Shared Content

**rogercbryan** · 04-07-2008 08:59 PM

I had a strange question emailed to me about one of my projects. The new site/company I'm developing is a combination of article content, directory listings, classifieds section, and forum. I had been discussing this idea with one of my consulting clients becuase I wanted to do an automatic feed of their inventory to my classifieds section (they sell 1000 cars a week).

The question was whether or not I would be interested in having a copy of my classifieds section on their website. I checked with my developer and becuase we both use the same DMS he said from a programming side it would be easy to do.

Now for all you SEO people is it a good idea to have the exact same content on two different sites? It will create a TON of traffic to my master site, but I've been told in the past that if Google sees the exact same content on a bunch of sites it tends to overlook it....

Help?

**wannabeMogul** · 04-07-2008 09:58 PM

Yes, duplicate info isn't the best way to go if you can avoid it. SEO says it's always bad, and it would confuse people as to where they go to see these ads.

What if you just pitched posting up the 5-25 hottest ads of the day in small widget form on their site? This would still possibly bring traffic to you and content for them while not exactly duplicating your ads. A compromise like that might be a better deal for the both of you.

**rogercbryan** · 04-08-2008 08:09 AM

The idea is that my classified site will have listings for everything imaginable. My conculting client on the other hand will only show the automotive section. So if this is my idea then what you are saying it that it might work? They will only be getting a small portion of my listings...

**wannabeMogul** · 04-08-2008 10:37 AM

Well, I wouldn't want any content from my own listings duplicated elsewhere. The content of your ads is what brings people to you. If they can find your car ads there, why will they come to your site?

If you allow them to list your ads, will they set them apart from the rest of the car ads somehow so that users will know that they came from your site?

I would insist upon this functionality. Maybe you could place your logo beside each ad from your site with a link to the original ad on your site?

In general, it's best not to duplicate content. It would be better to pick the "hottest ads of the day" style widget to send out on other sites, but as long as you can set your own ads apart, I think it could work out better for you. Just make sure you are getting more value from it than the attention you lose in traffic.

**rogercbryan** · 04-08-2008 11:00 AM

What are you basing your opinion on? Can you provide any sources to let me know that what you are saying it accurate. I'm not questioning you... I'm just trying to justify your opinion.

**EasyAutoSales** · 04-08-2008 11:19 AM

Classified ads are not SEO'ed - hence why individual listings never show up in search results.

I would do it if it helps your traffic. Also, consider this:

AutoTrader supplies the vehicles for MSN Autos.
Cars.com supplies the vehicles for Yahoo Autos.

Also, if you're still interested in working together, let me know.

**CiD743** · 04-08-2008 11:22 AM

I don't know the correct way of saying this, but I wanted to answer right away because I've always loved your input and your sites. (After writing this I will look for the "proof" and pm it to you.)

If you can create it so that it's similar to a gadget/widget, showing that it came from your site, google will like it.

Part of the google algorithm, if I remember correctly, gives credit to a site if people are using it's listings. For example, real estate listing sites. You post their listings on your site, if you click them, it takes to that section of their site. Some of these sites are in very good standings with google and their gadgets have been used on many sites. One in particular has it as part of their affiliate program.

The assumption by google is that if people are putting it on their sites it must be valuable information.

I think it's a great idea for you to do this.

**CiD743** · 04-08-2008 12:04 PM

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. Examples of non-malicious duplicate content could include:

Discussion forums that can generate both regular and stripped-down pages targeted at mobile devices
Store items shown or linked via multiple distinct URLs

**BusinessAdviser** · 04-08-2008 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by rogercbryan

What are you basing your opinion on? Can you provide any sources to let me know that what you are saying it accurate. I'm not questioning you... I'm just trying to justify your opinion.

Roger,

We are all commonly biased toward our own ideas to the exclusion of those of others. This is actually a common mistake made by everyone, but one that can lead to problems down the road.

The question for you is whether you've given your own ideas the same scrutiny?

Do you have sources to support your own ideas as accurate? Are those ideas, your own opinions as to how customers will perceive things, justified by reliable sources?

Think about that.

**rogercbryan** · 04-08-2008 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by CiD743

I don't know the correct way of saying this, but I wanted to answer right away because I've always loved your input and your sites. (After writing this I will look for the "proof" and pm it to you.)

If you can create it so that it's similar to a gadget/widget, showing that it came from your site, google will like it.

Part of the google algorithm, if I remember correctly, gives credit to a site if people are using it's listings. For example, real estate listing sites. You post their listings on your site, if you click them, it takes to that section of their site. Some of these sites are in very good standings with google and their gadgets have been used on many sites. One in particular has it as part of their affiliate program.

The assumption by google is that if people are putting it on their sites it must be valuable information.

I think it's a great idea for you to do this.

Now I understand... so I have a classified list on the secondary site... but if someone clicks the listing.. it will go to my site. Then it would be ok to share the listings.... I'm a bit slow sometimes... I could do that... and if I did you say that it should be ok in the eyes of the search engine gurus?

**rogercbryan** · 04-08-2008 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by CLICK ME!

Roger,

We are all commonly biased toward our own ideas to the exclusion of those of others. This is actually a common mistake made by everyone, but one that can lead to problems down the road.

The question for you is whether you've given your own ideas the same scrutiny?

Do you have sources to support your own ideas as accurate? Are those ideas, your own opinions as to how customers will perceive things, justified by reliable sources?

Think about that.

You are 100% correct.... we all sometimes suffer from the "I'm to smart syndrome". I'm so new to all this and everyone seems to have different opinions to the point it all gets a little blurred.

I hope my 'ask for sources' request didn't come off as rude. Now that the poster has given more information I can see what they were saying and I am going to take their advice in moving forward.

ty.. ty.. to everyone on this post...

**rogercbryan** · 04-08-2008 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by EasyAutoSales

Classified ads are not Search Engine Optimization'ed - hence why individual listings never show up in search results.

I would do it if it helps your traffic. Also, consider this:

AutoTrader supplies the vehicles for MSN Autos.
Cars.com supplies the vehicles for Yahoo Autos.

Also, if you're still interested in working together, let me know.

If I can get the technology to work right I would like to make my classified section the source for auto auction listings. I already have one group that will commit their inventory. With their 1000 cars a week I should have a good base to go out to all the other public auto auctions to get their inventory.

We've created a unique PPC type listing system that lest them list every car for free and then they only pay us if someone clicks their listing. I'm hoping this will entice the auctions to list more cars in a CSV text dump format.
*Pictures will come later and cost extra.... Right now we just want to drive people to the auction lanes or auction sites.

**BusinessAdviser** · 04-08-2008 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by rogercbryan

You are 100% correct.... we all sometimes suffer from the "I'm to smart syndrome". I'm so new to all this and everyone seems to have different opinions to the point it all gets a little blurred.

I hope my 'ask for sources' request didn't come off as rude. Now that the poster has given more information I can see what they were saying and I am going to take their advice in moving forward.

ty.. ty.. to everyone on this post...

No, not rude at all, Roger. I just didn't want you to fall into a myopic trap by failing to demand the same scrutiny of your ideas as you clearly demand of all others solely because they are your ideas. Good luck.

**EasyAutoSales** · 04-08-2008 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by rogercbryan

We've created a unique PPC type listing system that lest them list every car for free and then they only pay us if someone clicks their listing. I'm hoping this will entice the auctions to list more cars in a CSV text dump format.
*Pictures will come later and cost extra.... Right now we just want to drive people to the auction lanes or auction sites.

It's not that unique - Oodle.com does this as their primary business, free pictures and all.

Also, many aggregators today use the same model.