Glenn Gabe

Work for a news publisher and syndicating content? Heads-up. Google is now recommending to NOT use rel canonical for syndicated content on partners. They say to block indexing... And that conversation will probably NOT go well with syndication partners. via @rustybrick

https://www.seroundtable.com/google-updates-canonicalization-help-documentation-35329.html

#google #seo #news

May 3, 2023 at 1:07pmWeb
Show threadGlenn GabeMay 3, 2023
In my experience helping larger publishers that are syndicating content, the sites consuming that syndicated content are often doing that SO THEY CAN RANK for the content. :) Plenty of publishers have asked for either rel canonical or noindex, and that is hard to get approved (or even police).
Show threadJohn MuellerMay 3, 2023
@glenngabe Ultimately, if you (as content creator) don't care who ranks, you don't have to do anything. If you do care, and you want syndication, then like other things in SEO, either be explicit & consistent, or accept that search engines may misunderstand.
Show threaddevoluteMay 3, 2023
@johnmu @glenngabe Any risk of 'punishment' if we decide to do absolutely nothing?
Show threadJohn MuellerMay 3, 2023
@devolute @glenngabe How do you mean?
Show threaddevoluteMay 3, 2023
@johnmu @glenngabe I mean with regards to duplicate content, suggestions of ‘stolen’ content and ‘low quality’ content due to it being repeated (and thus perhaps ‘paid for’) across different domains.
Show thread🇺🇦 Optimisey 🇺🇦May 3, 2023

@johnmu @glenngabe

This is really interesting John.

My confusion here is what if I (as someone who syndicates my content) cannot control those who syndicate my content?

Sure I can ask/specify/contract syndicators to noindex their content (and/or canonicalise it) - but I can't *make* them do that.

So what if they don't? And then outrank me?

Show threadJohn MuellerMay 3, 2023
@optimisey @glenngabe If you let random sites syndicate your content in whatever way they want, then you'll have to live with that content being indexed and potentially outranking yours. If people are copying your content & you don't like it, then consider if the DMCA process is appropriate.
Show thread🇺🇦 Optimisey 🇺🇦May 3, 2023

@johnmu @glenngabe

That makes sense John. So it becomes more of a lawyer problem, than a Google problem, right?

Some folks are taking this as an admission that Google *can't* reliably work out the original source/creator (I know: Folks construing things from Google statements? Whatever next?).

Is the lack or reliability here a big issue for Google?

Show threadGlenn GabeMay 3, 2023
@johnmu Yep, I have worked on a number of projects helping clients that had massive syndication problems. I'm referring to millions of syndicated articles with partners not using rel canonical, having the pages indexed, and ranking for some of them. It's not easy sometimes for news publishers to manage that process... and it can get out of control quickly. I'm speaking with several news publisher clients today about this latest guidance. :)