Unique Content Below Fold - Better Move Above Fold?

[khi5]

I have a page with a Google Map taking up 80% of space above the fold (rest is content which is not unique to my site) and all unique written content and copyrighted pictures are from a  visual stand point right below the fold. I am considering making the Google map 1/4 in size so I can get my unique content up higher. Questions:

1. Do we have any evidence or sound reasoning why I should / should not make this move?
2. Is the content really considered below the fold or will Google see that it is simply a large map I have on the site and therefore will actually consider the content to be above the fold?

Thank you

[EGOL]

I have LOTS of pages with a nice Google map, wonderful photo, interesting graph hogging the above-the-fold space.

I am not changin' anything.

If you have great stuff, one of the best presentations of your subject, above the fold and people are responding well to it then don't let kibitzers spreadin' rumors about "above the fold" content tanking your rankings scare you away from it.

I am out every day looking for, spending lots of money on, consulting with my photographer.... to get great face-slapping content to post above the fold to impress the Hell out of my visitors when they land.

When that stops working, I will be in here complaining.

One thing concerns me about your post and that is.....

"(rest is content which is not unique to my site)"

Note the word NOT in bold.  If the rest of your page is duplicate content then I think Google will probably discover that eventually and your page will be treated poorly.

If you have a little bit of content from elsewhere  on this page then just take the time to rewrite it or put it in the image if you are allowed to use it.

One more note.  I am quite confident that Google can figure out when images are reused from other websites.  I am not sure that can reduced your rankings at this time, but it might in the future.

[khi5]

Thx very much. Ex: http://www.honoluluhi5.com/oahu/honolulu-homes/

As you will see, I have lots of quality unique content below the fold and all pictures in slideshow below the fold are my original photos. My pages are higher quality than any competitor but do not rank. I suspect a reason is the unique content is below the fold. I do understand link profile still isn't strong (9 month old site) but the link profile is still relative to many competitors strong.

Idea I am playing with is to reduce map to 1/4 the size (chop 75% off) and place unique content higher.

Your opinion would be highly appreciated.

[khi5]

I have added "noindex, follow" on page 2 to n as well. View all not possible. I only index pages where I have unique quality content added. Therefore, I also have many similar pages where page 1 is also "noindex, follow" and all property pages noindex, follow.

I have basically done everything to only index high quality pages and none of the MLS pages that look like on 100+ other real estate websites...

[EGOL]

Now that I see the site, I might understand why Google does not like it.

The community pages like the one that you gave as an example are signposts for a large number of noindex pages that mostly contain content that can be seen verbatim on many other websites.   A lot of people think that noindexing duplicate content is "best practice"... but I am not sure that is true when you have a lot of duplicate content that is out there on a lot of other websites.  Google is probably saying... "Oh no!  Another one!"

After seeing, I agree with you that the map is way oversized.  But I don't think that changing it is going to solve your problem.

I can't tell you how to solve your problem.  I think that real estate is tough because the content changes rapidly and lots and lots of websites are publishing the same stuff.  So, if this site belonged to me I would find an SEO consultant with deep experience in working on successful real estate sites in highly competitive markets who can study the site and give me advice.

Good luck.

[khi5]

Thx a lot. You really know your stuff. Maybe I should add those noindex pages to robots.txt instead and get rid of "rel=next prev" signals. Basically isolate page 1 as a stand alone page and in this way search engines do not see pages 2 to n with the "noindex, follow" tag.

[khi5]

" lot of people think that noindexing duplicate content is "best practice"... but I am not sure that is true when you have a lot of duplicate content that is out there on a lot of other websites.  Google is probably saying... "Oh no!  Another one!"

If I add page 2 to n and specific property pages to robots.txt that would sent a stronger signal to Google and Google may not say "oh no, another one"?

Does my logic make sense?

[EGOL]

Does my logic make sense?

I don't want to guess.

If this was my site, I would want that answer coming from someone who has seen a lot of real estate sites and knows how the most successful in highly competitive real estate markets handle this problem.

[khi5]

Thx. I am going to make non unique pages "noindex, nofollow" and I am going to get rid of "rel=next prev". This keeping "follow" on noindex pages is so minor and I think might hurt my site since it allows Google to read what is on those pages....(non unique duplicate looking content).

I will update in a few months with the results.