--- title: "Duplicate Content: No Such Thing" description: Google did its best to clear up any confusion recently about duplicate content penalties - saying in... image: https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/twins-mini-1-1-1-1.gif --- [Log In](https://www.websitemagazine.com/_hcms/mem/login) [Subscribe](https://websitemagazine.tradepub.com/free/w_webk05/prgm.cgi) [![Website Magazine Logo](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gradient-regular@3x-1.png?width=586&height=145&name=gradient-regular@3x-1.png "Website Magazine Logo")](http://Website%20Services,%20Inc.) - [About](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about) - [FAQs](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/faq) - [Advertise](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/advertise) - [Editorial Staff](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/editorial-publishing-staff) - [Resources](https://websitemagazine.tradepub.com) - [Newsletter](https://www.websitemagazine.com/newsletter-sign-up) - More - [Contact Us](https://www.websitemagazine.com/contact) [Log In](https://www.websitemagazine.com/_hcms/mem/login) [Subscribe](https://websitemagazine.tradepub.com/free/w_webk05/prgm.cgi) Search - [Latest](https://www.websitemagazine.com) - [Design](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design) - [Development](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-development) - [SEO](https://www.websitemagazine.com/seo) - [Ecommerce](https://www.websitemagazine.com/ecommerce) - [Content](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content) - [Marketing](https://www.websitemagazine.com/marketing) - [Advertising](https://www.websitemagazine.com/advertising) - [Email](https://www.websitemagazine.com/email) - [Infographics](https://www.websitemagazine.com/infographics) - [View All Topics](https://www.websitemagazine.com/channels) # Duplicate Content: No Such Thing ![Pete Prestipino](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Pete%20Prestipino.jpeg) [by Pete Prestipino](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/author/pete-prestipino) 16 Sep, 2008 - - - [mailto:?Body=https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/duplicate-content-no-such-thing](mailto:?Body=https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/duplicate-content-no-such-thing) - Link Copied! ![Duplicate Content: No Such Thing](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/twins-mini-1-1-1-1.gif) Google did its best to clear up any confusion recently about duplicate content penalties - saying in short that they don't really exist (unless being black hat is your *modus operandi*). It should come as no surprise to most SEOs that many online destinations have multiple URLs on the same domain that point to the same content. How do you resolve these duplicate issues if they exist on your site? Having duplicate content on your site can potentially affect your site's performance and ranking, but it doesn't neccessarily cause penalties. Let's dig a little deeper to get a better understanding. Say for example that you notice www.example.com/skates.asp?color=black&brand=riedell and www.example.com/skates.asp?brand=riedell&color=black feature the exact same content, are on your site and within the Google SERPs. Penalty for you? Not exactly. Here's why. According to Google, duplicate content on a site is "not grounds for action (penalties) on that site unless it appears that the intent of the duplicate content is to be deceptive and manipulate search engine results." That's a very clear statement. Since most SEOs are of the white hat variety, Google has made their position on duplicate content clear and outlined some best practices to clear up any issues. Non-malicious duplication is quite common as many CMSs don't handle URL construction and organization very well by default. When Google identifies duplicate content, it is because variations appear in URL parameters (as provided in the example above.) When duplicate content happens, the URLs in question are grouped into a "cluster." From there, Google selects the one URL that best represents the cluster from that group, and then consolidates properties of the URLs in the cluster (such as link popularity) to the representative URL. Google's advice? Use sitemaps. If you want to tell Google which URL should appear in the SERPs, simply make the necessary modifications by including that preferred URL in your general sitemap. Should Google be unable to consolidate all of the duplicate pages, page strength might be diluted and your ranking may sink. ![Pete Prestipino](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Pete%20Prestipino.jpeg) [Pete Prestipino](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/author/pete-prestipino) Digital marketing executive with proven experience in all aspects of search engine optimization (SEO), performance-based advertising, consumer-generated/social media, email marketing, lead generation, Web design, usability, and analytics. - 20-year Internet marketing veteran, currently serving as the Digital Marketing Campaign Manager at Antenna Group (formerly Chicago Digital). - Former Editor-In-Chief of Website Magazine, and a regular speaker on Web technology digital marketing strategy - Author of several books on digital marketing Including Web 360: The Fundamentals of Web Success; Affiliate 360: The Fundamentals of Performance Marketing; Domains 360: The Fundamentals of Buying & Selling Domain Names, and SEO 360: The Fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization. - - - [mailto:peter@websitemagazine.com](mailto:peter@websitemagazine.com) #### Popular Post ### [YouTube Gets a Makeover ![YouTube Gets a Makeover](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/youtube-logo-icon-3-2-2-1.png)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/youtube-gets-a-makeover) ### [47 Weblog Directories, Portals & Platforms ![47 Weblog Directories, Portals & Platforms](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/blogging-mini-Jan-22-2023-11-55-59-2412-PM-1-1-1.gif)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/47-weblog-directories-portal-and-platforms) ### [10 Tools for Better Website Testing ![10 Tools for Better Website Testing](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/tools-Jan-22-2023-11-55-07-0763-PM-1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/10-tools-for-better-website-testing) #### Subscribe to Our Newsletter! [![](https://a.impactradius-go.com/display-ad/13053-1438301)](https://semrush.sjv.io/c/3976891/1438301/13053)![](https://imp.pxf.io/i/3976891/1438301/13053) #### Latest in Content Marketing [![The Magical Power of Corporate Storytelling](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Storytelling-1.jpg) The Magical Power of Corporate Storytelling](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/the-magical-power-of-corporate-storytelling) [![7 Tools to Automate Time-Consuming Marketing Tasks](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-22-2023-11-47-10-6379-PM-Apr-10-2023-01-18-17-2366-PM-Apr-25-2023-03-13-15-9120-AM-3.png) 7 Tools to Automate Time-Consuming Marketing Tasks](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/7-tools-to-automate-time-consuming-marketing-tasks) [![The Art & Science of the PR Pitch](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-22-2023-11-51-00-6638-PM-Apr-10-2023-01-06-07-3033-PM-Apr-25-2023-03-09-45-6110-AM-May-01-2023-08-25-46-5720-PM.png) The Art & Science of the PR Pitch](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/the-art-science-of-the-pr-pitch) [![3 Effective Content Marketing Strategies for Startups](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/content-marketing-Jan-22-2023-11-41-35-3200-PM-1-1-1.png) 3 Effective Content Marketing Strategies for Startups](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/3-effective-content-marketing-strategies-for-startups) [![The Evolution of the Online Shopping Experience in Focus](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-22-2023-11-51-00-6638-PM-Apr-10-2023-01-06-07-3033-PM-Apr-25-2023-03-13-00-6878-AM-2.png) The Evolution of the Online Shopping Experience in Focus](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/the-evolution-of-the-online-shopping-experience-in-focus) [![Gaining a Mobile Performance & Engagement Advantage](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/sap-hybris_180x180-1-1-1-1.png) Gaining a Mobile Performance & Engagement Advantage](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/gaining-a-mobile-performance-engagement-advantage) [![gradient-regular@3x](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gradient-regular@3x.png?width=128&height=128&name=gradient-regular@3x.png)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/) 999 E Touhy Ave, Des Plaines, IL 60018   [info@websitemagazine.com](mailto:info@websitemagazine.com) [(888) 7WEBMAG](tel:18887932624) [(312) 313-6576](tel:13123136576) About - [Advertise](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/advertise) - [Editorial](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/editorial-publishing-staff) - [Contact Us](https://www.websitemagazine.com/contact) Resources Membership - Login - Subscribe Signup for our newsletter © 2026 Website Magazine. All Rights Reserved - [Privacy Policy](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/privacy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Pete Prestipino", "url" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/author/pete-prestipino" }, "dateModified" : "2023-05-01T20:17:10.835Z", "datePublished" : "2008-09-16T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Duplicate Content: No Such Thing ", "image" : [ "https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/twins-mini-1-1-1-1.gif" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/content/duplicate-content-no-such-thing", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/gradient-regular@3x-1.png" }, "name" : "Website Services, Inc." } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "NewsArticle", "author" : [ { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Pete Prestipino" } ], "headline" : "Duplicate Content: No Such Thing", "publisher" : { "name" : "Website Magazine", "url" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/" } } ```