Local Doorway Pages

[CsmBill]

Based on what I've read, setting up localized landing pages ie: /web-design-atlanta, web-design-nyc, /web-design-chicago, etc especially with duplicate content is a big no-no. Remarkably, 2 of our competitors are doing it, (they are just swapping out the locations), and it's working. They don't even have office addresses or local phone numbers listed. They are on the first page for multiple location based searches ("web design nyc", "web design atlanta", etc.).

I thought Google penalized for this, or at least didn't index the content. What gives? Am I misinterpreting Google's AUP? Can I report them?

If it's legal, we should be doing it as well.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Rahul,

Good question!

Of course, there is nothing actually 'illegal' about duplicate or thin content...it is simply unwise. I can completely understand the frustration with this when you see competitors employing a dumb tactic like the one you've described (creating tons of thin, duplicate pages and simply changing out the city name on each one) and managing to rank well in Google for it. I've seen lots of examples like that over the years, too. Often, these pages are old and have unfairly accrued 'trust' in Google because of that. They totally don't deserve to rank, but even despite Google's duplicate content penalties, they are. So, you are faced with a temptation to follow their example. You've seen those old cartoons where the character has a little angel and a little devil on either shoulder. What your competitors are doing represents that little devil. I'll take the role of angel here in hopes of helping you to see why you shouldn't go with the devil

1. Your competitors are showing every human being who visits their website that they are happy with making the least possible effort. If they make the least possible effort for their own business, just think of what a poor effort they must make for their clients' websites. I certainly wouldn't want to hire such a lazy, uncreative web design team. Would you?

2. Your competitors are sitting ducks for a duplicate content penalty from Google. Even if they are getting away with this today, tomorrow could be the day Google hammers down on them or an algo change makes all of that stuff on their website invisible for good. I certainly wouldn't want that kind of constant threat of disaster hanging over my head. Would you?

3. Your competitors are providing a very poor user experience for their website's human visitors. Instead of trying to be helpful and share what they know about designing websites in Boston or Atlanta or San Francisco, they are simply trying to manipulate people. Every page on a website represents an opportunity to educate, to inspire, to engage. Not only are your competitors being manipulative, they are missing a massive opportunity to build relationships with potential customers. This is a huge loss!

4. Your competitors are teaching all of their colleagues that they have no standards of excellence. In the Internet Marketing industry, lots of pros refer clients to colleagues whom they trust. For example, my firm doesn't do citation cleanup. I have a colleague who does and am happy to refer incoming clients to him because he has proven to me that he has very high standards. His website, blog and track record on the web prove his authority and dedication to excellence. There is absolutely no way I would refer a client to a web design firm whose website was littered with duplicate doorway pages. So, there is more lost opportunity.

I hope these few examples are starting to build a clear picture in your mind of how failure to take the high road can harm your business in a variety of ways. I recommend that you shake your head at what your competitors are doing and resolve that you will leave them in the dust by building awesome, unique, useful, inspiring pages and utilize your very best SEO skills to help those pages to rank well. Building your business on the web calls for maximum effort and maximum creativity - not minimum effort. Get fired up and do this right! It will serve you well in the long haul.