Here’s The Question:
Does similar language on a website really harm the website? We’re struggling in creating content for our site.
My Answer:
Duplicate Content Versus Similar Content
I think you’re referring to duplicate content. Now, there is a difference between duplicate content and similar content. Duplicate content is literally copying and pasting from one page to another, and similar content is just content that is similar.
I’ve never heard of anyone being penalized for similar content, and to be totally honest with you, duplicate content doesn’t necessarily penalize the website either. What happens is – and here’s the thing – you can get away with copying local content.
So, if you have a city page, for example, if you’re a personal injury lawyer and you work in Orlando, and then you have a Winter Park page and an Oviedo page and a Winter Springs page and all these different suburbs.
Now, this may still be going on but I don’t know if it’s going on or not because we do not do this. But in the past, you could basically duplicate the content word for word, just change the city, and be okay, at least on rank and maps.
The Problem With Duplicate Content
We never did that because it’s basically a hole that Google could fix so easily that it’s not worth it for us to invest the time to do that, and then having to scramble to fix the content later if Google ever fixes the hole.
Now, with that said, duplicate content does cause issues. And again, I don’t necessarily think it’s a penalty per se, but it will basically cause pages to get de-indexed. After all, Google doesn’t want to show the same thing over and over and over again.
So I would stay away from duplicate content. It causes quality score issues, it causes panda issues, and it causes a lot of other issues. I wouldn’t do it.
How To Create Your Own Content?
But if you’re struggling with creating content for the site, it comes down to this: Either you don’t have time to create it or you don’t know what to create? Those are two different problems.
If You Don’t Have Enough Time…
If you’re not having time to create it, there’s a job board on Facebook – it’s called Cult of Copy Job Board. Just go in there and look for a writer. I mean, that’s the way you solve that problem.
If You Need More Ideas…
And then, if you’re not sure what to create, you just go into Google and you search “DUI lawyer” or you search “personal injury lawyer” or you search whatever. And as you scroll all the way to the bottom, you’ll see that there are related searches and there are also going to be boxes that say “people also asked these questions.”
And then just start answering the questions that people also ask because it’s telling you exactly what Google thinks is related and relevant to that search term. So, trying to be relevant to your search is a huge thing with Google.
Just Answer the Questions You Find
So just answer the questions. For example, if you type “DUI lawyer,” it will be, “What are the consequences of a DUI lawyer?” or, “What are the fees for a DUI lawyer?” or, “Will I go to jail for a DUI.” All these different questions are related to DUI.
And then, you can go even deeper. So, like, for example, I know in California – just off the top of my head – there’s something called a Harvey waiver that deals with DUI. I don’t know what it is but I know that people search for it. Then you search Harvey waiver and you start doing all the content there.
Another Great Resource for Questions
There’s another really great website called “answer the public” that you can use. Just type in DUI or terms related to DUI like breathalyzer, or roadside sobriety test, or field test, or road sobriety checkpoints or whatever.
Just start putting those keywords into Google and into the website answerthepublic.com and you’ll have more ideas than you’ll ever know what to do with. So, that’s my suggestions. It’s pretty easy to do that.
