Duplicate content can be a major issue in search engine optimization. There are so many rules in duplicate content it is exhausting. I could talk to you about it for an hour but you would probably be so board you would leave the room. One more topic to add to the endless duplicate content debate (I don’t mean to sound cynical I actually really like this stuff) is when a domain lives on both IPv4 and IPv6. When a domain is on both types of IP is that duplicate content? Before we jump into it, let me explain what IPv4 and IPv6 are.
What is IPv4 and What is IPv6
Basically, these are different type of IP addresses. According to Wikipedia, “Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is the fourth version in the development of the Internet Protocol (IP) and the first version of the protocol to be widely deployed. It is one of the core protocols of standards-based Internet working methods of the Internet, and routes most traffic in the Internet.However, a successor protocol, IPv6, has been defined and is in various stages of production deployment.”
IPv4 used 32 bit addresses which limits the address space to 4,294,967,296 addresses or 2 to the 32nd. IPv6 uses a 128-bit address, creating 2128, or basically 3.4×1038 addresses, which is more than 7.9×1028 times as many as IPv4.
Believe it or not, the world is running out of IPv4 addresses. That is why so many websites are actually on shared IP addresses. Almost no one can get on their own IP anymore. IPv6 is an answer to this. You can read more about it here. Don’t worry, no need to fret over this it is all taken care of.
So Does IPv4 and IPv6 Create Duplicate Content for SEO?
The short answer is NO. Google basically looks at this similarly to the same website on different language extension domains. So if you have a domain on IPv4 and IPv6 you should be in the clear. That being said, Google makes mistakes all the time. So if it were by business I would try to keep it to one.
Which is Better for SEO IPv4 or IPv6
This is a tough question. I am going to shoot from the hip on this. The IPv4 addresses have been around for longer, so there may be some benefit there. That being said, with IPv6 you may be able to get your own addresses and thus not be associate with other sites on that IP. Ultimately, I would say that this really doesn’t matter except in extreme situations such as a being a part of bad network on an IP or benefiting from an aged domain.
Watch a Video on IPv4 and IPv6 for SEO
Google comments on this question below.