YouTube cannibalization of blog content: Duplicate content or not? Google Answers

In the world of digital content creation, the question of whether repurposing content across different formats, like video and text, is duplicate content is a big one. Google’s SEO Office Hours from August 2024 answered this question.

A user asked about creating a YouTube video and then transcribing that video to publish on a webpage.

The answer was that Google doesn’t consider this as duplicate content since the mediums are fundamentally different – one is a video and the other is text.

This is key for content creators; it means we should offer different formats to cater to different audience needs. Some users may prefer the brevity of written content, others may benefit from the visual and audio elements in videos so overall accessibility and engagement is increased.

1 What Google Says

In the above session a question was asked about duplicate content when moving from a YouTube video to written format.

The question asked was:

“If I create a YouTube video and then take that exact text or content and place it on a web page, could Google flag that web page or site for duplicate content?”

To answer this question, Google provided some useful insights that are super relevant for content creators who are doing cross platform content.

• Different Formats: As mentioned in the answer, the content itself is unique because of the formats.

As Matt said,

“One is a video, and the other one is text content, and that would be unique content then.”

• Audience Preferences: Google mentioned the importance of catering to different user preferences.

As Matt Said;

“It’s also not a bad idea to do that because some users might prefer a text version and others might not even be able to use a video version of the content in the first place due to bandwidth concerns or visual constraints.”

• Accessibility: By offering both video and text formats, creators can increase accessibility so their content can reach a wider audience including those who can’t consume video content at all.

This is in line with Google’s user centric content creation philosophy, reminding content creators that flexibility in format not only enhances the user experience but also complies with SEO guidelines for unique content.

2 How You Can Use This?

To repurpose content across different formats while maximizing audience reach and minimizing duplicate content concerns, try these:

• Segment Content: Break down the original video content into smaller chunks and transcribe or summarize them for written blog posts, infographics or social media snippets. This way you can offer different content from one source.
• Add Visuals: Add visuals to the text content like images or infographics that complements the video content. This enriches the written content and engages the reader visually.
• Create Supplementary Content: Develop additional written resources like guides or checklists that elaborate on the video topics. This adds value and caters to users who prefer text based content.
• Use Quotes and Highlights: Extract key quotes or highlights from the video and create social media posts or blog entries. This keeps the essence of the video but frames it in a written format.
• Cross-linking: Link the YouTube video within your written content and vice versa. This drives traffic between platforms and enhances user experience.
• Engage with User Feedback: Monitor user feedback to both formats and use it to create future content. This iterative process ensures you’re in tune with your audience and can adjust your strategy accordingly.
• Vary Content Depth: Offer high level summaries for text formats and more in depth discussions for video formats so you can cater to different audience needs and preferences.

So there you have it!

In summary, content repurposing is a must know for modern digital marketers and content creators.

By using different formats like YouTube videos and written articles, organisations can increase their reach and cater to different audience preferences and improve user engagement and satisfaction.

As Google said, the format itself is unique so content can be distributed without getting duplicate content penalty. So, having a multi faceted content strategy is not only recommended but necessary in this competitive digital world.

So do that.