Reducing duplicate content

[seo_ploom]

Callcatalog.com is a complaint directory for phone numbers.  People post information on the phone calls they get.  Since there are many many phone numbers, obviously people haven't posted information on ALL of the phone numbers, THUS I have many phone numbers with zero content.  SEOMoz is telling me that pages with zero content looks like duplicate content with each other..

The only difference between two pages that have zero coments is the title and phone number embedded in the page.  For example, http://www.callcatalog.com/phones/view/413-563-3263 is a page that has zero comments..

I don't want to remove these zero comment phone number pages from the directory since many people find the pages via a phone number search.

Here's my question:  what can I do to make google / seomoz think that thexe zero comment pages is not dupliicate content?

[Guest]

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[seo_ploom]

if I added a no index meta tag, then wouldn't it not show up in the google search index?  Google lists many of my no-content pages and people show up on them.  Any other ideas?

[eyepaq]

I've seen stats form a similar website - I've never thought that so many people are looking for phone numbers - it's incredible.

Now getting to the point, in my personal opinion you should do nothing.  Especially don't remove those pages as that's suicide.

Even if the SeoMoz tool is showing duplicate content issues on the site - duplicate content within your site is NEVER a penalty situation. You will never get in trouble for having the same content or similar content on more pages within your site.

The only down side is that duplicate pages will compete to each other in search results but in your case they won't as you are looking for a single keyword for each page (with or without comments on it - the exact phone number that is).

The main goal is to get to a page after looking for that particular phone number so in your case multiple pages from your site with similar content won't compete - you are safe from all points of view.

You should never remove the pages with no comments from the site as it will drop your organic # by a lot - I've seen stats from a similar website and, like in your case, only a few pages had comments/names and 90% were blank pages with the number in h1 on the top only and those pages received a lot of organic direct hits.

The bounce rate however was high - so you might want to give some extra options within that page beside the number and the form as this can even increase your adsense ctr if done with extra care. If you already have a lot of traffic I would suggest A/B testing for the empty pages.

[Guest]

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[seo_ploom]

Eyepaq -- very interesting.  Any additional thoughts as to how to improve bounce rate then?

[eyepaq]

If you add a no index on those pages they won't show in the search results and lose the entire purpose - the effect will be the same with removing the pages.

People are getting on those pages for sure - probably a lot of people overall.

[seo_ploom]

ok, so if google still indexes it then they DO NOT consider it duplicate?

[eyepaq]

ok, so if google still indexes it then they DO NOT consider it duplicate?

Lol. Good point. You are right !

[eyepaq]

I think Joel Hit is right.

Still the pages are very similar but again, is not something you should be afraid of.

As far as improving bounce rate you should think about A/B testing.

A few things you can try:

• add a [next] / [show another result] /  [ not the number you are looking for ? ] button  that should at least drop the BR.

• add a side bar with additional navigation options that links internally

just a few ideas - hope it helps.

• play with the informational layout including your ads (adsesne)

[AlanMosley]

no not at all. but i would not worrie, as there is little info on them they are not really going to do much for you, when they are filled in, they will no longer be duplicates.
If they only ave a phhone number and title, they are not going to do anythiung for you