Multiple menu items pointing to same page

[AfroSEO]

I have an automotive dealer as a client. The primary nav has a finance menu item, which (of course) points to the finance related pages. He just requested that I add a finance link item, as child menu items, under the new and used car nav items.

Now, this is wrong for a host of reasons, what is the best way to communicate to this to him? I mean, I see this as a usability issue, it's wrong thematically, we would end up having 3 links pointing to the same page. Would this classify as dupe content?

[PatrickDelehanty]

Hi there

No, it wouldn't be duplicate content as it's the same page, but it's not necessary as a user looking at cars probably isn't interested in financing until they find a car they like and see a price.

What I would do instead there is make sure that you have finance content on the listing pages. I wouldn't go too in-depth, but make sure that you let them know you have financing options available or experts they can talk to at the dealership if they have questions or concerns.

Now, don't link off of the listing because you want the users to stay there, but make sure you have a form that they can contact you with if they have interest in the car. You can even have a checkbox that says "I would like to know about financing options" or something along those lines, so when your client receives the form, they know this person wants to talk about financing.

Keep financing links under financing in the top navigation and give users/potential customers a little content and the option to chat more if interested on your listing pages.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

[EGOL]

Now, this is wrong for a host of reasons,

This is right for two reason (it serves the customer by making financing more obvious and it may serve the dealer if he profits from financing).

This might be right if the dealer profits from financing and search engines give extra weight to pages that have multiple links in the persistent navigation (they surely must be more important pages if linked to twice in the template - though many SEOs will disagree with me).

I see nothing wrong with it.

My main site has multiple links to multiple pages in the template.

[PatrickDelehanty]

EGOL

Isn't there some patent or general belief that if there are multiple links to the same page on one page, that only the first link will get the value and the others will not be given any or the same amount of value?

I am trying remember when I read this so I can reference it but I am drawing a blank.

[EGOL]

Yes, lots of people think that "only the first link counts".  So, I would say that is a "general belief".

To me it makes more sense to give higher credit to links that are used in multiple locations.  Certainly they would be links that the webmaster wants to present to the visitor in more locations and contexts.  So, if I was Google, I would count those destination pages as "more important".

Who knows what Google really does?

[PatrickDelehanty]

Definitely true - was just wondering your stance on that "general belief". I go back and forth in what I believe on that. I can see it going either way, especially from the idea of spamming, but my guess would be that somehow it depends on the site's history or layout.

But, again, who knows!