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We built a website targeting different regions but with the same English language (Ireland, England and America). The content for the most part is the same set up on 3 different subfolders.

http://www.example.com/ - targeting the United States in WMT

http://www.example.com/ie - targeting Ireland in WMT

http://www.example.com/uk - targeting UK in WMT

Do I have duplicate content issues to be worried about?

If so, how do I get around this issue?

Also is there anyway of finding out if Google have in some way penalised these pages for having the same content on other pages trageting different countries? I have not received any messages from Google in WMT saying there is duplicate so I'm not sure if this is an issue.

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  • Duplicate content concerns are addressed in the answer to How should I structure my URLs for both SEO and localization?
    – Stephen Ostermiller ♦
    Oct 4, 2013 at 15:02
  • The linked question isn't asking about "duplicate content", and that's only briefly mentioned there. (This question was already closed and re-opened by John Conde.)
    – dan ♦
    Oct 4, 2013 at 15:13
  • I originally closed it as a dupe of the same question but then wasn't 100% sure it was the right call. I still think it is and with Stephen agreeing I am inclined to leave this closed. That question does give enough information to address this particular question in my opinion. But if someone can show otherwise we can always reopen this question.
    – John Conde ♦
    Oct 4, 2013 at 18:32

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The URL structure you've used for targeting content to different countries is one of the ones recommended by Google here.

As indicated further down in that, providing that you use a recognized URL structure, Google will understand if the content is the same or similar:

Websites that provide content for different regions and in different languages sometimes create content that is the same or similar but available on different URLs. This is generally not a problem as long as the content is for different users in different countries. While we strongly recommend that you provide unique content for each different group of users, we understand that this may not always be possible.

Therefore, you should be fine given the above and that you haven't received any duplicate content warnings in Google Webmaster Tools.

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