Owners or managers of online stores often face this issue: page duplication. Duplicate pages on a website not only take up unnecessary server space and increase loading time but also negatively affect the site’s promotion in search engines. Search engine crawlers can get confused by duplicates and fail to understand which page is the original and should be indexed. This can lead to decreased page relevance, loss of traffic and conversions, as well as penalties from search engines.

In this article, we will explain what duplicates are, why they occur, why you should remove duplicate pages, and how to prevent their appearance.

What are duplicates on a website?

Duplicates are pages that have identical or very similar content but different URLs. For example, if you sell the same product under different SKUs or names, you may have duplicate product pages with different addresses. Or if you use filters or sorting to display products in a catalog, you may have duplicate category pages with different parameters in the URL.

Types of duplicates

Duplicates on your online store website can be full or partial.

Full duplicates

Full duplicates are pages that completely replicate each other in content and meta tags. They may have different URLs due to:

using different protocols (http or https)
using different subdomains (www or without www)
using different language versions (ru or en)
using different URL parameters (id, sort, filter, etc.)
using different trailing slashes in the URL (with or without a slash "/")

Example of full duplicates:
https://example.com/product/123
https://example.com/product/123?sort=price
https://www.example.com/product/123
https://example.com/product/123/

All these addresses lead to the same product page with identical content and meta tags.

Partial duplicates

Partial duplicates are pages that have different content but similar topics or purposes. They may occur due to:

creating different pages for the same product or service with minor differences
creating different pages for various regions or cities with identical descriptions
creating different pages for various categories or subcategories with similar text
creating different pages with the same keywords or queries

Example of partial duplicates:
https://example.com/product/smartphone
https://example.com/product/phone
https://example.com/product/mobile-device

All these pages describe the same product — a smartphone — but with different titles and texts. However, for search engines, they are duplicates because they compete for the same queries.

Why duplicates appear on your site

To effectively combat duplicates, you need to understand where they come from and which factors cause their appearance. It is important to realize that duplicate content may arise not only from technical glitches but also due to actions by company staff and incorrect configuration of the content management system (CMS). In this section, we will examine the main reasons for duplicates appearing on an online store website.

Generated by your CMS

A CMS (Content Management System) allows you to create and edit your website’s pages. Some CMS platforms can automatically generate duplicate pages under certain conditions. For example, if you use WordPress, you might have duplicate pages with different types of sorting or filtering for products. Also, the CMS can create duplicates for different language versions or currencies.

Content manager errors

A content manager is responsible for filling and updating content on your website. They may accidentally or intentionally create duplicate pages by copying or moving content from one page to another. For example, selling the same product under different names or in different categories.

Technical errors during changes

These are errors that occur when working with the site’s code or settings. They can cause the same page to be accessible under different URLs or cause one URL to open different pages. For example, when you change the URL structure or move the site to another domain.

Similar products

These are products with very few or no differences at all. For example, selling T-shirts of different colors or sizes but with identical descriptions and features. In this case, you may create separate pages for each product or use a single general page with parameter options.

URLs with parameters

URLs with parameters contain additional information after a question mark (?). This information can be used for passing data between pages or tracking user activity. For example, if you use Google Analytics, you may have URLs with parameters like utm_source, utm_medium, etc. These parameters do not affect the page content but can create duplicates for search engines.

Why duplicates are dangerous

Duplicate pages can seriously harm your site’s SEO. Here are some negative consequences of page duplication:

Reduced relevance. Search engines try to show users the most relevant and useful pages for their queries. If duplicates exist on your site, search engines can get confused about which page to show. As a result, they may show a less appropriate page or none at all.
Dilution of link equity. Search engines evaluate the importance and popularity of pages partly by the number and quality of external links to them. If duplicates exist, links are divided among them, weakening the original page’s authority. This can lead to ranking drops or insufficient traffic.
Lower user satisfaction. Users coming from search expect to see the information they searched for. If they encounter duplicates with the same or outdated content, they may get disappointed and leave your site, resulting in lost potential customers and higher bounce rates.
Damage to your online store’s reputation. Search engines may reduce your site’s relevance and authority if many duplicates are detected. Additionally, users may leave if they do not find unique and valuable information.
Fewer indexed pages. Search engines may not index all your pages if they spend resources crawling duplicates.

How to check your site for duplicate pages

Checking for duplicates is an important part of an SEO audit and helps ensure content quality. As a site owner, you can also check for duplicates yourself to detect issues early and then seek professional help if needed.

How to check for duplicates without special software:

Use the “site” operator. You can search for duplicates directly in Google by entering site:yourwebsite.com to get a list of all indexed pages. Carefully review results to spot if identical pages appear.
Check URL patterns and templates. Analyze your site’s URL structure and templates for accidental duplication caused by CMS settings or misconfigurations.
Content review. Manually review key sections of your site to ensure they do not duplicate each other’s content.
Google Search Console. This Google tool helps track how your site appears in search. Using it, you can simplify finding duplicate pages. The “Coverage” section shows pages with duplicate meta tags and warns about other issues.

How to prevent duplication

To avoid duplicate pages on your site, follow these simple rules:

Use unique and meaningful URLs for each page. Avoid parameters that do not affect page content or remove them from URLs.
Use unique and optimized titles and meta tags for every page, reflecting the main topic and keywords.
Use unique and valuable content for each page. Avoid copying or paraphrasing content from other pages or sites. Add your expertise, opinions, or examples.
Use numbered and bulleted lists to structure and highlight key points in your content. This helps users and search engines better understand and remember your information.

Duplicates on a website are a serious problem requiring attention and resolution. If you want to increase your site’s visibility and traffic, ensure all pages are unique and valuable for users and search engines. Entrust site work to a team of professionals if you want to get the maximum benefit from SEO promotion.

Order online store promotion at Idea Digital Agency. We have successful experience with similar projects — here are some of our cases: promotion of an online store for confectioners where the same product was available under different URLs, promotion of a door manufacturer’s site in the USA with product page duplication issues.

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