discussion on the products I'm reviewing.

From what I've read, Google penalises for duplicate content. Even if it is re-produced in another section of your own site.

My question is in relation to duplicate content in my forum.

For example, if I do a review on a product, and then post the exact same review in my forum to encourage discussion with forum members, then will Google penalise my search rankings based on having duplicating content?

Many thanks!
#content #duplicate #forum #forums
  • Profile picture of the author macadali
    Originally Posted by Daniel McGonagle View Post

    Post link to review on blog from forum

    Leave comments open on the post

    Let a discussion take place there
    Thanks Daniel! But I adamantly do not want to leave comments open on the blog. I've deliberately disabled comments to encourage a greater community on the forum (which is on the same URL).

    So based on this, is there a workaround so that I don't get penalised by Google?
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    • Profile picture of the author macadali
      Damn it! I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I already spend so much time writing my reviews (usually 500-1000 words each review). Unfortunately it is just not time friendly for me to re-write them.

      Any other ideas?
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  • Profile picture of the author Groovystar
    I do the opposite on my blog. I got a blog started about forum management and roleplaying {my two areas of somewhat expertise} and often repost things I wrote on forums or elsewhere about the topic. I take the post and refine it, add or minus stuff out and overall make it a better article for the blog. Usually I have to anyway cause when I post up on the forum it's on the fly and needs editing.
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  • Profile picture of the author McBrett
    @Macadali Just remember duplicate content links that come from other people's sites that links to your site isn't really bad.

    For example with Press Releases. The big boys like Amazon, Best Buy, Target etc have duplicate press releases that are posted on 100s of different sites every week. They are not penalized.

    Here's what I would do... Post a unique version on your site. Create a rewritten copy to post on forums or other blogs with links back to you website.
    Signature
    www.500aMonth.com - This is my blog.
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    • Profile picture of the author macadali
      Originally Posted by McBrett View Post

      Here's what I would do... Post a unique version on your site. Create a rewritten copy to post on forums or other blogs with links back to you website.
      Thumbs up McBrett! Thank you for this.

      I also found this elsewhere:

      A Google employee once stated that duplicate content never affects the original poster, in the worse case, it will affect the website that copies it. Google knows which page was indexed first, and it will view that as being the original. I am not sure if it was an official or an unofficial statement.
      Given this, does that then mean that my forum will then be penalised in search rankings?

      Regarding what you have said on the linking McBrett, would something like the following be what you mean?

      At the end of the review with a hyperlink:

      'CLICK HERE to discuss the review in the form'

      At the end of the forum discussion with a hyperlink:

      'CLICK HERE to view the original post'

      Thanks
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