After finding out that adding lots of content to your site can help with anything from visitor engagement to search rankings, many businesses think one of the easiest methods of doing this is to copy and paste from another company’s website. This could be anything from reposting an educational guide to passing off web page copy as your own. However, this isn’t a good idea for multiple reasons, and here are just a few.
Plagiarism
If you want to share some useful content with your customers or point them in the direction of other websites and articles they may find helpful, this is fine. However, it crosses the line if you’re claiming credit for the content and posting it on your site as if it’s original. This is called plagiarism, and you may be breaching copyright law if you do so. If you quote somebody else’s work, always make this clear in the article and add links to the original information if possible.
There’s also software available, such as Copyscape, that many professionals use to ensure work isn’t shown as copied from elsewhere, so if you write your own content, it’s always wise to go through this process. Even a few sentences or product descriptions similar to another site could be flagged as a match.
Duplicate Content & Your SEO
Best practice for SEO means that duplicate content shouldn’t be heavily posted across your site, especially if taken from another source. You may even find this page is demoted down the rankings by search engines. Google rewards unique, relevant content to help their users get the best information when searching for topics, products or services. Ensure the content you add is tailored to your business and adds value for your customers. This will ensure that alongside your other web design and SEO strategies, you give your pages the best chance of ranking well in the search results.
Your Credibility
Copying straight from other websites could harm your credibility, especially if you get found out. When you produce unique content around the needs of your target customers, it helps to establish your reputation as an expert in the industry, meaning that people will be more likely to think of you if they need help in that area. It also means that your own content can convert web visitors into leads better if you work with an expert copywriter. They’ll personalise the copy to speak directly to those clients you want to attract to your business.
Do you need unique content for your website?
Get in touch with JJ Solutions. As part of your package with us, we can create a content creation and SEO plan for your business and join you up with knowledgeable copywriters to help ease the burden on your time and resources. For a no-obligation chat about your needs, call now on 020 3871 8773.
