Hello,

I read somewhere that the copyscape results for my site should be zero. It wasn't and to my shock I found that we have been using a link exchange program where we are giving people content which is duplicate to our webpage.

Now I know that this is bad, but really? how bad?

Second, I also heard, that Google frowns on any link exchange programs?

How far is this true?
Thanks. Sam

To answer your second question first:

http://www.google.com/support/webmas...ge&topic=&type=

And you just hopefully learned a lesson about SEO programs and schemes. This is exactly the type of thing good webmasters and SEOs (like the ones on this board) warn others about, and this is one of the reasons; quite often, something shifty or unintended goes on behind the scenes and the sucker du jour unwitting webmaster gets conned.

Stop using the link exchange program, and start trying to build your site in such a way as it earns organic links.

hmm... sounds like the utopia Google has been hankering after. what about a little bit of both?

Originally Posted by cliffhanger

hmm... sounds like the utopia Google has been hankering after. what about a little bit of both?

Exchanging links, on a relatively small scale, for the right reason is OK - if both sites are very relevant and by linking, the visitors to both sites would have an improved experience, then it's not bad. Better than exchanging links however is providing content that people WANT to link to on their own because they think it will improve their site and their visitors experience.

Therefore, providing original content is important - content duplication is risky and not worth it

Originally Posted by whym

Therefore, providing original content is important - content duplication is risky and not worth it

Definitely true! this might also suspect as a spam if detect by the bots..

Thanks to Chrishirst from an earlier thread...

Official Google word on duplicate content

There are no penalties for duplicate content

Originally Posted by cliffhanger

Hello,

I read somewhere that the copyscape results for my site should be zero. It wasn't and to my shock I found that we have been using a link exchange program where we are giving people content which is duplicate to our webpage.

I too agree with this. Copyscape results should be ZERO.

Originally Posted by cliffhanger

Hello,

I read somewhere that the copyscape results for my site should be zero. It wasn't and to my shock I found that we have been using a link exchange program where we are giving people content which is duplicate to our webpage.

If you made on your site the duplicate content from someone else, that's not good and your site can droped in its ranking. But if someone else copied your content on their site, that's not really a problem. Google will recognize who has a first priority. IMO based on my experience.
I recently checked my site www.supremedeal.com on copyscape, and it shows that someone copied text from my site and copyscape display it appropriatelly, saying that wasn't me who copied, but someone else copied me.

Have a great day,
Peter

So what if I add the content to my website first and at more a less same time if some put that content to their websites.. what could happen?

Steve

Originally Posted by beamup

So what if I add the content to my website first and at more a less same time if some put that content to their websites.. what could happen?

Steve

That might happen, but probability is very small someone find your site, then copy exactly your content before search engines crawl your site. If your site was crawled, then I assume the SE algorythm is capable to recognize who was the first one. IMO.

Have a great day,
Peter

then I assume the SE algorythm is capable to recognize who was the first one

Nope, the one that the algo rates as the important one wins, may be the first on-line or it might be the 101st