Is There Any Google Update That Distinguishes Urban and National?

Mew ^👑
What do you guys think? Googles duplicate content policy has begun mentioning city builds.
[filtered from 51 💬🗨]

Ian
Cloning pages and switching out the location keywords has always felt iffy to me, so I've never done it. It's an easy thing for Google to sniff out and snuff out if they decide they don't like it any more – and that always worried me. _👍🏽2

Mew ^👑^✍️ » Ian
– After reading their policy I’m a little iffy.
I’ve always done it and it still works to this day. I have the results to prove it on hundreds of city pages from the same domain. But as you stated, if one day they want to can it – it wouldn’t be hard. _👍🏽1
Brandon
Oh! yea, I feel like this has been coming down the pipeline for a while. We've already begun making sure our city pages are unique with landmarks and whatnot. _👍🏽3
Ian » Mew
Out of interest have you run a test where you pit cloned pages vs. original rewrites (including unique landmarks and localised FAQs etc. like Brandon
mentions)?
Mew ^👑^✍️ » Ian
– I have. Same results over time. Page 1, Position 1-3. I’d have to test it on a brand new site to be truly conclusive
Ian » Mew
That's good to know. Think I'll do a test too as I currently have a whole bunch of cloned pages set to noindex that we only use as ad landing pages at present. Would be good to squeeze more value out of those pages.
Roger » Mew
9:47 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKoriHae71w
Is more content better? SEO Mythbusting _👍🏽1
Phil » Roger
I saw this too. It’s the approach I would take.
There’s always something different you can say e.g testimonials could be different, locations you’ve worked at could be different and so on.
It’s an area I think google hasn’t got it right though. I almost feel they need something like a canonical tag to say “this is part of a location group. Consider them the same, but for different locations”. _👍🏽2
Mew ^👑^✍️ » Roger
– I don’t think he actually knows.
Roger » Phil
Agree with you. If have different testimonial or coupon, it may work. The idea is break the rules and still follow the rules. Honest speaking google never give a clear answer and this is the purposes a Facebook group for. We share our experience here. https://www.abacusplumbing.net/sugar-land-plumbing/ vs https://www.abacusplumbing.net/Kingwood-plumbing/ If they change it, I think nothing bad will happen _👍🏽1
Roger » Mew
Google want to make more money from https://ads.google.com/local-services-ads/ 😁
Local Services by Google – Lead Generation for Local Customers
ADS.GOOGLE.COM
Local Services by Google – Lead Generation for Local Customers
Local Services by Google – Lead Generation for Local Customers
Mew ^👑^✍️ » Roger
– Google
Repipe Company Tempe
Repipe Company Scottsdale
Repipe Company Chandler
Repipe Company Surprise
And look for AZIP
I can show hundreds of pages with this tactic working. Maybe even thousands actually. _👍🏽1
Roger » Mew
"keyword cities" work well in the past, even last month. Now I am not too sure to be honest.
Mew ^👑^✍️ » Roger
– I’ll have to watch it closely. Haven’t had any SERP drops yet _👍🏽1
Roger » Mew
Then we are still following the rules😆Honest speaking, if the pages do not have different coupon, no value to users. Just my 2 cents
Phil » Roger
indeed. Google used to have a hissy fit over duplicate content in early panda days but they reversed out of it. They realized duplicate content is relevant still.
These days it’s mostly just if they deindex the pages.
If they index it, I think you’re good to go 👍
If not .. you’ll have to provide more differentiation. _👍🏽3
Roger » Phil
Agreed👍 _👍🏽1

Kafka
Funny, had a client ask about that this week. I actually suggested no content on the pages as better than copy pasting with placeholders for location. _👍🏽1

Tamás » Kafka
so empty pages? Shown only in footer for example?
Kafka » Tamás
no, still header, footer, city data like time and temp with just the target keyword as the title and h1, maybe a Google map for the location. Otherwise, empty of written text. It was a joke, but only kinda.
Tamás » Kafka
Yeah that's what I meant 🙂 Seen this on a few pages that's why I am asking..is it a proper thing or just more than nothing?
Kafka » Tamás
more than nothing, and not spammy dupe content. _👍🏽1

Clint
I'll buy that when Google stops ranking directories in local over local businesses. And define syndicating city content, I can have tons of similar pages and they can all be 51% unique all day long. Nope, this stuff works because Google's systems know that there are only so many ways you talk about plumbing, roofing, locksmith whatever service and if you offer that service in 1 city or 100 you are still going to market and talk about it in the same way. _👍🏽4

Mew ^👑^✍️ » Clint
– Love your point about local directories.
I agree with you. Just hoping they don’t put the syndication ban hammer down.
Clint
There is a point of no return for sure, but I don't see any "hammer" coming down anytime soon for the points I made above. Google knows how to make money in local, keep directories high in the search results, and don't legitimately tackle lead gen maps. This all drives real local businesses right where they want them, pay-per-click (PPC). It's all intentional. _👍🏽3

Matt » Mew
, from that Google article they say
"Minimize similar content: If you have many pages that are similar, consider expanding each page or consolidating the pages into one. For instance, if you have a travel site with separate pages for two cities, but the same information on both pages, you could either merge the pages into one page about both cities or you could expand each page to contain unique content about each city."
Note the "OR you could expand each page to contain unique content about each city".
I take this as them saying city page builds are OK so long as the content is unique. Thoughts?

Mew ^👑^✍️ » Matt
– Hard saying with Google. I think they say “or” and “consider” to protect their end, not ours – giving Manual Rankers the ability to make the call probably. _👍🏽1
Matt » Mew
yeah with that verbiage I'm still taking my chances so long as city builds keep ranking haha. _👍🏽1
Mew ^👑^✍️ » Matt
– Same 😂😂 Working on one right now as I type this.

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