Before the helpful content update that was rolled out by Google, we often found that SERPs were a jumble sale of duplicated content across different sites. Other updates such as the Panda update that came way back in 2011 were designed to streamline search engine results and provide the user with valuable information, in line with their search query.

These types of updates tend to track original content and penalise copied content that comes after that. This Panda update was a move that pushed original content and is largely responsible for the way we view SERPs today, a vast improvement from pre-2010. With that being said, however, the eradication of duplicate content has also seen other issues arise.

One of the key issues is syndication. Plenty of sites, although not duplicating content, syndicate content from one another. 

Does syndication receive the same penalty as duplicate content? No!

After the introduction of certain tags, Google solved this problem. Tags can now be placed on web pages that copy other sources, crediting the original content and avoiding the duplicate content penalty.

We could talk about syndication, tags and duplicate content in general for a whole blog post, but in this specific article I aim to answer a frequently asked question when it comes to duplicate content – do quotes count as duplicate content in blog posts? Let’s delve into the specifics and explore whether or not quotes in blogs count as duplicate content or not.

Do Quotes Count as Duplicate Content?

When we explore duplicate content, it’s important to note where to draw the line. Especially after the introduction of AI software, such as Chat GPT, we may see an influx of more and more sites, churning out content that, in some way or another, already exists on the world wide web.

Original content that adds value is at the heart of Google, and what search engines alike deem the most important.

How much content needs to be original for it to count, and rank?

At the crux of your content should be value – so if adding a quote to your blog post adds value, throw it in! Just be sure to reference the original source to avoid the duplicate content penalty.

In a nutshell, it’s fair for me to conclude that adding quotes to your content won’t kill your site, despite it being duplicate content. With that being said, however, there are ways to go about this. We need to ensure we are getting the most value out of quotes – let’s explore some of GrowTraffic’s top tips for adding quotes to blog posts! 

Don’t Quote Too Often

It’s important when using quotes in your blog posts that you used the amount of duplicate content that is absolutely necessary to your piece, with adding value at the focus. There is a fine line when it comes to quoting in your written content – quoting too much means you face the risk of duplicate content penalties, however, if you quote less, the meaning is lost.

Credit The Original Source

So that your quotes aren’t flagged as duplicate content, it’s important to cite the original piece of content you got the quote from. We know the phrase ‘citations’ takes many of us back to long lectures at university, or our English GCSEs – but it is still important for us copywriters!

There are several ways in which you can offer credit to the original source, these are the top two we tend to see in copy across the web:

  • Use a hyperlink in the text to link to the original source of content. This is often referred to as external linking.
  • Attribute to the person who originally made the quote.

Think Value

I know I’ve mentioned the word ‘value’ often throughout this blog post, but it really is the most important element of any content or blog post, and the same applies to quotes. In order to not damage your SEO, it’s important to appeal to search engine algorithms – this is where value plays a huge role.

Focusing on the user experience, Google and other search engines hold value as arguably one of the most important factors of copy on the web. Whatever you produce must add value, new insight, and an interesting argument to the already existing conversations that are happening amongst your competitors.

When adding quotes to your blog posts, ask yourself the following questions:

“What purpose does this serve?”

“Is this useful information?”

“Is this relevant to my argument?”

Prioritise Your Own Content 

This may be an obvious argument, but the key to adding quotes to your blog content, without it appearing as duplicate content, is to outweigh with original copy. Google wants to see original content, and in fact, blog posts that are made up of lots of quotes, likely won’t be ranked above original blogs.

Quotes should be used to accentuate blog posts, not make up the bulk of the copy.

Create Blog Posts With GrowTraffic

The key to creating good, useful and relevant blog posts that is sure to beat your competitors on SERPS is expertise. This is where GrowTraffic comes in!

We know everything it takes to create well written and thorough content. Our team of blog writers can help you embed necessary quotes into your blog posts, avoiding the risk of creating duplicate content. If you would like to speak to a member of our team about blog writing and other content marketing services we provide, feel free to get in touch!

You can call us on 0161 706 0012 or drop a line to info@growtraffic.co.uk.