Duplicate Content
Duplicate content happens when the same content exists on multiple URLs. It dilutes signals, wastes crawl budget, and causes wrong URLs to rank.
Definition
Duplicate content refers to identical or highly similar content accessible on multiple URLs (parameters, trailing slashes, http/https, pagination, or i18n misconfiguration). It’s not always a “penalty,” but it often splits signals and reduces your ability to rank consistently.
Why it matters
- Diluted authority: links and internal signals split across variants
- Indexing confusion: the wrong URL (parameter/old) may be selected
- Wasted crawl resources: bots spend time on duplicates
How to implement
- Pick a canonical URL: use canonical tags, 301s, and consistent internal links
- Handle parameters/sorting pages: noindex or define parameter strategy
- For i18n: correct hreflang and per-locale canonicals
Related
FAQ
Common questions about this term.