Duplicate content

When is it duplicate content?

[werty]

So I am working on an addition to a site. Some of the pages I will be adding will use text that is elsewhere on the site: example:

www.domain.com/product1.html

i wil take the body copy and put it here
www.domain.com/directory_i_have_access_to/newpage.html

there will be some changes on this, the page will not be the same, there will be numerous new links on the page, the titles/descriptions/keywords will be different

would this be classified as spammy? should i stay away from this? the content came to me from one level higher than me so i was told to do it. if i could prove to them it is not a wise idea i need to do it now before the new site goes live.

right from google:
"Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content."

Thanks in advance.

[allanp73]

I think that you would probably be fine. If there is enough of a difference in text. There are time when this is a necessary thing to do. For example making pages printer friendly, so people can click and go the a page with the same information but without the graphics, which makes it easier for people to print the page. This is a common practice, especially with forms.

The main thing is that if you do it, you do it legitimate reasons. If you do it solely to generate dozens for pages, even if you don't get caught directly by Google. You will run the risk of a competitor noticing this and reporting it to Google, where they will ban your site. Also, multiple pages of the same content is just annoying to the users.

[mbennie]

Placing duplicate content on additional pages shouldn't pose a problem as long as the pages offer different content overall. Our site has quite a lot of duplicate content due to it's navigation structure. However, we have no pages that are identical. If your reasons for duplicating content are legitimate you should have nothing to worry about.

[werty]

well the main reason this is going to be done is to include a glossary on the page.

some of the terms will have expanded entries in the glossary these terms will link back to the glossary as well as similar terms.

it will only be taking place for about 15 terms out of around 150

the main content of these terms pages will be taken from the product page that is maybe up one or 2 levels

personally i think it would be better to link directly to the product page from the glossary. that way the user is getting the right info and is also that much closer to following the path to purchase/or action

[allanp73]

What you are suggesting shouldn't be a problem at all. If it makes the site more user friendly then do it.