Duplicate Content on Site, G+ Description & Citations?

[dbennett006]

Hi,

Is it safe to use the description from the website in the blurb on citations and on Google Plus? If it isn't do you guys write a new description for each citation?

I haven't split tested it but my main concern is duplicate content.

Thanks

 

[Eric Rohrback]

re: Duplicate Content on Site, G+ Description & Citations?

I wouldn't use the same content from your website. What I do with citations is write a unique description for local listings that's separate from what's in the "About Us" section of the website (or any other part of the site). It's also worth while to create a different local listing description from a conversion rate stand point. That should really be your "elevator pitch" to a prospective new customer, so it should really speak volumes about what the business can do to solve their need. That message is usually spread out over the entire website, so you need to find a creative way to consolidate it down into one paragraph.

Hope that helps.

 

[warrenpd]

re: Duplicate Content on Site, G+ Description & Citations?

I have never used the same description as what is on my website but I do use the same description for almost every citation and I haven't had any problems from that.

 

[Linda Buquet]

I agree with the guys. To be on the safe side I would not just copy site content to the G+ L description. I'm not sure it would be a problem, I just would not do it. Then I'd create a slightly different version of that for citations. And if it was me personally I'd have about 3 different versions so they weren't all the same.

Again not sure it matters and there is no such things as a duplicate content penalty BUT if Google just ignores or discounts dupe content, I want my citations to count, so I'd just change it up every so often.

 

[Laustin1878]

I too, use different descriptions for the website and citations or 3rd party sites. I usually use the same description for the 3rd party sites though. I'll ask the client for a 500 word description and truncate it where necessary. I explain that this will be used for business listings and other 3rd party sites.

I have not seen any issues sharing the same description across 3rd party websites.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Great insight! This is another thread that I reference when this subject comes up - http://www.localsearchforum.com/google-local/9128-descriptions-citations-duplicate-content.html

 

[Linda Buquet]

Oh good, thanks for sharing that Colan!

Good to know someone knows the content here as well as I do...
BUT remembers it when I forget to mention!