Technical SEO · Intermediate

Duplicate content

Duplicate content is the same or very similar content available at more than one URL. It isn't a penalty in itself, but it splits signals between URLs and leaves search engines to choose which to show.

By Thryv StudioUpdated

Level
Intermediate
Common causes
URL parameters, www/non-www, printer versions, copied text
Fix
Canonicals, redirects and unique content

What is duplicate content?

Duplicates are usually technical: the same page at http and https, with and without www, with tracking parameters, or through filters and sorting. They can also be editorial: near-identical location pages or product descriptions copied from manufacturers.

Why it matters

Google picks one version to index, which may not be the one you want, and links and other signals get split across versions. Large amounts of duplication also waste crawling.

How to fix it

  1. Redirect duplicate versions (http, www) to one preferred URL.
  2. Add canonicals to parameter and filter variations.
  3. Write unique content for pages that should rank on their own.
  4. Link internally to the preferred URL only.

Frequently asked questions

Will I be penalized for duplicate content?

Not for ordinary technical duplication. Manual actions are for deliberately copied or spammy content.

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