How does copying website pages and content but changing CSS affect SEO?

Question

I have a media site that has thin content, I'd like to copy the pages to various domains I own. On the sites that will be receiving the duplicate content the CSS will be changed in various ways from different menus to different footers.

Because of the CSS changes, how will these changes affect the SEO?

We would need more information on your site is today and what changes are exactly. Otherwise, we have no clue. — closetnoc, Feb 15 '15 at 19:42
For what it is worth, you cannot hide duplicate content with CSS or by simply rearranging it. Each site must be unique. As well, search engines like content and that often means text even for image sites. Descriptions of the images can really help. It does not have to be much. — closetnoc, Feb 16 '15 at 02:33
What is your goal? Google usually only ranks one copy of any given content. Putting substantial amounts of duplicated content onto a page can get that page de-indexed. See What is duplicate content and how can I avoid being penalized for it on my site? — Stephen Ostermiller, Feb 16 '15 at 16:01
If the content is important to users in all these places, you can show it to users without showing it to Google. See Hiding page content from Google when it is duplicated across several sites — Stephen Ostermiller, Feb 16 '15 at 16:04

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 15 '15 at 20:34

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Duplicate content is duplicate no matter how much you try and sugar coat it.

answered Feb 15 '15 at 20:34

Simon Hayter

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I would also add that thin content is thin content no matter how much you sugar coat it. Although, it would taste better! Content is 85-90% (pulled that stat out of a dark smelly place- New Jersey!) of all your SEO work. Content must be the best it can be or it will fail regardless of what you do. – closetnoc Feb 15 '15 at 20:45

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 17 '15 at 14:51

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You will be attracting penalty on your websites. Changing CSS wont save you. If the content is thin then best deal is to get a writer and rewrite it before posting on the 4 sites. Write the four different versions

answered Feb 17 '15 at 14:51

Adrian Lynch

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How does copying website pages and content but changing CSS affect SEO?

2 Answers2