Plagiarism is basically stealing an author’s work without giving them credit. Unfortunately, it is not an uncommon practice on the internet. But while most copy-paste websites deliberately commit content theft, some do it unintentionally by paraphrasing copyrighted content or trusting the wrong copywriter.
We are here to provide you with relevant tips and insights on protecting your website from copycat content. Keep on reading to find out how to successfully avoid plagiarism:
Provide Value, Encourage Authenticity
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is claiming someone else’s work and presenting it as original content. Sharing written and visual elements without the permission of the real creator are highly unprofessional, petty, and pretty much illegal.
The main reason to avoid plagiarism when you run a business online is the consequences. They corrupt the company image and lead to serious financial damage.
Why Does Your Website Need Original Content?
We live in a digitally advanced world so when it comes to websites, original content is the key to an effective SEO and Marketing strategy.
Creating authentic content opens all the right doors to increase brand awareness. It validates company expertise, enhances reputation, boosts ranking, and improves your overall online visibility.
How Can Plagiarism Harm Your Online Business?
Plagiarism is not only unethical but it is actually illegal. If the original creator of the content files a report or takes the issue directly to the court, you will be put in a really uncomfortable situation. And the odds would not be in your favor.
Here is how copycat content hurts your business:
Ruins online reputation
Makes you look untrustworthy, unreliable, and unprofessional
Lowers SEO score (ranks website down on search engines)
Leads to copyright issues
Copyright issues are not something you want to be associated with.
If caught copying content you can be prosecuted by authorities and your page might be flagged as unreliable or scam.
Moreover, you will probably have to suffer serious reputational and financial consequences of your fraudulent actions.
Priceless Advice on How to Avoid Plagiarism
Now that we’ve estimated copying content without the creator’s consent is bad news, let’s get into details of how to run a plagiarism-free website.
1. Avoid Sloppy Paraphrase
Paraphrase could be a super tricky task. Your creators need to know how to do it right because paraphrasing is more than just rewording sentences and randomly blasting synonyms.
It is about using your own words to accurately present other people’s work. Copy-paste is not periphrase, so present your own arguments and spice up the original content with your own interpretations.
At the end of the day, paraphrasing is not always a bad thing. What you need to consider, though, is you still have to keep track of your sources and give credit where it’s due. Especially when it comes to statistics, research, and case studies.
Note that search engine algorithms can detect sloppy work and can punish your website if you keep on “borrowing” content.
2. Cite Your Sources
Even if you decide to share existing content or do it through good paraphrase - remember to cite your sources correctly. That way you are not stealing someone else’s work. Instead, you are validating their expertise.
If you want to share a direct quote or statement - always use quotations and give credit. Another important tip we could give you is not to abuse quoting. Avoid using too many direct references.
3. Invest In a Plagiarism Checker
Every online brand needs to find means that will help it perform a full-on plagiarism check. The best way to assure your copywriter is doing their job properly is to invest in checkers and run their texts through special plagiarism tools.
Many software solutions will help you acknowledge if your content is original or if it appears somewhere else on the web. Some of them are free to use.
Here are our top picks:
4. Perform Check Before Upload
One of the most important tips we could give you is to never allow content with no copyrights on your website. Most of the businesses with a digital presence outsource their website content to digital agencies and freelancers or hire in-house copywriters.
No matter who creates the posts, blog articles, and on-site texts - a plagiarism check is always a must before any content gets published. This precaution allows you to stay authentic, improve ranking, and complement the SEO strategy.
5. Find Trustworthy Content Creators
Background checks on your creatives could save a lot of copyright trouble. Why? Because once a copycat - always a copycat. The digital creators who steal content and present it as their own are lazy, unprofessional, and make the same mistakes over and over again.
So before you hire a content specialist, always require a portfolio to check out their previous work and writing style. Run their samples on your plagiarism checker. If you get any red flags, remember what’s best for your brand and move on to another professional.
How can Skribu Digital help…
The creation of original content is one of our company values! Our team of experienced professionals is trained to accustom to the specific needs of every brand.
Skribu Digital has adopted a 9-step proofreading process to deliver high-quality services. We perform all the necessary readability, optimization, and plagiarism checks for our customers. Once we confirm the content is authentic - we forward it to the client, ready for publishing.
Interested yet? Get in touch.
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