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Content for Sites - Which is better, unique content less often or syndicated content more often?

by realnetworker
14 replies
Hi everyone,

I am going around in circles lately - I know I am spreading myself too thin, trying to keep an X amount of websites/blogs updated with regular content.

My question is, which would be more effective traffic/ranking/Google-wise in the long run -

1) Posting my own unique content less often (say 2-3 times a month).

2) Or posting content more often (weekly), and supplementing it some with syndicated content from article directories?

I do notice a spike in my traffic whenever I post fresh content on my sites. So in that regard, I believe posting content more often, even if it is only syndicated, would be better as far as traffic is concerned.

What are your opinions and ideas?

Thanks for your advice -
#content #sites #syndicated #unique
  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Barnes
    This is a great question..

    I would recommend both! Here's what I mean..

    Curate content everyday. Meaning..

    As you are staying on top of your niche/industry. You will be reading blogs, forums, tweets ect.. I have all these setup in Google Reader.

    Each day, pick the 2-3 of the best. Quote each of them in your blog post with links to each source and add your own commentary. Google loves this!

    The Huffington post and the Drudge Report both do this. You will also start getting backlinks from the authors of the content you curate.

    Little tip:
    Tweet or email the authors of the content you curate and let them know. This has gotten me KILLER links.

    As for your bandwidth..

    Focus is your friend. Stop trying to do so many things.

    DON'T BE THE JACK OF ALL TRADE, MASTER OF NONE... it will killer your success.
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    • Profile picture of the author adribabe
      Originally Posted by Kevin Barnes View Post

      This is a great question..

      I would recommend both! Here's what I mean..

      Curate content everyday. Meaning..

      As you are staying on top of your niche/industry. You will be reading blogs, forums, tweets ect.. I have all these setup in Google Reader.

      Each day, pick the 2-3 of the best. Quote each of them in your blog post with links to each source and add your own commentary. Google loves this!

      The Huffington post and the Drudge Report both do this. You will also start getting backlinks from the authors of the content you curate.

      Little tip:
      Tweet or email the authors of the content you curate and let them know. This has gotten me KILLER links.

      As for your bandwidth..

      Focus is your friend. Stop trying to do so many things.

      DON'T BE THE JACK OF ALL TRADE, MASTER OF NONE... it will killer your success.
      Starting something similar to this very soon. Glad to see the plan's recommendation elsewhere on the net. Cool
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    • Profile picture of the author LegitIncomes
      Originally Posted by Kevin Barnes View Post

      This is a great question..

      I would recommend both! Here's what I mean..

      Curate content everyday. Meaning..

      As you are staying on top of your niche/industry. You will be reading blogs, forums, tweets ect.. I have all these setup in Google Reader.

      Each day, pick the 2-3 of the best. Quote each of them in your blog post with links to each source and add your own commentary. Google loves this!

      The Huffington post and the Drudge Report both do this. You will also start getting backlinks from the authors of the content you curate.

      Little tip:
      Tweet or email the authors of the content you curate and let them know. This has gotten me KILLER links.

      As for your bandwidth..

      Focus is your friend. Stop trying to do so many things.

      DON'T BE THE JACK OF ALL TRADE, MASTER OF NONE... it will killer your success.
      I have to agree. I was going to say BOTH, and Kevin has already done it for me.
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      + Support! All of this, just $397! (PM Me For Details!)
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Barrs
    You've asked a loaded question with only two possible replies - unfortunately you've left out the best answer...

    BOTH!

    I've been watching the Alexa ranking of my main site jump about about 8,000 -10,000 places a week since I started doing BOTH earlier this year.

    Paul Barrs
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    It's Simple... I don't "sell" IM anymore, but still do lots of YouTube Videos
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  • Profile picture of the author Softlayone
    I would choose unique content for long term run (and maybe less sites/blogs)
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  • Profile picture of the author realnetworker
    Great advice! Thanks everyone -I know I am trying to keep too many sites going. I'll just need to sell some off, even if I only get peanuts for them, just because keeping them all is costing me too much in time and effort.

    What I would really love to do - I LOVE creating great looking websites, I would gladly build sites for others that don't enjoy building their own, or don't have the knowledge or ability to do it for themselves.

    That is part of the reason I have too many sites - I just like building them! Now for a way to get clients who need that service and are willing to pay what my services are worth...I'm working on that process now.

    I built my first site for a client, and have a second possible client... I'll go from there!
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  • Profile picture of the author thescribe
    Here's a 3rd option that you might consider... Why not allow others in your niche to guest post on your site as well? That way, you still are getting unique content even when you are not writing it yourself.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jon Patrick
      If you're having problems keeping up with your sites, why not take a second look at how often you actually need to be posting in order to avoid getting on Google's bad side (in terms of being too inactive). Because that is your baseline for how often you need to post. You're talking about traffic spikes, which are great, but for the long term, you want to build out as many sites as you can, IMO. That means keeping up with the minimum amount of posting on all of these sites (and more, if possible), not selling some of them off and posting more than the minimum on others.

      I bet there's a good chance you could maintain all of your current sites if you approached it that way... and that would allow you to keep all of this virtual real estate you're thinking about letting go of, which all ages and becomes more powerful (and valuable) over time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ralf Skirr
    Originally Posted by realnetworker View Post

    I know I am spreading myself too thin, trying to keep an X amount of websites/blogs updated with regular content.
    Reagrding your initial question, I agree with the others: do both.

    How about a new approach?

    Consider deleting all but 1 and turn that one into a huge success, instead of having dozens of mediocre sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author JamieSEO
    I would definitely go with BOTH
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  • Profile picture of the author Wisden Writers
    If you were asking this before March 2011, i would have advised you to go for second option if you have plenty of blogs.
    Now a days, google is damn crazy about QUALITY. Keep posting as many spun, low quality articles you won't rank for the targeted keywords.
    Post Quality unique content less often, make that content Seo Friendly. Do some off page SEO for that content it will give you rank for the targeted keywords and work for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
      Originally Posted by realnetworker View Post

      Great advice! Thanks everyone -I know I am trying to keep too many sites going. I'll just need to sell some off, even if I only get peanuts for them, just because keeping them all is costing me too much in time and effort.

      What I would really love to do - I LOVE creating great looking websites, I would gladly build sites for others that don't enjoy building their own, or don't have the knowledge or ability to do it for themselves.

      That is part of the reason I have too many sites - I just like building them! Now for a way to get clients who need that service and are willing to pay what my services are worth...I'm working on that process now.

      I built my first site for a client, and have a second possible client... I'll go from there!
      I know what you mean, I love building new sites too and have got too many. But that new project is always the most interesting.

      I use a mixture of original and syndicated content on mine. as they are mostly blogs I schedule posts for several weeks in advance and that helps to maintain and grow the traffic. I also have some guest bloggers who very nicely submit good unique content. Over time they are turning into authority sites.

      Good luck with your new service.

      Originally Posted by Wisden Writers View Post

      If you were asking this before March 2011, i would have advised you to go for second option if you have plenty of blogs.
      Now a days, google is damn crazy about QUALITY. Keep posting as many spun, low quality articles you won't rank for the targeted keywords.
      Post Quality unique content less often, make that content Seo Friendly. Do some off page SEO for that content it will give you rank for the targeted keywords and work for you.
      Syndicated articles are not spun articles, nor do they have to be low quality.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        I'm in the "both" camp. With a twist...

        Because the article directories still have so much crap in them, finding content good enough to post on my sites can take a lot of time.

        Why not flip the "active syndication" model end for end. When you find writers who generate the kind of articles you want, approach them with a syndication offer. Ask them to email you new articles before posting them to the directories.

        You might even build up a list you can email at intervals with a call for any articles on whatever aspect of your topic you want to cover. You might not need to troll the directories other than scouting for new talent to approach.
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  • Profile picture of the author realnetworker
    Thanks for all the input everyone! You all have great ideas which help get the creative juices flowing I am also beginning to do some SEO work on a monthly basis for others, so my blogs are not my 'begin all end all income'.

    I do like the idea of my own content + syndicated content...
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