Duplicate Meta Descriptions

[Gillf]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a way of avoiding Google thinking there are duplicate meta descriptions when items are in more than one category?

Gill
www.ever-so-sexy.com (http://www.ever-so-sexy.com)
Luxury Lingerie Online

[petad]

Hi Gill

My understanding is that Google takes the page more or less as a whole when looking for duplicates, so when an item is in a different category there will be differences on each of the pages (the category is different, for a start!), so it shouldn't be an issue.

However, I'm no expert - hopefully someone more clued up will respond as well.

Regards

Pete

[john]

Have you checked in Google Webmaster tools to see if G regards these as duplicates? we did have lots of duplicates at one time but it didn't seem to affect the indexing or rating.

Just checked ours again, it seems we have 189 duplicates, but I can't see how it is affecting our rating with G, it is impossible to avoid for items appearing in more than one category, I will try making some of them blank if possible and keep an eye on their ranking.

[Gillf]

Hi Peter & John

Thanks for your replies.

It was seeing a whole load of duplicates registered on Google webmaster tools that made me ask the question.

Its the first time this has happened and I have always had products in more than one category - perhaps its just a rogue result from Google or perhaps a change in how they are crawling.

But as traffic has been a bit strange lately I am just a little nervous. My traffic is down by about 30% though sales until this last week have been unaffected - in fact July was the second best month this year. My rankings apart from 1 key word which has dropped drastically in the last day or so are either the same or improved so I am very puzzled.

Thanks again for your replies.

Gill
www.ever-so-sexy.com (http://www.ever-so-sexy.com)
Luxury Lingerie Online

[Adva Trading]

Is it duplicate or similar pages?

[Gillf]

Hi Eran

Its Google picking up duplicate meta descriptions because I have product in more than one category, for instance a white silk nightdress by Diane Rubach would be in bridal, and nightdresses and Diane Rubach Silk Lingerie. They are registering 261 duplicate meta descriptions.

Gill
www.ever-so-sexy.com (http://www.ever-so-sexy.com)
Luxury Lingerie Online

[john]

Hi Peter & John

But as traffic has been a bit strange lately I am just a little nervous. My traffic is down by about 30% though sales until this last week have been unaffected - in fact July was the second best month this year. My rankings apart from 1 key word which has dropped drastically in the last day or so are either the same or improved so I am very puzzled.

Thanks again for your replies.

Gill
www.ever-so-sexy.com (http://www.ever-so-sexy.com)
Luxury Lingerie Online

I wouldn't worry too much about the traffic variations, I would imagine that with your products a lot of visits come from Google images and they are probably watching beach volleyball instead lately!!
Wait till the Peking show is over and the kids get back to school to see how business is really heading, our traffic and sales are sky high but unless you know someone in your sector it's impossible to get real comparison figures.
Google says it won't penalise you for duplicate Meta Descriptions but at the same time asks you to make them as descriptive as possible of the Url's contents, typical Google contradiction!

[Gillf]

Hi John

I know my product does attract a lot of guys "just looking" :) and you are right I think - they are busy watching the sports... I guess one could start building a personality profile of these people from this. Its a bit of a conundrum really. I need to make the product look as attractive as possible for the real buyers but that also attracts the "lookers". Anyway, I shall try not to be too neurotic about my traffic and look forward to the peak season (the run up to Christmas)

Thanks again

Gill
www.ever-so-sexy.com (http://www.ever-so-sexy.com)
Luxury Lingerie Online.

[channel4models]

With Google Webmaster tools, when it gives you that code to 'verify' your site, where on Bluepark do you insert this. SOrry id its a silly question.

[Dave]

With Google Webmaster tools, when it gives you that code to 'verify' your site, where on Bluepark do you insert this. SOrry id its a silly question.

If you are talking about the verification of the google sitemap I would use the option to verify by file and not code. Webmaster tools will then give you a file name which will be something like googlexxxxxxxx.html

In Bluepark go into site---->configuration and then site, scroll down the page and look for Google Sitemaps verification file:

This is where you enter the googlexxxxxxxx.html filename

[channel4models]

Sorted. Thank you.

[Dave]

Sorted. Thank you.


No problem, thanks for letting us know

[Gillf]

Hi
I'm a bit puzzled, (no change there then !) I've got a verified site map at Google Webmaster tools and yet I have nothing showing in Bluepark configuration ---> site---> Google Sitemaps verification file. Its been over two years since I set it all up and I am pretty sure I put something in at the time. Should I re-enter the googlexxx.html file or leave well alone?
Cheers
Gill

[Dave]

Morning Gill,

When you log into webmaster tools does it show your sitemap as being verified? If so you must have done it but then maybe removed it from bluepark?

If it shows as verified I would still add the file in bluepark, you can find the filename in the webmaster tools by going into tools--->manage site verification

Obviously if its not verified then go through the verification procedure

[Gillf]

Hi Dave

To my rescue again. Thanks. It is verified at Google - so I will find the filename and add it again.

Happy Christmas
Gill
Luxury Lingerie Online (http://www.ever-so-sexy.com)

[Dave]

Hi Dave

To my rescue again. Thanks. It is verified at Google - so I will find the filename and add it again.

Happy Christmas
Gill
Luxury Lingerie Online (http://www.ever-so-sexy.com)

Hi Gill,

Thanks for letting me know.

Happy Christmas