Article Duplicate Content - The Negative Effect on SEO

[Cedric]

This thread is for the general discussion of the Article Duplicate Content - The Negative Effect on SEO. Please add to the discussion here.

 

[InMyOpinion]

I really appreciate you posting this because I had no idea that duplicate posting had any negative effects. Back in the day I was on a few forums that were similar so I would repost the same thread or reply to the different forums not knowing that there was a negative effect of impact on doing so. I haven't posted duplicates in years but I'm glad I know now that it's bad to do so and it doesn't have any benefits. I will never double post now knowing what I know now.

 

[Ravenfreak]

This is a great article, I always thought it wouldn't really hurt my SEO if I was to post content on my forum that's been posted elsewhere. I always thought it would help since it would bring traffic from Google whenever someone would search for whatever topic it was.

 

[InMyOpinion]

This is a great article, I always thought it wouldn't really hurt my SEO if I was to post content on my forum that's been posted elsewhere. I always thought it would help since it would bring traffic from Google whenever someone would search for whatever topic it was.

That's what I thought too! But it makes sense that it would also lead others to other forums too so if you want people to come to your forum directly it would be best to just post it on your forum so they have to go to your forum to get the answer they are looking for. I'm glad Cedric posted this because I had the wrong idea all along.

 

[Cpvr]

This is a great article, I always thought it wouldn't really hurt my SEO if I was to post content on my forum that's been posted elsewhere. I always thought it would help since it would bring traffic from Google whenever someone would search for whatever topic it was.

As long as you’re not copying the content word for word and instead adding your own insights, thoughts, and unique take, it’s not considered duplicate content.

When content is fully copied without any changes, Google identifies it as duplicate and typically ranks the version it sees as the most authoritative or useful for users. However, ranking isn’t just about originality, it’s about value. If your version expands on the topic, offers new perspectives, or enhances the user experience, it has the potential to rank higher than the original.

Ultimately, SEO is about user intent. If your content better satisfies what users are searching for, Google may favor it. So, while duplicate content itself isn’t a huge SEO killer, making your posts unique and valuable is what really helps rankings.

 

[fdk]

I really appreciate you posting this because I had no idea that duplicate posting had any negative effects. Back in the day I was on a few forums that were similar so I would repost the same thread or reply to the different forums not knowing that there was a negative effect of impact on doing so. I haven't posted duplicates in years but I'm glad I know now that it's bad to do so and it doesn't have any benefits. I will never double post now knowing what I know now.

Just to add onto Cpvr's points above, reposting content is fine if done with credits. Google algorithms won't penalise you for "copying" content if you appropriately source it.

For posting on forums, just adding a link to the original content should be enough for the algorithm to pick up that this isn't "duplicate" content. Alternatively, you could add the "duplicated" content in quote or spoiler tags, but this absolutely isn't necessary so long as you're linking to the original source for the content.