Content syndication means that content you already published appears again on one or more other websites, with your permission. It can be the full article, an excerpt or a feed. For SEO, the same text then exists on several domains, and the question is which version appears in search results.
How does syndication work?
A publisher offers a finished piece to partners such as trade portals, news sites or content networks. The partners republish it unchanged or shortened, usually naming the original source. A guest post differs: it is written new for a single outlet.
What does Google say about syndication?
Google covers the case in its help page on canonicalization problems. It says the rel="canonical" element is not recommended for syndication partners because the pages are often very different. It calls the most effective solution having partners block indexing of the content, so the original is the only version in search. For further advice it points to its guidance on avoiding duplication in Google News.
Some marketing articles recommend a canonical tag on the partner’s copy, which conflicts with the Google documentation above. Without an agreement, a copy on a stronger domain may outrank the original (experience, not a Google statement).
Example
A trade portal republishes a guide. In the <head> of the copy, one common way to block indexing:
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">
Below the text, the portal names the original with a visible link. The link is a common agreement with partners, not a Google requirement.
Common mistakes
- Syndicating without agreeing on indexing, so copies end up in the index.
- Expecting the partner to set a canonical to the original, then finding it missing or incomplete.
- A partner shortens the text so key parts are missing and still gives no link to the original.
FAQ
What is content syndication in SEO? Passing your content to other sites that republish it. The SEO question is which of the identical versions gets indexed.
Does syndication hurt rankings? That depends on how it is set up. With indexing blocked at the partner, no competing copies enter the index.
Sources
- Fix canonicalization issues (syndicated content) – Google Search Centraldevelopers.google.com
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