When copying content online crosses the line
Whoever said that copying was the sincerest form of flattery lacked imagination. Seriously. There’s a big difference between being inspired by a good idea and taking a good idea and calling it your own. When it comes to the world of blogging, copying content is plagiarism – plain and simple.
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Let’s survey the landscape, which, by the way, hasn’t changed since we were in school. Most students have a very clear understanding of plagiarism and, even if they chose to cross the line, they know its precise location. Copied content isn’t a fast track to a passing grade – it’s a liability that leads directly to a failing grade and, in some cases, being expelled.
Some adults forget this though. Journalists, like Jayson Blair, kissed their careers goodbye because it was easier to copy than create. Jayson went from New York Times journalist to “life coach” somewhere in Virginia…
Not so long ago, someone took a number of articles from SocialNorth (along with the pictures) and posted them verbatim on his site. He even posted them under his name as the author. When I contacted him, he removed them immediately and apologized, explaining he meant no harm. I’m still not sure how thought stealing was appropriate – especially as we know each other personally…
Unclear about what constitutes plagiarism on your business blog? Let’s discuss it in the simplest possible terms. Plagiarism is taking content from another website or blog and posting it on your website or blog without permission or attribution. It’s not flattering. And it’s wrong.
How to copy content with permission
Most of us consume a startling amount of online content, whether it’s scrolling through social media or skimming the news headlines. As a business owner, some of that content might be germane to your business – possible blog content that could potentially help your customers. Sometimes leaving a simple comment on the post or sharing it on your own social media feed is a good way to share it with your community. But how can you take it a step further and share those ideas on your own blog?
A simple way to build on another blogger’s ideas is to share a snippet of their post – with a link back to the original post. From there, add your own spin to the idea, building from the groundwork that initially intrigued you. If you’re unsure how much content is appropriate to share on your own blog, a snippet of approx. 100 words is acceptable – with a backlink, of course. Three paragraphs is not.
3 A’s of blogging with intent and without plagiarizing
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Blogging has been around for almost two decades now and, even for bloggers new to the scene, there’s a hard line between stealing content and blog inspiration. Many bloggers write for the pure joy of expressing themselves and getting immediate feedback – and that’s great. But if you’re blogging for business, you need a content strategy, goals and ethical standards to chart your course.
Copying content is a rookie move – and stupid. Begin with understanding that your blog is a key component of your online reputation and then use these three waypoints to keep you moving in the right direction.
Be accountable. Bloggers lead the charge of transparency because they’re not bound by the stringent rules of journalists. Publishing on your own site means you own the broadcast channel. You create everything: the channel, the navigation and all the content. While sharing your opinion and being creative in your storytelling on your blog is acceptable and even expected, being accountable for what you’ve written hasn’t changed. If your name’s on it, you own it – every accolade, typo and well, you get the picture.
Be accurate. As a former journalist, I had the luxury of a copy editor and a managing editor who checked for every single word for correct spelling and usage, as well as accuracy in my reporting. A small typo was just as important as a faulty argument in my story – both risked relationships with advertisers and readers. We never published without the safety net of another set of eyes combing through the content before it went to press. As a blogger and social media professional, I write every day without a safety net, harness or even a helmet.
Blog posts are easy to update and allow for immediate corrections but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to write your post in 20 minutes and unleash it to the world right away. Editing with a critical eye has never been more important:
- Read your posts out loud, focusing on each word. Our eye fills in the blanks of missing words.
- Double check your links. Broken links are sloppy and will annoy your readers and the search engines.
- Wait. Do something else and come back to your post in an hour – that mental break often delivers clarity on where you can improve.
Be audacious. Be daring, fearless, bold, gutsy and brave. Writing a blog often means navigating blind so let your adventurous spirit chart your course. Just remember the golden rule as you’re being mindful about your accuracy and accountability. I still believe that right always conquers wrong, good triumphs over evil and doing the right thing is always the right thing – even when you’re being audacious.
I asked a few of my friends on social media what they thought about copied content and citing original sources. What I loved about the discussion is that while everyone gives attribution differently, everyone agreed it was necessary. I wonder if I should show this post to the guy who thought it was okay to steal my content…
Tim. If I find content I like, I may take a piece, state the source, then give my perspective on it. If I’m re-broadcasting someone’s entire content, I will do author & link…also depends if I want the reader 2 leave my page.
Jenn. I just used embedded citation in a blog post. You can take the academic out of the university but… Image may be NSFW.
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I prefer footnotes when reading but I try to always give credit.
Brian. When I’m responding to an opinion, I quote the opinion verbatim and note who it came from in my blog before I note my response. ……having said that, I do it mainly because I have a lousy memory and need all of the notes I can muster! When someone suspects plagiarism, it destroys credibility.
Lisa. So upsetting. How difficult is it to put a pair of quotation marks around something and properly source? Unless you’re intentionally trying to be deceitful… which is another matter, I suppose. Integrity is so important! It’s almost shocking that people think they can get away with it in today’s super-connected, online environment.
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If you’re struggling with your digital strategy, I’d love to hear your questions and how I can help. Drop a comment below or shoot me an email and let’s start talking.
In the meantime, these posts might help you begin your content marketing journey:
- How to work with guest bloggers
- 10 things you should never do on Facebook
- How to create a content calendar for social media