On-page SEO
Doorway Pages
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What is Doorway Pages?
Doorway pages (also called gateway pages or bridge pages) are web pages created specifically to rank for particular search queries, designed to funnel visitors to a different destination page rather than provide standalone value. They typically feature keyword-heavy content that satisfies a crawler but offers little utility to users, redirecting them elsewhere upon arrival. Classic examples include city-specific pages with near-identical content or pages made to intercept affiliate traffic.
Google explicitly prohibits doorway pages in its guidelines, noting that they lead to poor user experiences. The distinguishing characteristic is intent: pages designed purely to intercept search traffic and redirect it, rather than pages that genuinely serve a unique audience or answer a distinct query. Modern location pages that offer real, location-specific content are not doorway pages.
Why it matters for SEO
Doorway pages violate Google's quality guidelines and can result in site-wide ranking demotions or manual penalties. Recognizing the line between legitimate location or product pages and manipulative doorway content is critical for maintaining a clean, penalty-free site.
Example
A roofing company creates 150 near-identical pages such as "Roof Repair in Town A" and "Roof Repair in Town B", swapping only the town name, all funnelling visitors to the same contact form. Those are doorway pages. A better approach is a page for each area the company genuinely serves, with local project photos, specific services and real details about working there.
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