Can I post other people's articles in full on my site?

by ncloud
28 replies
I have written about 11 articles/posts for my website, and I don't really feel like writing any more. It takes too long. But, I would like to have about 10 or 20 more good articles to beef up my site a bit. Then I can monetize the site and start driving traffic.

I was thinking, maybe I could find some good relative articles online and put them on my site too (giving credit of course). Can I do that? That could be a quick way to get some more content.

I learned more about Facebook and how people find content to post on their facebook page. On facebook though, it only shows a small preview of someone's article, and then you click the link to read it in full and it sends you to that person's webpage. But, is there any reason why I can't post a person's article in full onto my website, which came from their website?

I looked around to see if anyone else in my niche was doing this so I could see how they do it. Like how they give credit to the original author. But, I couldn't find any examples. Can I just write "Article Source:" at the bottom of the article and then link to the original article?

And do you need to ask permission first before posting someone else's article onto your site if you are giving credit to the source and linking to them?
You don't seem to have to on Facebook, but then again, you're not displaying the articles in full either. What's the rules on that?
#articles #full #people #post #site
  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    It depends upon the policies each content provider dictates.

    For example, some websites allow you to share their content as long as you include their signature.

    Others will strictly prohibit all sharing.

    So, make sure you understand the policies of said website.

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  • Profile picture of the author ModernDayRumi
    I'm not entirely positive but I do believe as long as it's clear where the article is coming from with a direct link to the source, legally it should be fine.

    I would recommend taking a small portion of their article and directly quoting it with the proper source while surrounding it with your own post. Perhaps inserting your own take on the article or using it as a reference to compare and contrast your own opinions on the same topic.

    Hope that helps! Good luck with the monetization.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Beroff
      Originally Posted by ModernDayRumi View Post

      ... as long as it's clear where the article is coming from with a direct link to the source, legally it should be fine....
      And this legal opinion is based on...?
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      • Profile picture of the author discrat
        EZA is an option that you may want to look into. I have used some of their Articles myself . You cannot change them and you must disclose authors resource box.


        - Robert Andrew
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        I don't want to spend any more money on mediocre articles. It's not that they write bad, they just don't research a topic thoroughly enough. I can write better articles myself, but it takes a lot of time researching topics. And I don't want to wait several more weeks or months to get to 20+ articles. I just want to focus on learning marketing and how to drive traffic right now.
        I don't know if you have hired cheap writers - or if you have unrealistic standards. If it takes you weeks or months to add 9 more articles - you have a problem with your writing.

        Maybe all you need is to develop a better system of writing for yourself - set out article topics for 5 articles - do the research - organize your thoughts into loose outlines....and then write the articles one after the other.

        You seem to feel no one can write for your site as well as you can - and if that's true you need to learn to write faster. Something isn't clicking here. Are you overly critical of other people's work - do you not have the willingness/ability to pay for experienced writers - or what?

        "Guest writers" can help but not many good writers are interested in producing work for a new site that is unranked and without good visitor count.

        No - you can't take articles from other sites without full permission. I would not encourage you to begin curation at this point unless you are willing to LEARN to do it right...it still involves writing if you do it correctly.

        I think you should set a goal for yourself to write 2 articles per day (or one per day to start with). Without seeing your site or articles you've written there's no way to know how technical or informative your articles are - maybe one per day is a better goal.

        When it comes down to it - the writing YOU do for your own website is what counts. Instead of looking for easy ways to get content - spend time increasing your productivity.
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

          And no, this is not a "duplicate content" problem - it's violating copyright to take other people's property and use it without permission.

          EXCEPTION: If you go to EzineArticles or similar article directory...you CAN use those articles on your site (giving proper credit) without legal problems. (Read the terms on each article directory).
          Kay is right on the money, except that using EZA is not really an exception. When writers post content on EZA, the permission is built into the site's TOS. If you submit content, you give permission for posting the entire article, including the resource box.

          Technically, you are also supposed to link back to EZA, but they don't really enforce that one.

          Originally Posted by David Beroff View Post

          And this legal opinion is based on...?
          Based on the idea that if it's on the Internet, it must be true...
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  • Profile picture of the author Shane Williams
    If you want to add content to your site then one quick way to do so that doesn't require you to do all the writing yourself is "content curation" where you use snippets from other peoples articles and add in your own intro, commentary and conclusion. Alternatively you could outsource the article writing.

    As for using full articles from another site even with a link to the original source is not really a good idea. The content will be duplicate content, won't rank and will probably cause your site more harm than good.
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  • Originally Posted by ncloud View Post

    I have written about 11 articles/posts for my website, and I don't really feel like writing any more. It takes too long.
    guess yr f*cked
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  • Profile picture of the author ncloud
    I'm not really worried about duplicate content or trying to rank these articles.

    It sounds like it would be better to either curate and add in my own comments, or get permission from the author first if I want to use the article in full. Wish I could find some examples of how other people curate.

    guess yr f*cked
    I wish. Maybe you could help me with that princess. just kidding
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Write your own articles - you wrote ELEVEN and you are tired? That would be funny if it weren't so sad.

      If you "curate" - learn to do it right or you might as well steal content from others. You can't just take what you want and use it - you know that. Having others tell you it is OK doesn't make it right.

      And no, this is not a "duplicate content" problem - it's violating copyright to take other people's property and use it without permission.

      EXCEPTION: If you go to EzineArticles or similar article directory...you CAN use those articles on your site (giving proper credit) without legal problems. (Read the terms on each article directory).
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  • Profile picture of the author Christopher Deo
    Content curation (your FB example) is a viable content option, and one that google approves, however it must be done right. Simply snipping and clipping with a notation of source isn't good enough. Also you must be aware of the policies, copyrights, etc of the original author. Many won't have an issue with curation done right (thing YouTube embedding) as it links back to their site. Take a bit of time to learn how to do it correctly before jumping in. I know of numerous content curation sites that rake in sizable profits because it's set up and executed properly.
    On the content creation side, consider outsourcing the articles. It really isn't all that expensive and saves you the "headache". Search out providers, check references when possible, get samples of the work if at all possible.
    I would caution you to take a good look at your selected niche/topic. If you've burned out after a dozen articles then it may be that you've chosen the wrong niche. I've done that when i was chasing profits and entered a highly profitable niche for which I lacked any real interest or passion. It wasn't too long before creating content became a dreaded chore and I ultimately gave up. The reason there wasn't that I hated writing, it was that I had no passion or purpose beyond a profit motive and that only drives you for so long. Evaluate whether the real issue is the content creation or lack of real interest in the chosen niche. You can outsource creation tasks but without passion or purpose to back it up, the content will be worthless.
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  • Profile picture of the author JenniferGiacoppo
    Have you thought about asking some guest writers to appear on your site? Finding some friendly bloggers to appear on your site is not only good for you, it can be good for them too. I also know that if you find a reputable person in fiverr.com you could get some article writing done there too. How many words were you thinking? I'd be happy to write an article as long as I can attach a link. Or are you looking to have the article look as if it was coming from you? Sorry for the questions- Jennifer
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  • Profile picture of the author ncloud
    Take a bit of time to learn how to do it correctly before jumping in. I know of numerous content curation sites that rake in sizable profits because it's set up and executed properly.
    Can you give me a couple of examples that I can learn from to make sure I'm doing it properly?

    consider outsourcing the articles
    I have outsourced a few articles and I'm never happy with the quality. I don't want to spend any more money on mediocre articles. It's not that they write bad, they just don't research a topic thoroughly enough. I can write better articles myself, but it takes a lot of time researching topics. And I don't want to wait several more weeks or months to get to 20+ articles. I just want to focus on learning marketing and how to drive traffic right now.

    If you've burned out after a dozen articles then it may be that you've chosen the wrong niche. It wasn't too long before creating content became a dreaded chore and I ultimately gave up. The reason there wasn't that I hated writing, it was that I had no passion or purpose beyond a profit motive and that only drives you for so long.
    I choose a niche that I'm actually interested in. I do like to learn things and research, but I don't like to write. That takes me forever. I know how important passion is, I think I'm not fully passionate right now as I could be because I'm so focused on learning marketing and how to drive traffic. Once I learn all of the technical how to junk, then I can get more into being more passionate. This first site is really just a test site for learning the ropes.

    Have you thought about asking some guest writers to appear on your site?
    No, I doubt the quality would be any better than what I'd get from outsourcing. Unless it was someone in my niche who knew the subject well. Later on, I do intend on doing more research into other blogs in my niche to find out which ones I resonate with and on what topics. Then I might be in a better position to know who I'd like to get for a guest post.
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  • Profile picture of the author troy23
    If you have an interest in the subject material then it should be easy for you to write your own articles. It is possible in some cases to use someone else's article on your own website providing you credit them as the author with a link back to the original. It's better to check the website policies though before you do this.
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  • Profile picture of the author welshgirl2
    Hello

    The answer to your question is a big fat "NO".

    You simply cannot copy other people's articles and use them on your website. These articles are their property and if you use them you wil open yourself up to a whole heap of problems.

    However, as someone else has already mentioned you can find articles that you can use on your website from article directories ike Ezine Articles or GoArticles. You can also try asking the website/content owner if you can use their article with proper credit to them and a link back to the orginal article and if they agree go for it. But never use without permission.

    Another option is to use PLR content. There is plenty of it around and you are bound to find some in your niche.

    Clare
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Mark42
    you can use someone's article as a reference or you can use his article with some portion no whole topic and after that add your own character.
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  • Profile picture of the author allegandro
    What I would do is.

    1. Copy the articles you like
    2. Group them in one Word file
    3. Use Fiverr to let them be re-written
    4. post them on your blog/website

    Will cost you around 5$ for 1.500 words
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  • Profile picture of the author Carsten Tiensuu
    Ad mentioned by others...you can use parts of others peoples content using content curation strategies...and give your own opinion about thee content you are using...
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  • Profile picture of the author Asadullah72
    I'm not so much positive however I accept insofar as it's unmistakable where the article is originating from with an immediate connection to the source, lawfully it ought to be fine.

    I would suggest taking a little parcel of their article and specifically citing it with the correct source while encompassing it with your own post. Maybe embeddings your own interpretation of the article or utilizing it as a kind of perspective to look into your own particular suppositions on the same subject.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Beroff
      Originally Posted by ModernDayRumi View Post

      I'm not entirely positive but I do believe as long as it's clear where the article is coming from with a direct link to the source, legally it should be fine.

      I would recommend taking a small portion of their article and directly quoting it with the proper source while surrounding it with your own post. Perhaps inserting your own take on the article or using it as a reference to compare and contrast your own opinions on the same topic.
      Originally Posted by Asadullah72 View Post

      I'm not so much positive however I accept insofar as it's unmistakable where the article is originating from with an immediate connection to the source, lawfully it ought to be fine.

      I would suggest taking a little parcel of their article and specifically citing it with the correct source while encompassing it with your own post. Maybe embeddings your own interpretation of the article or utilizing it as a kind of perspective to look into your own particular suppositions on the same subject.
      There's irony hidden in here... somewhere... using an article "spinner" on one forum post to generate a second one. Is no one capable of writing an original thought any more!?
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by David Beroff View Post

        There's irony hidden in here... somewhere... using an article "spinner" on one forum post to generate a second one. Is no one capable of writing an original thought any more!?
        Kind of makes you wonder where he got the template he's trying to promote in his sig, don't it...?
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        • Profile picture of the author David Beroff
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Kind of makes you wonder where he got the template he's trying to promote in his sig, don't it...?
          Heh; good point. I just took a look at it now... wow!
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  • Profile picture of the author sbwebmaster
    1.
    Under the DMCA or Digital Millennium Copyright Act, all content published online is protected under copyright law, regardless of it having the copyright symbol on the page. Any content, no matter the form it takes (whether digital, print, or media) is protected under copyright law.
    2. Having duplicate content won't help you. You will not receive search traffic from those copied articles. In fact, I think if you have enough duplicate content on your website, Google may even demote you.

    3. You can quote parts of an article, but to copy an entire article is not right. People spend a lot of time and resources coming up with great content.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    I wouldn't just rip off other peoples' content (unless YOU ARE the person that you're taking content from. basically... unless you operate under other pen names). Like Kay said, search on EzineArticles and legally reprint the articles there onto your site. Or the best way... just write the content yourself.
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  • Profile picture of the author art72
    Strange not having Alexa around to chime in on such topics, not to say there's been some great advice given here.

    Ironically, while researching a product the other day, the 3rd article on page one on google was a "spin itches" can of spam, keyword stuffed and all. I'm sure it won't be on page one long!

    I exerted some effort a few months ago to stop someone from stealing my articles by using a DMCA.

    3 months later... Same clown, chopped my work into pieces again, and while I find it disturbing, he's outranked my original article, again!

    If anyone wanted my article that bad and contacted me, I would accomidate them (in most cases) provided they kept my link in tact, and would do so through EZA or GoArticles.

    You know the first time I saw my work stolen, it pissed me off, made me stupid, and I almost quit writing!

    Hopefully, as search engines and rankings continue to change (for the better in my opinion) Big Daddy Google will shut the spun junky theives down from ripping off people, and somehow their crap is managing to get ranked!?

    To the OP, write as if you were talking to a close friend, and maybe get an article outline to help speed things up, and write, buy, or use legal syndication channels.
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  • Profile picture of the author EelKat
    You are aware that plagiarism is a Class C felony that comes with $25,000 fine PER OFFENSE (per article stolen) and up to 25 years in prison... right?

    As an author, I don't think twice about suing EVERY no good, low down, scum bag b@st@rd of a criminal who steals my work and posts it else where - heck, just ask the Warrior Forum members who copied articles off my site and tried to sell them as $37 reports here on the Warrior Forum what I did to them.

    I have absolutely no sympathy for a criminal, and when you steal another person's work, that ALL you are: a criminal who should be in prison where you belong.

    You might want to try thinking about it this way: How would YOU feel if you spent hours creating something and some lazy @$$ed no good piece of sh!t came along and stole it from you?

    HINT: If at any time you have to ask: "Is it legal to..." chances are, it's probably NOT legal.

    HINT: If at any time you have to ask: "Is it ethical to..." chances are, it's probably NOT ethical.

    You know in your heart it's wrong, or you wouldn't have asked to begin with. in asking questions like this, all you are really asking is:

    "I know it's wrong to do ___ but I was wondering how many of you, my fellow criminals, are doing it and getting away with it, so I can determine my chances of getting away with it too."
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by EelKat View Post

      You are aware that plagiarism is a Class C felony that comes with $25,000 fine PER OFFENSE (per article stolen) and up to 25 years in prison... right?

      As an author, I don't think twice about suing EVERY no good, low down, scum bag b@st@rd of a criminal who steals my work and posts it else where - heck, just ask the Warrior Forum members who copied articles off my site and tried to sell them as $37 reports here on the Warrior Forum what I did to them.

      I have absolutely no sympathy for a criminal, and when you steal another person's work, that ALL you are: a criminal who should be in prison where you belong.

      You might want to try thinking about it this way: How would YOU feel if you spent hours creating something and some lazy @$ no good piece of sh!t came along and stole it from you?
      Don't candy coat it. Tell us what you really think...

      (BTW, good on you for making life hard for the content thieves.)
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  • Profile picture of the author TheZafraGroup
    Nothing beats original content. What I like to do is create my own content and simply reference other people's content. Just a small excerpt of their content that is closely related to my content. Then I contact the original owner through email, fb and twitter to let them know about me giving them a shout out on my blog. They are usually extremely happy and excited. Sometimes, they even share my content and reference parts of my blog on their site too. So it's like I'm getting a guest blog post except I didn't do any writing for them.

    Copying full articles will get you in trouble. Some bloggers wouldn't like that. Just focus on creating original high quality content. Nothing beats that.
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