Duplicate Content Part 3 - Course Descriptions

Up until now, the things I've been talking about are more on the server and set up level. A "Best Practices" if you will when it comes to setting up your website. In this post I'll be talking about the dreaded "Google Duplicate Content Penalty" that everyone hears about and is deathly scared of. But how does it pertain to your Dive Center Website?

First thing's first.

There is no Google Duplicate Content Penalty. Who says that? {rokbox size=|780 480| text=|Google Does|}http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2008/09/demystifying-duplicate-content-penalty.html{/rokbox}

Now that the myth is debunct. Let's take a closer look at how this affects the Dive Center Website. If Google detects several web pages offering exactly or nearly exactly the same content such as course descriptions or dive equipment descriptions from the manufacturer, it will select the page that which it thinks offers the best / most relevant information required and list that. It may also list one or two other pages offering exactly the same content if there are good reasons for it doing so (e.g. more links to other relevant websites, more other relevant pages on the domain, and so on).

What counts in the long run is which version Google believes to have the most useful information to the person seeking it.

So can you use a Standard Course Description and still be listed high up in the Search Ranks?

Yes, absolutely. But, you need to make your course description relevant to the searcher.

What do I mean by that? Make it local.

Almost all search is local when it comes to scuba diving. When a person searches for scuba diving, they will normally add a location qualifier to their search such as Scuba Diving Perth, or Scuba Diving Grand Cayman.

Instead of Open Water Diver, or Dive Course, make it Open Water Diver in your City or area.

To further support this and give yourself a better chance of being found in your area, have other content on your site that is descriptive to your area such as:

• local dive site descriptions
• your address on every page
• an entry in the Google Small Business Listing
• on page optimization techniques to highlight your area

Using a {rokbox size=|780 480| text=|free tool from Microsoft.|}http://adlab.microsoft.com/Online-Commercial-Intention/Default.aspx {/rokbox} you can get a better idea of why a person is searching. Basically, this tool can detect customer intent to acquire information or to purchase products based on their search queries or recently visited URLs.

Let's take a look at two closely related terms and how they compare:

Term: Scuba DivingResult: Non-Commercial Intention 0.78. So this tool is saying that for a person searching for scuba diving with no location qualifier, that there is a 78% chance they are looking for general information without much commercial intent.

Term: Scuba Diving PerthResult: Commercial Intention 0.96. Much better. There is a 96% chance that this person is looking to actually make a purchase or book a reservation.

Also, Google and other search engines can determine where your searcher is physically located and will show local search results based upon that.

For tips on how to localize your pages, subscribe to our newsletter. You can also try out our Constant Contact integration at the same time.