Duplicate Page Title Elements

[k9byron]

Hello Mozzers. My questions is below and I would like to thank everyone in advance for any feedback

I own a dog supplies site (www.k9electronics.com). When I launched the site several years back I hired a guy for SEO and he optimized my home page for specific categories search terms such as "dog training collars", "dog shock collars:, ect instead of general search terms such as "dog supplies", "dog accessories", ect.

I would like to start moving these home page title element terms (starting with "dog shock collars") over to the dog training collars category but have high rankings for this term on the home page.

Current Home Page Title Element:
dog training collars, dog shock collars, electric dog collar, dog supplies (recently added)

Current Dog Training Collars Category Title Element:
dog training collars

I was hoping to add "dog shock collars" to the dog training collars category page until I achieved higher ranking then delete if from the home page. ..or swap it out with "dog accessories".

I am currently ranked #5 in Google for "dog shock collars" on the home page & dog training collars category page ...and I am a little concerned about changing these title elements.

My question is; If I add 'dog shock collars" to the dog training collars category page title as well, how will it effect my ranking on both pages having this duplicate term in both page titles?

Thank You,
Byron-

[AlanBleiweiss]

you should be fine.  Generally, when doing this type of migration of topical focus, you'll initially see the home page remain ranked, then see the inner page also come up below that, and as you build the SEO focus of that inner page (though content on that page, content on other pages (such as the home page) about that topic with links to that page, and external link building pointing to that page, you should eventually see that page rank higher than the home page or right after it.

Once you see that consistently over an extended period, you should be fine to remove it from the home page's title.

[Bevelwise]

The approach with something like this is try to be more broad on the home page level and then more specific on category and product pages.  Another factor that helps those category pages rank is your internal anchor text, and that should ideally say "Dog Shock Collars".  I think at your home level you will want to go more broad with your on page target terms as long as you have the link profile to get ranked for those more competitive terms.  If you do not have enough link authority to get good rankings with those terms then I would be in support of keeping those home page terms specific until you build a link profile that can help you rank for them more competitive terms.  At that point, then change your on page optimization to focus on the broader terms.

[k9byron]

Excellent! Alan, thank you!

[k9byron]

Also excellent advice ..thanks bevelwise