Why You Shouldn’t Copy Content from Another Website
If you are a professional content writer or a digital marketer, you must be well aware of the benefits of SEO and directing organic traffic to your website through unique, original content. While it is true that content writers spend a significant amount of time and put in a lot of effort into creating 100% original content, some writers try to take the easy way out and copy content from other websites. In fact, according to a study by Ravens Tools, around 29% of the web is actually duplicated content.
This practice is referred to as plagiarism. In the following paragraphs, we will understand the disadvantages of plagiarizing and copying content from others’ websites.
It’s Immoral and Illegal
Oftentimes, we come across an article or a blog post that is so good that we are tempted to have it on our website. The only problem is that it’s not your idea to share! An act of plagiarism and copying content from others’ websites is illegal and immoral at the same time. You can’t take someone else’s idea and claim it as yours, without giving it due credit.
Before you copy content from somebody else’s website, make sure you read the terms and conditions. If you copy and paste content without their consent, you shall be fined.
You Can’t Fool Google
Even if you manage to break the boundaries of morality, you can’t get past Google that easily. Google is sharper than you think, especially when it comes to distinguishing between original and copied content. If Google recognizes a flaw in the originality of your content, it might hurt your SEO, and your dream of attracting more visitors and conversions will only remain that—a dream.
Copying content and claiming it as yours can lead to many consequences, including,
- Google can ban your website
- You will not be able to rank on SERPs
- You lose business, the trust of your customers, and traffic
You Will Lag Behind
In a quality conscious and competitive market, there is nothing worse than copying content from other people’s websites. The internet is a fair playing field, and the first one to present original content is the one who reaps all the benefits.
No matter how smart you are, if you plagiarize content, sooner or later you will be caught, which will allow your competitors to get ahead of you. And it doesn’t end there either. If you are caught stealing content, you will lose your credibility, and Google won’t trust you anymore. As a result, you will lose all of your valuable business.
Eventually, your readers will also find out that you are copying content. If you snag content from a high authority website, those websites will rank higher and your readers will catch on, thus losing trust in you.
These were some of the disadvantages of plagiarizing and copying content from others’ websites. Overall, any type of plagiarism can land you in hot water. So, create original content, stay relevant, and maintain your credibility.
Good Luck!
