Adding 2000 Similar Pages

What's our best linking strategy?

[Vec_One]

I'm new to SEO and just plain generally incompetent. Consequently, I'd be grateful for some advice.

I have about 2000 representatives that refer customers to us. These aren't affiliates. Some are mom and pop operations that don't even have web sites. As a service to them, we want to give each one a simple site, so they have some sort of web presence.

The plan is to have one slightly personalized page for every rep. Each page will link to a few pages of generic useful content. Several links will also go to our existing pages.

I want to economize PR as much as possible but I'm not sure what the best linking structure would be. Should I add the new pages to my existing site, or should I use one or more new domains?

Thanks in advance for your sage words!

[Marcia]

If it's just to have a web presence and not for online promotion purposes with search engines, if they're that close to being duplicates, personally I'd keep the search engines away from them.

[hitchhiker]

Using seperate domains might well be a problem, but I'd disagree with Marcia; most templated websites (90%?!) would suffer if that was the case.

[coolasafanman]

why don't you just do a little bio on each rep for their page on the site. pic plus bio information about the person that they write themselves.

[Vec_One]

I'd keep the search engines away from them.

Marcia, this is an option but I'd like to have them accessible. My hope is to have them function as normal pages.

There will be quite a few differences (title, description, contact info, etc). We can also randomize some details, to make each page a little more unique.

most templated websites (90%?!) would suffer if that was the case.

Hitchhiker, I suppose what I need to know is just how different the pages must be to not be treated as duplicates. I’ve never really pushed the envelope with this, so I don’t know how much (or what) must be different to avoid a duplicate content penalty. Can you offer any specifics?

Anyway, I guess I have two issues:
1. Do I run the risk of a duplicate content penalty?
2. What’s the best way to link the new pages?

Anyone? Anyone?

[oodlum]

hitchhiker is spot on. Most sites use templates of some sort. If each page has a unique title & description - & some unique text in the body - it won't be considered a duplicate despite the fact that most of the raw code is identical.

[oodlum]

Respectfully, if you're not trying to optimise each page for search engines then what does it matter if they're considered duplicate? Your users will be able to find them through your site navigation and your reps will still have their own page.

Of course, it would be better if you DID optimise for each client/topic so you could benefit from the SE traffic. This might be what you had in mind anyway - right?

[Vec_One]

Yes oodlum, it does seem best to have optimized pages. Hopefully, some of these little seeds will land in some manure and eventually bear some fruit.

You've put my mind to rest regarding the concern about perceived duplication. Any thoughts about linking?

[sun818]

Hi, have you read the Search Engine Theme Pyramids [searchengineworld.com]? If you perform a link: search on that URL you will find discussions surrounding the pyramid theme.

I could see your reps being categorized by the industry they belong to. Each industry lists the reps for that industry. Underneath that each rep bio, you can place content that relates to their business. Its one idea. For usability, I break away from the pyramid and have "previous bio" and "next bio" links on the "rep bio" level.

[hitchhiker]

Vec_One: Nobody but G could give you the threshold, but I have a number of pages (around 100) that are almost identical except for the content of one or two paragraphs. I think a lot of webmaster are in that situation.

Perhaps make sure the <TITLE> reflects the different pages. That 'tends' to be important.

There must be millions+ of web pages on the net that are 'duplicate' just because of 'bad' use of the querystring. G couldn't penalise them all or SERPS would suffer.

I spend a lot of time removing querystrings and avoiding duplication, but dupe is almost inevitable to a degree.