If your brand has been writing content for a while, you’ll probably get to a point where some of that content becomes similar. Since many people have thought that more content is better, the potential problem here may not be obvious. If left alone, this could create a situation in which you have various content battling for the same search. Combining content can help increase the likelihood of getting the desired page to rank well in search results. It can also increase your link building efforts since other sites will only have one version of your content to point back to. It can also make it simpler for users to find the information they’re looking for and help you reduce underperforming content that may be doing more harm than good.
Opportunities to consolidate content
Google may see pages that are light on content, such as help center pages that address only a single question, as not indeed providing value to users. Try to group these and structure them in a meaningful way. If a user has a problem, they are likely to have follow-up questions, and combining this information may make your pages more useful, as well as the site as a whole. Combing your content can increase the look and flow of your website.
Duplicate content
In most cases, Google doesn’t penalize sites over duplicate content. However, for larger sites, having multiple URLs that host the same content may consume crawl budget and dilute signals, hindering a search engine’s ability to index and evaluate your pages. Even if your site is relatively small, identifying and addressing duplicate content can improve your user experience.
How to consolidate your content
Google Search Console and Analytics can be utilized to distinguish which pieces of content may just be taking up crawl budget or cannibalizing your keywords without contributing any value to your audience.
Combine content that serves a similar purpose
Users usually have more than one question, and those questions are typically associated with whatever stage they’re currently at in their buyer’s journey. For example, suppose someone has just started to think about buying a new car. In that case, they’ll presumably want to learn about its fuel economy, safety ratings, special features, and other similar car models.
Brands and publishers could incorporate this information related to the same stage of the user’s journey instead of having numerous articles addressing each of these particular questions. This can reduce the number of content you have competing over the same sets of keywords. It will also enhance your user experience by gathering all the information that a possible customer may need on one page.
Contact Boston Web Marketing
At Boston Web Marketing, we can help your site by adding fresh content monthly and use topics relevant to current business. Contact us if you are interested in our SEO services! Give us a call or fill out our contact form for more information.