Site wide content like "why choose us" just above the footer on every single page

[madcow78]

Hi Guys,

I know that  is not good having any kind of duplicate content on your site, but SEO is above all "competition", so I have to see what my competitor are doing to find the best way to outrank them.

So this is my question: is it good or not having site wide content like "why choose us" just above the footer on every single page? At the moment, I can see many - too many - of my client competitors having the "Why choose us" as site wide content above the footer. The funny thing they don't use a couple of sentences, they have placed  many words and 10/20 internal links, in other words, they have enough stuff to put down a stand alone page.

What do you think: this is just a bad SEO practice or it may work, as I can see so many sites ranking well with this kind of piece of junk on each page.

I am not going to recommend this to my client, but as am trying to detail every decision I make showing what the competitors are currently doing, my concern is that my client finds it and therefore will ask to have the same shiny piece of garbage above the footer.

Thanks,

Pierpaolo

[MonicaOConnor]

That all depends on what you are using it for. If you are in a market where your service or product can be found anywhere, than something that sets you apart from your competition should be highlighted in as many places as you possibly can. Best practice would be to incorporate this on an about us page, or add a tab to the top nav bar that would allow your customers to see it and then go to a page for the details. I do not like the idea of duplicate content on every page. I don't believe it increases the user experience and it definitely loses its SEO value.

For the purposes of standing apart from the competition, I would create a page highlighting what separates you from your competitors and then add it to your top nav bar. Call it "Why Choose Us" or "About Us", or even "What Makes Us Different". Something to catch the Users eye and give them an idea of what separates your company from everyone else selling your product or service.

[madcow78]

I am agreed with you, but unfortunately what I have got from the creative brief the client gave us, is that in this market all the players have an awful poor idea of what marketing, targets, benefits, features etc meanings.

After I have analysed some sites I can say they don't do anything to separates from each others. They all offer the same services with fees that change of a couple of pounds. I can tell you that there are two kind of sites:

1. populated with thousands pages, hundreds internal links and the "why choose us" footer.
2. clean, neat and very stylish. With thin content and funny site structure

To be honest, I have an idea on how to make outstanding this business from the competitors, but it's more like developing a new service than marketing the current services. We will see what they give me a feedback on my idea.

Thanks for your kind reply,

PP

[donford]

Be the Google to their Ask Jeeves!

I understand what you mean here, sometimes these business folk just get in a rut of so and so is doing this we must do it too. I can't tell you how many times I have asked companies a question about a specific detail and offered opinions and their response was "well what are our competitors doing"?

URGH!

Bee Or Gin Ale!

[CommT]

Hi,

We have a 'Why Choose us' section on most pages of one of our websites, and it hasn't affected our SEO in the slightest. It helps inform people as to why they should choose our company as opposed to the competition.

I don't believe it's 'garbage' - SO LONG as it's well executed. It drives conversion for us, so I think it's worth having.

I don't think it's worth having if there is nothing to differentiate yourself (or your client) but that's a different topic.

As far as SEO goes, it does no harm - so long as the rest of the content on the page is unique and useful.

Good luck, whatever you choose to do.

Amelia