Agent WranglersSEO-40Recommended
Merge thin pages into one strong page
Merge pages that each say a little about one topic into one full page at the strongest address. Redirect every old address to it with a 301.
How to do it
Several short pages on one problem compete with each other and leave readers searching again. Find them in the keyword map, where they share a problem group, and in Search Console, where they share queries. Move the useful parts into the page with the most clicks and links, keep its address and redirect the others. Google says a redirect is the strongest signal for which address should become canonical. Remove a page with nothing worth keeping and answer 410, as Answer 404 or 410 when a page is gone for good says. Merge for the reader. Google's guide warns against adding or removing lots of content mainly because you think it helps rankings.
How to check
Each merged address answers 301 to the kept page in one hop, and the kept page is in the sitemap. No two pages in the keyword map share a primary phrase.
Sources
Related rules
- SEO-29 Two pages chasing the same search in SEO
- WEB-83 Answer 404 or 410 when a page is gone for good in Website
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