Should You Borrow Content For Your Site?
Web content managers will often find content on another website that they’d like to use for their own. The question facing such webmasters in the content development process are not only effective in nature, but ethical as well. The most explicit question regarding content ethics is, should you borrow content from another site to use for your own?
Well, it really depends on what you mean by borrow. Here are some options to explore:
Let’s be frank. Writing original content is always your best option for your visitors and a search engine optimization perspective. If you can swing it, you should write your own web content.
There are some content development issues, however, that might prevent you from writing your own original, unique content. If that is the case then you can always use articles or PLR content. Still, I’d caution you to rewrite extensively any content that you use unless you get permission from its author to do otherwise.
Using web content from another website as-is without getting permission from the site owner is an absolute no-no. That’s a good way to get into hot water. But what about “borrowing”?
For the purposes of this discussion, borrowing content means taking an original page from another website and rewriting. Generally, this is not a good idea. There are many cases where you’d be accused of stealing content and the accusation might stick. When conducting your content management strategy, you should devise a plan for research and go through great pains to write original content for your website.
Now, you can’t steal ideas. If another website writes about A and you thought it would be a good idea to write about A as well then there is nothing wrong with that. But if a good portion of the content on your topic is obviously taken from another site then you could have problems.
Content development is a tedious process, but it’s always best to perform the tasks with originality in mind. There is no substitute for original web content.
7 Responses to “Should You Borrow Content For Your Site?”
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The question that you have to ask is “why are you borrowing” anything?
Are you doing research?
If you are aggregating thoughts, opinions, and trends and you are upfront about that and credit all of your references, that is fine.
Are you adding value to what you are borrowing?
If you are taking someone else’s ideas, thoughts, or opinions and providing analysis, or taking them further or applying them to a different context, that is also fine as long as you credit the sources.
The problem is that people look at “stealing” and “lying” in very convenient ways. If we lie and “it’s harmless” we are just “stretching the truth”. If we steal and perceiving it as harmless, we call it “borrowing”.
This is easy to figure out. Put yourself in the shoes of the person you are “borrowing from” and ask yourself if you’d be cool with someone taking credit for your ideas.
It’s funny because this topic goes right to the heart of credibility and professionalism. If you’re goal is to be credible and professional, you will always credit your sources.
Hi John – Thanks for reading and giving us your thoughts on the topic…you bring up excellent points and standards that everyone should follow…thanks again!
One thing that is amazing is the number of internet marketing “gurus” who tell you to borrow content and re-write it.
That sure is tacky! Wikipaedia is their favorite borrowing vehicle. Good grief, I love wikipaedia but they are a flawed source to begin with so borrowing from them could leave you with inaccurate copy.
Having worked in the world of media for many years, I can tell you there is a lot of “borrowing” going on in newspapers, magazines, and tv news. Borrowing is often the major way information is spread. But you are supposed to re-write it so it is not recognizable, otherwise they call it plagerism.
I agree fully with John and the view point he has presented. I am myself into knowledge blogs publishing and I too feel very strongly that original content has a exceptional value. It can be your view point, opinions or thoughts pen down from scratch.
On the other hand, you may take the clue or reference matrerial and express your point of view with a credit to original source.
My another knowledge Blog is on Lifestyle and Health where I do take contents from other sources which are free to use from research associations and medical associations. But again with credit lines and their web links. I do write myself an initial intro about people and their professional standing in the subject matter. That is not only proffesional but ethical too, in my opinion.
Sometimes you do have to take contents from other sources where expert’s views are important to present a convincing argument. But this should be done with due credits and complete accessibility to original source.
Finally, originality will build your image and not copying. Your reputation is at stake with your audience when you are not original in your ideas.
Hi Lorraine,
I agree with you re-writing so it is not recognizable and is truly your own writing, with your own spin on things…
Nice post Nick, even i agree with the editing of the articles, take the original idea of the article and rewrite it in your own words.
Hi Tag44,
Thanks for reading! I appreciate the comment!