SEO structure question: Better to add similar (but distinct) content to multiple unique pages or make one unique page?

[Kevin_McLeish]

Not sure which approach would be more SEO ranking friendly?

As we are a music store, we do instrument repairs on all instruments.  Currently, I don't have much of any content about our repairs on our website... so I'm considering a couple different approaches of adding this content: Let's take Trumpet Repair for example:

1.  I can auto write to the HTML body (say, at the end of the body) of our 20 Trumpets (each having their own page) we have for sale on our site, the verbiage of all repairs, services, rates, and other repair related detail.  In my mind, the effect of this may be that: This added information does uniquely pertain to Trumpets only (excludes all other instrument repair info), which Google likes... but it would be duplicate Trumpet repair information over 20 pages.... which Google may not like?

2. Or I could auto write the repair details to the Trumpet's Category Page - either in the Body, Header, or Footer.  This definitely reduces the redundancy of the repeating Trumpet repair info per Trumpet page, but it also reduces each Trumpet pages content depth... so I'm not sure which out weighs the other?

3. Write it to both category page & individual pages?  Possibly valuable because the information is anchoring all around itself and supporting... or is that super duplication?

4. Of course, create a category dedicated to repairs then add a subcategory for each instrument and have the repair info there be completely unique to that page...- then in the body of each 20 Trumpets, tag an internal link to Trumpet Repair?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated?  Thanks, Kevin

[ITC.firm]

You are asking a great question. My suggestion would be to forget about SEO and write the content in the way that would make sense to you as a professional and also in a way that you really think your end consumer would like. SEO is basically a method for Google to try to figure out what people would like the most and rank those sites that seem like they would be more appealing to the people who are searching for similar terms. So I highly suggest you totally ignore what SEO tactic you should use for your content and focus on how to make your content better for your visitors.
Let me address one technical thing though; what you are asking some refer to as Siloing. Bruce Clay has a well written article about this that you can find: http://www.bruceclay.com/seo/silo.htm . This will help you understand how you should restructure your content in a way that is easiest to understand for both the consumer as well as the search engine. I would probably be able to help you more if I knew what your website's structure looked like but I hope this gives you some general guidelines. Good luck to you!

Ashkan Sobhe

[Kurt_Steinbrueck]

I'd go with creating a repairs section and having different pages for the various types of instrument repair you offer.  I'd recommend this for two reasons.

1. By having unique pages for the various types of instrument repair as well as a category page for instrument repair, you are able to target keywords specific to instrument repair.  You can only effectively target so many keywords on a page, so, having different pages for sales and repairs allows you to target more keywords.
2. Users looking at a sales page are probably wanting to buy an instrument, not get an instrument repaired.  So, the repairs information is most likely irrelevant for them at the time and will only serve to confuse things during the buying process.  I generally think pages need to be kept as simple as possible, regarding content topics.  Too many topics and you confuse people and make it harder for them to find what they want.  So, keeping each topic to it's own page is usually better for the user experience.

Kurt Steinbrueck
OurChurch.Com

[Kevin_McLeish]

Awesome!  Thanks!!  Great link too!  I think you and Kurt are on the same page here with simplicity and keeping it unique.  Thanks again Ashkan!

[Kevin_McLeish]

Right on!  Thanks Kurt!  That would just feel right to do it like that... sometimes gets confusing on what out-weighs what for prioritizing SEO, but I really think you nailed it on the head!  Thanks again!

[ITC.firm]

You're most welcome Kevin! I like Kurt's response too and it makes sense. Best of luck and let me know if you ever need anything else or have other questions!