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Duplicate content

Duplicate content is substantially similar content available at more than one URL or in more than one place.

Ask about Duplicate content

Start with the URLs. Share the pages or your question, and we will compare the right thing first.

Illustration of duplicate content with two similar web pages, separate address bars, and a comparison lens

Two addresses can lead to the same menu.

A café might show the same menu at /menu/ and /menu/?ref=newsletter. The second address records a referral, but the dishes, opening details, and booking action may be identical.

Two branch menus are a different case. If they show different dishes, collection locations, or opening hours, those differences help customers. Compare what the pages actually provide before combining them.

Compare the pages before changing the URLs

1. Put the pages side by side

Open both addresses and compare the main text, images, products, location details, and next action. Record which details differ. Ignore a shared navigation menu when deciding whether the main content is duplicated.

2. Decide whether both are useful

If both pages provide the same menu for the same café, choose the address you want people to use. If each serves a different branch, keep the branch-specific details visible. Replacing place names in otherwise identical copy does not explain a real difference.

3. Match the treatment to the task

When an old menu address is being retired, a permanent redirect can send visitors to its replacement. If duplicate addresses must stay available, a canonical annotation can suggest the preferred one to Google. Use that preferred address consistently in internal links.

4. Check the visitor’s route

Follow a link from the café’s home page and from an old email. Confirm that both lead to the intended menu and that booking or collection still works. For separate branches, check that visitors can tell which location they have selected.

Common questions about duplicate content

Back to the dictionary.

Should I rewrite every repeated sentence?

No. Shared delivery terms, contact details, or navigation can be useful in several places. Focus on whether the main content answers the same task. Rewrite a branch page to explain its actual dishes and collection arrangements, not merely to change the wording.

Should every branch page point to the same canonical URL?

Do not treat distinct branch menus as duplicates just because their design matches. First compare the information customers use to choose a location. Canonical annotations are for duplicate or very similar pages.

Does a canonical annotation guarantee Google’s choice?

No. It signals your preferred URL, but Google may choose another version. Keep canonical annotations and internal links consistent. See Google’s canonical URL guidance.

Can robots.txt select the preferred page?

No. A crawl restriction does not select a canonical URL, and a blocked URL may still appear in search results. Use the appropriate redirect or canonical method described in Google’s duplicate-URL guidance.

Should these pages stay separate?

Send both URLs and explain what visitors should find on each. We can compare the content and identify whether the pages need distinct information, a preferred URL, or a redirect.

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