Updated: February 11, 2023.
Learn why unique content is important for SEO (and for your users).
As an SEO professional, I can tell you that unique content is a crucial component of any successful SEO strategy.
But what exactly is unique content? Simply put, it’s content that is original and not duplicated from other sources on the internet.
Unique content refers to text, images, and other media that cannot be found anywhere else on the internet.
It’s important to have unique content on your website for several reasons, but most importantly, it can greatly impact your website’s SEO.
Ready to learn more? Let’s get started.
P.S. I hope after reading this article you will be fully convinced that having unique content is the only way to be successful in SEO.
So, why is unique content important for SEO?
This is kind of obvious but here are the most important reasons why unique content is important for SEO.
1) Improved search engine visibility & E-E-A-T
One of the primary benefits of having unique content on a website is that it can greatly improve the site’s search engine visibility.
Search engines like Google use complex algorithms to determine the relevance and quality of a website’s content, and unique content is practically always seen as a sign of quality and expertise in a particular subject or industry.
- One concept that has been emphasized in Google’s quality rater guidelines and documentation is E-E-A-T, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
- The main component of E-E-A-T is original, high-quality content that demonstrates expertise in the subject matter, is authoritative and trustworthy, and provides a positive user experience.
- Creating unique content is a crucial aspect of building a strong E-E-A-T reputation and improving your website’s SEO.
When search engines see that a site has high-quality, original content, it can improve the site’s visibility and ranking in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find the site.
When a website has fresh, engaging, and original content, it can attract more visitors and encourage them to stay on the site for longer periods of time.
This increased engagement can lead to more backlinks and social media shares, further increasing the site’s visibility and reach.
Check this out: SEO Podcast #27: E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) With Lily Ray
2) Better user experience (that Google cares about so much)
Having unique content on a website can also improve the overall user experience. And we all know that Google cares about users the most.
When users visit a site with high-quality, original content, they are more likely to find the information they are looking for, which can increase their satisfaction with the site.
This can lead to increased loyalty and repeat visits, which can help to build a strong brand and improve the site’s overall performance.
A word about canonicalization
As an SEO, you should be familiar with the concept of canonicalization.
Canonicalization is a process of indicating to search engines which version of a web page is the preferred or original version.
This helps search engines avoid indexing multiple versions of the same page, which can lead to duplicate content and negatively impact search engine rankings.
<link rel="canonical" href="https://seosly.com/original-page.html">
In this example, the href attribute specifies the URL of the original, or preferred, version of the page.
By including this tag, the website owner is indicating to search engines that they prefer the specified URL to be used as the representative of the page in search results, rather than any other versions that might exist on the website.
However, keep in mind that search engines may choose to ignore the canonical tag and use a different URL as the representative if they determine that another version of the page is more appropriate.
Strategies for creating unique content
Here are some strategies you can use to create content that is truly one-of-a-kind.
1) Keyword research, relevance, and search intent
Conducting comprehensive keyword research, focusing on topics relevant to your target audience, and understanding their search intent are crucial for creating valuable and unique content.
By incorporating keywords that your audience is searching for, you can ensure that your content is reaching the right people and providing them with the information they are looking for.
Note that Google’s core updates focus on relevance, so ensuring your content is both relevant and unique is key to success in SEO.
Check this article: How To Use Google Search Console For Keyword Research
2) Original research and data analysis
Using original research and data analysis is a great way to create unique content that is also informative and helpful to your audience.
You can conduct surveys, collect data from your own website, or analyze industry trends to provide insights and information that others have not yet covered.
What I often do is use the data from my own tools and always use my own screenshots from SEO tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, Semrush, etc.
Check this: 50+ Google SEO Tools
3) The personalized and creative writing style
Having a unique writing style and a personal approach to creating content can help you stand out and make a lasting impression on your audience.
Whether it’s through humor, storytelling, or a different perspective, finding your own voice can help you create content that is truly original.
4) When using AI, make sure to add your own insights and check if the content is factually correct
While AI can be helpful in generating content, it’s important to make sure that the content it produces is accurate and adds value to your audience.
Adding your own insights and checking the content for factual correctness can help you ensure that the content you’re producing is truly unique and of high quality.
The consequences of not having unique content
Duplicate content, on the other hand, can have serious consequences for your search engine ranking, visibility, and overall user experience.
1) Decreased search engine ranking & visibility
When search engines encounter duplicate content on multiple pages of your site, or even on other sites, it may be difficult for them to determine which version is the original source.
In most cases, Google is able to determine the original source of an article and if you simply create a duplicate copy or a very similar article, it won’t rank.
If multiple sites have the same or similar content, Google will usually only show one of them, typically the one it considers to be the original source.
To avoid the negative consequences of duplicate content, it’s important to create original, high-quality, and helpful content that provides value to users.
Check this out: SEO Podcast: #13: On-Page SEO, Content, Search Intent & More With Dan Shure From Evolving SEO
3) Problems with indexation
Moreover, having duplicate content can also cause problems with indexation.
Google is not obliged to index all pages and often won’t index pages that are low-quality and simply rewrite what 100 other pages have already covered.
This means that important pages on your site may not be seen by search engines and users, leading to a negative impact on your search engine ranking.
With the increasing number of websites on the internet, there has been a rise in the number of sites that are having problems with indexation.
As a result, many low-quality pages often get stuck in “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” status in Google Search Console.
Check this: How Can I Tell If Google Has Indexed My Site?
3) Negative impact on user experience
As an SEO, I understand the importance of delivering a positive user experience to website visitors.
Visitors to your site may be disappointed if they find the same content on multiple pages, or if they see similar content on other sites.
This can lead to decreased engagement, lower conversion rates, and decreased brand loyalty.
Ultimately, Google wants to provide the best possible experience to its users, so it is essential to prioritize unique and high-quality content in your SEO strategy in order to please both your users and search engines.
Check this: Google Page Experience Guide
Final thoughts on having unique content
It’s clear that having unique content is crucial for SEO success. With so much content being created every day (and now with AI tools), you need to stand out and offer something truly original and valuable to users.
Not only will this improve your search engine rankings, but it will also provide a better user experience, which is what search engines like Google ultimately care about.
This is the only way you can stay ahead of the curve and achieve long-term success in search engine optimization.
So, let’s embrace originality and creativity, and strive to produce high-quality, unique content that truly stands out in a crowded online world.
Check my other articles:
