--- title: Is Duplicate Content Bad for SEO? description: Is duplicate content bad for SEO? Google claims there's NO penalty, yet rankings can be impacted negatively by what looks like “duplicate content” problems. image: https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/hubfs/Blog/Duplicate_Content.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/is-duplicate-content-bad-for-seo#main-content) ![Transitional Marketing - HubSpot Solutions Gold Partner Agency](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Transitional%20Marketing%20HubSpot%20Solutions%20Gold%20Partner-1.png?width=722&height=125&name=Transitional%20Marketing%20HubSpot%20Solutions%20Gold%20Partner-1.png) - [Inbound Marketing](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/inbound-marketing) - [Pricing](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/pricing) - [About](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/about) Show submenu for About - [Testimonials](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/testimonials) - [Contact](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/contact) - [Blog](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Inbound Marketing](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/inbound-marketing) - [Pricing](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/pricing) - [About](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/about) Show submenu for About - [Testimonials](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/testimonials) - [Contact](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/contact) - [Blog](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog) - Contact us Contact us # Is Duplicate Content Bad for SEO? Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/is-duplicate-content-bad-for-seo) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/is-duplicate-content-bad-for-seo) [twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/is-duplicate-content-bad-for-seo) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/is-duplicate-content-bad-for-seo) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/is-duplicate-content-bad-for-seo) --- ## **Steps you can take to address duplicate content issues** ![Duplicate_Content.jpg](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/Duplicate_Content.jpg?width=605&height=403&name=Duplicate_Content.jpg) Is duplicate content bad for SEO? Google claims there is NO duplicate content penalty, yet rankings can be impacted negatively by what looks like “duplicate content” problems. - What is duplicate content? - Is there a penelty for duplicate content? - How to address duplicate content --- **What is duplicate content?** Here’s Google’s definition: *“Duplicate content generally refers to substantive blocks of content within or across domains that either completely match other content or are appreciably similar. Mostly, this is not deceptive in origin.”* **Is there a penalty for duplicate content?** Google claims there is NO duplicate content penalty, yet rankings can be impacted negatively by what looks like “duplicate content” problems. *“In the rare cases in which Google perceives that duplicate content may be shown with intent to manipulate our rankings and deceive our users, we'll also make appropriate adjustments in the indexing and ranking of the sites involved. As a result, the ranking of the site may suffer, or the site might be removed entirely from the Google index, in which case it will no longer appear in search results.”* **Steps you can take to address duplicate content issues:** - **Use [permanent 301 redirects](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/93633?hl=en).**301 redirects tell search engine spiders that the page has moved permanently, so they will remove the old URL from their index and replace it with the new. - **Use [top-level domains for multi-regional sites](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/182192)**: Use top-level domains whenever possible to handle country-specific content. Google is more likely to know that http://www.example.eu contains European-focused content, versus knowing that for http://www.example.com/eu or http://eu.example.com. - **Minimize boilerplate repetition**: If you have multiple pages with lengthy copyright text on the bottom, you could include a brief summary and then link to one copyright page that has all of the details. - **Minimize similar content**: If you have multiple pages with similar content, you should consider expanding each page or consolidating the pages into one. [Here's the full article from Google on duplicate content](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66359?hl=en) Learn more about [SEO best practices to make it easy for people to find your website through search engines](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/how-to-increase-organic-search-traffic). ---   [![Request Free Assesment](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/511476/2f701091-fb92-458a-9b08-d7a8697e865f.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/511476/2f701091-fb92-458a-9b08-d7a8697e865f) [Website Design](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/topic/website-design) ## Related posts [![Reasons_to_use_Marketing_Automation.jpg](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/hubfs/Blog/Reasons_to_use_Marketing_Automation.jpg)](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/top-3-reasons-to-use-marketing-automation) [Marketing Automation](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/topic/marketing-automation) ## [Top 3 Reasons to use Marketing Automation](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/top-3-reasons-to-use-marketing-automation) ![Picture of Vickie McGee](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/ff30423c3627e755b2b0a1e6f720e371) [Vickie McGee](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/author/vickie-mcgee) 9/13/16 9:00 AM With automation your marketing will never stop! It’s as if you have sales reps working 24/7... [Read more](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/top-3-reasons-to-use-marketing-automation) [![](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/hubfs/Blog/Create_Content_with_a_Goal_in_Mind.jpg)](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/create-content-with-a-goal-in-mind) [Content Marketing](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/topic/content-marketing) ## [Create Content with a Goal in Mind](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/create-content-with-a-goal-in-mind) ![Picture of Vickie McGee](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/ff30423c3627e755b2b0a1e6f720e371) [Vickie McGee](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/author/vickie-mcgee) 8/29/16 10:15 AM By now I think everyone agrees that having good content on your website is important. You also... [Read more](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/create-content-with-a-goal-in-mind) [![](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/hubfs/Blog/What_content_to_gate.jpg)](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/3-guidelines-on-what-content-to-gate) [Lead Generation](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/topic/lead-generation) ## [3 Guidelines on What Content to Gate](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/3-guidelines-on-what-content-to-gate) ![Picture of Vickie McGee](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/ff30423c3627e755b2b0a1e6f720e371) [Vickie McGee](https://www.transitionalmarketing.com/blog/author/vickie-mcgee) 6/17/15 8:12 AM # I get this question a lot -- Should I gate my content? Some people are afraid that it will turn... 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