Overlapping Content

http://wizzley.com/overlapping-content/

Sam posted this very useful article!

I found it interesting and almost contradictory to some other tips that people sometimes share for SEO. for example, many websites that focus on a niche tend to have very similar keyword topics, which can almost be overlapping content.

Additionally, there are those that advise to look at Analytics to see the (similar) keywords that you are ranking for, and to build more articles on those keywords. However, in a way, you are competing with your original article while doing this, since there is now overlapping content, which might be penalized by Google. as explained in the above article by Sam. (Of course, it's better to add the additional keyword-related content to the original article)

There seems to be a fine line between having separate topics that are related or in a niche, and having overlapping content.

Personally, I do not focus on one niche, and I avoid overlapping content, but I found this article very interesting and I think it would be useful for everyone to read!

Good share, bhthanks. Some very good points made there by Sam :)

For a site based on user generated content, there will be overlapping content. I can't see any way around it. And when you write in a niche, again, you will have some overlap. 

Based on my experiences, I have not found a problem with overlapping content.

I think it deserves an editor's pick too. 

Jimmie - I suspect its about a percentage of the site. Squidoo has 2million indexed pages, wizzley about 100k - Wizzley needs to be careful and I agree with Sam. 

This was the major change I took from Panda last year.  

We're constantly observing and discussing whatever comes down from Google with regard to algo changes and recommendations for better practices. In terms of overlapping content I think we may have to create a list of saturated topics and discourage any further articles on weight loss, making money online, Breville, hair care...what else would you suggest?

*Blush* Thanks for the nice words guys and gals *More blush*

@Chefkeem, it is not about over saturated topics like weight loss, it is about articles targeting over saturated keywords imho ...

Hmmm.... That means if a person writes a boring page about something it will crowd out a potentially interesting one down the line. I can see a whole lot of people rushing and putting up boring sales pages  to get dibs on the topic and the keywords.

Sam - maybe I misunderstand the whole thing. I thought that Google doesn't want to see, let's say,  20% of a site's content target the same keywords and -phrases, and thus create, logically, lots of overlapping content. Am I misinterpreting this?

Digby - I'm not talking about a few articles on the same topic. I'm talking about waves and waves of pages on the same, tired old schemes for backlink creation. Does anyone still really expect to rank high for "how to make money online"? Or "dog training"? Or "online degrees"? That's the kind of stuff that bothers me.

Okay I get you. Sorry I doubted you. I should know better. I get your point now.

Listen, Digby - I am more often wrong than right.

Please keep doubting me. Keeps me thinking. 

chefkeem: 27. Jan 2012, 21:24

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Sam - maybe I misunderstand the whole thing. I thought that Google doesn't want to see, let's say,  20% of a site's content target the same keywords and -phrases, and thus create, logically, lots of overlapping content. Am I misinterpreting this?

 

Correct! You are right! The point I tried to make  with my article is that it is far easier to prevent that to happen than to let it happen and try to clear things up years later. It is simply about all authors keeping an eye on this and avoiding this where possible, plus it is obviously also very important for those of us who have their own sites.

Lissie: 27. Jan 2012, 19:29

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I think it deserves an editor's pick too. 

Jimmie - I suspect its about a percentage of the site. Squidoo has 2million indexed pages, wizzley about 100k - Wizzley needs to be careful and I agree with Sam. 

This was the major change I took from Panda last year.  

Yes, I think that this is something that has to come from the editorial side.  They see all the articles, so if they see that a specific keyword phrase is overused, they can refuse an article altogether, or if they want to, send a quick message to an author saying that the article is acceptable, but the keyword is saturated.  Certainly any good author can rewrite with a slightly different slant or different keywords.

And frankly, Wizzley editorial staff has the right to determine what gets published here.  If they want certain topics to go through a permission system first, or need manual editorial passthrough, than that is their right.  However, they are bound to get some overlap on seasonal articles during different times of year, etc. 

Good article, I read it and didn't feel as though I had made this error while I have oh 30 or so articles here on love.  I've had a few new authors email me asking me if they should take their articles down here after reading the overlapping content article.  I asked why as I knew these particular authors had not violated this principle.  They seem to be fearful of getting articles reject as we've all seen in the past at hp.  

While I agree with the article and practice this myself, if I take it as intended, writing from good ole common sense and content that matters related to my topic, I feel many hubbers, who are gun shy from all the nonsense over there, may feel intimidated about writing.  Some clarity may be needed with a follow up article which I got the feeling would be coming as I read the article.

It was certainly not my intent to put new writers off, in the end, I am new here at Wizzley myself. It was really about things like the eHow  example I wrote about, where there are at least 4 articles that tackle exactly the same keyword phrase 'write novel snowflake method'.

That is worlds away from writing about the same topic!

I may have contributed to the confusion by throwing my frustration with useless articles into the pot. Sorree.     

This may be an idea for another article: over-saturated topics without any chance for top rankings (unless you really know your long-tails).

Sam, I got that upon reading your article, although some of the new writers here are fearful I REALLY feel it's from those coming from hub pages where they were slapped around for doing each and everything, they are walking on egg shells and so sensitive.

I feel your overlapping article is needed and valuable and also feel you could expand on it by creating other related articles to continue the improvement theory.  I like Chef's idea about an article on over saturated articles.

Funny, I get request for more dieting articles all the time, ON OTHER SITES, I hesitate to write any here for that reason.  

Keep up the good work, remember to note the newbie fears in your articles this will eliminate the fear and empower them to do what your intent is, create better pages, wizzes and articles.  

Read my article I just wrote on how to write a good article, I feel it may make you feel better.  

I appreciate your hard work, I hope you realize my feedback is for your continued excellence 

Your wish was my command

Here my latest article with a more positive approach http://wizzley.com/how-to-find-topics-nobody-is-writing-about/ Now I really have to write my Wizzography (spelling????) to put some credibility behind all my ramblings ;-)

Looking forward to your WIZZOGRAPHY, Sam.