I’ve been posting free samples and coupons for almost 3 years now and have seen many blogs come and go, but not until recently have a seen such an influx of what I like to call “Copy & Paste Blogs.”
First, let me explain my definition of a copy & paste blog: Any blog that is made up of posts entirely from other bloggers, nothing is original and all copy & pasted, word for word, pictures included, and posted as their own. There is no link back, no thanking the blogger who spent their own time researching the post and putting it together, nothing.
If you are a blogger whose been around for some time, you have probably had this happen to you, more than once. I have had my entire blog copy and pasted, even my emotionally charged post about my Mother’s death. I have had my individual posts copied and pasted more than I can even count.
So why is this happening? Well it’s been happening forever, and not just with deal blogs. One theory that may explain the recent influx, is the show Extreme Couponing. When it aired last year, people saw it that most of these couponers had blogs, so why not start one too? Here lies the problem. New bloggers are just that, NEW, they may not know the rules of deal blogging, they figure they can throw up a blog and then are free to use the content that is already out there without thanking the blog where they “stole” it from – because yes, it is considered stealing aka plagiarizing when you copy & paste an entire post.
Recently, I have found 4, who were doing just that, taking not only my posts, but hyperlinking back to my image and or post. Most bloggers don’t care if you thank them or not (at least I don’t) if you post in your own words and use your own images, but it is appreciated when it does happen 🙂
When confronted, which I will do in an email explaining to them that they are linking back to me through an image, or a post where they forgot to take out my link, most seasoned bloggers (who have done this too) apologize (or out right lie) and probably (hopefully) feel bad for doing something they know is wrong (this makes me lose respect for them, but that’s another post).
If they are new, which I will ask or look them up to check, I explain and try to teach them that copy and pasting is wrong and explain if they want to share another bloggers post they should write it in their own words, use their own images and then thank the blog where they got the info. Sometimes this works, other times they say “sorry” but continue to do it 🙁
So what is the point of my long-winded post?
DO NOT COPY & PASTE ANOTHER BLOGGERS HARD WORK…..PERIOD!
Instead, put some effort into your blog by writing your own posts, get your own images and make a blog that you can be PROUD of 🙂
Has this happened to you? What did you do?
Dianna Ranere