Henri writes:

I am finding myself becoming addicted to the EzineArticles Blog. This is not good, I should be writing!

[Reply]

Marc writes:

Henri,

I don’t know – that sounds like a good addiction to have! =)

October 30, 2009 at 1:25 PM

[Reply]

Andrew writes:

Won’t using content from our website blog on your site get us slapped by Google for duplicate content issues?

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Andrew,

See my response below in comment #6.

Flipping your question back to you:

Won’t using your article submissions get EzineArticles slapped by the search engines for duplicate content issues?

If we thought that was true, I wouldn’t be here encouraging you to submit your articles to EzineArticles.com.

While it’s true that we’d prefer to only see 100% exclusive and original articles that cannot be found anywhere on the Internet, we know that our current mix of content allows us to accept articles that already exist on the Internet no different than news organizations accept and publish identical stories fed to them from the AP or Reuters. It’s all about our desire to deliver our end users with a positive and *comprehensive* experience that can’t be done if we only published articles that can’t be found anywhere else on the Internet but here.

October 29, 2009 at 4:49 PM

[Reply]

John Abbot writes:

Thanks for clarifying, but I also would like your comments on whether distributing an article already published on my website will provide the benefit of backlinks that a completely new article will provide. I am getting mixed messages on this from the industry.

And further to that, if I do a rewrite of an existing article in a way that makes the same points but reworded significantly, and use that article for distribution and the “sister” article for self publication, am I breaking your rules (and am I breaking Google’s rules). The one will be seen everywhere it is distributed and the other will be seen only on my website.

John Abbot

October 29, 2009 at 10:21 PM

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

I stopped talking about the benefits of article marketing for SEO long ago…

If you rewrite an article that is on your website and then submit it to us, you’re not breaking our derivative content filters…and that is the main point of the video in this blog post.

October 30, 2009 at 10:47 AM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

Google itself admits that there is no such thing as a ‘duplicate content penalty’. Google publishes the best version of similar content it can find for the benfit of the Google user seeking information.

It does not ‘penalize’ the worst or any other, and the ‘best’ is not always the ‘first’ – just the best! ‘Best’ meaning most relevant to the search term (keyword) used by the Google customer.

If you copy content and do it better that the original then it is not impossible for yours to be published, and the original sent to the supplementaries. Google takes several factors into consideration there – one being ‘original publisher’ but not exclusively that.

So there is no reason not to publish anythign you want to as many directories as you want. If EzineArticles’ software believes your articel to be duplicate to any it already has in its database, then it will be rejected.

Mnay directories don’t do this, and Google decides which to publish. Exactly the same situation with web page content, blogs, lenses and so on.

November 16, 2009 at 1:31 PM

[Reply]

Ardell Nagle writes:

Thanks for clearing that up Chris. And thanks again for all the information you provide to help us to create original quality content.

[Reply]

Doran writes:

Great video Chris…really clears up the difference between repackaged and derivative articles. Appreciate the difference and the distribution work of EzineArticles.com

[Reply]

Paul Counts writes:

Thanks for clarifying this! That makes me feel much better!

[Reply]

David writes:

“You SHOULD submit existing articles and content from your website or blog.”

Will I not get penalized by the search engines for duplicate content?

David

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

David,

Do you think all of the thousands of newspapers who syndicate 100% duplicate content from the Associated Press get penalized by the search engines?

Since I have no control over what the search engines will or won’t do, I don’t know what they will or won’t do.

I can tell you that the original duplicate content penalty of a decade ago was designed to punish websites who publish identical copies of the same content on THEIR OWN WEBSITE…and rightfully so. If you understood this, then perhaps you can see why we won’t accept highly derivative content.

If you syndicated 100% of the articles on your website and your website had nothing unique to offer that wasn’t available on other websites, then your website deserves to be filtered out as being not original or valuable. This is why I recommend only syndicating a good percentage of your article content instead of all of it.

October 29, 2009 at 4:44 PM

[Reply]

Christa writes:

This was more than clear. You are a darling, Chris. Thank you!

[Reply]

ben writes:

Can you please expand on:

Leverage EzineArticles as a Distribution Platform

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Ben,

Submitting articles to EzineArticles that you already wrote and published on your own website helps you get access to ideal new customers that you are currently not attracting with your own website.

In many cases, we can give you MORE exposure and MORE traffic with your existing and new article submissions than you could with your own website…because we already have a million unique daily visitors that took us 9.9 years to attract.

October 29, 2009 at 4:53 PM

[Reply]

Arsham Mirshah writes:

I love that you email market, and I haven’t unsubscribed for a reason. This video is that reason.

Thank you so much for explaining in a video Chris .. here comes a bunch of my content!

[Reply]

Patricia Molloy writes:

Thanks Chris, I love EzineArticles!

[Reply]

Lance is in the House! writes:

Wow, good energy in that video Chris. You should run for Mayor of Milwaukee, and after the layoffs their recently, they need you!

[Reply]

Keith Elliott writes:

Chris:

I think we all knew that this was coming, but it is great to hear it right from the boss and in such a clear fashion.
Thank you once again.

[Reply]

Dave Doolin writes:

Excellent!

I won’t submit “as is,” I plan on using the EzineArticles guidelines to significantly improve my writing.

[Reply]

Bryan Cox writes:

Thanks Chris.

This was a very helpful. There’s just so much stuff out there and conflicting information that its hard to get through all the garbage from the quality stuff like this video.

[Reply]

Allie Casey writes:

Chris- thanks for the follow-up video. It really did clear up those lingering questions about how to use my articles.

BTW, thank you so much for the I “heart” EzineArticles mug and coffee. I’ve only been at this for a few weeks -so it was truly an unexpected delight!

[Reply]

Kevin writes:

I appreciate that if I write an original article and post it on my website/blog and then submit to EzineArticles that that is OK.

What happens though if after submitting to EzineArticles and been accepted I then submit to other article directories and am accepted there also.

Kevin

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

What happens to ‘what’? Huh?

Please clarify your question or give an example of what you’re asking?

October 29, 2009 at 5:36 PM

[Reply]

Kevin writes:

Sorry for any confusion.

I write an article say “Breast Feeding Or Bottle Feeding;” Put it on my own site, then submit that article to EzineArticles and it is accepted. That’s fine: yes?

Now sometime later I submit the same article to a number of other article directories, what would EzineArticles attitude be towards authors that go down that road? Will they pull the article from their database? Will EzineArticles penalize authors who submit the same article to other article banks or is this acceptable behaviour?

October 29, 2009 at 7:31 PM

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Yes, that would be acceptable.

I think you’re over-thinking this.

As long as it’s original content that you have the exclusive rights to it (meaning, it’s under your name alone)… we would not have any incentive to remove it in the future regardless as to where you further distribute the article.

October 30, 2009 at 11:21 AM

[Reply]

Jo de Jong writes:

Clarification of one point, please:

“Rehashing One Article into Many Versions of the Same Article IS Creating Derivative Content…Something We and Our Users Don’t Want”

A technique I like to use is to write a somewhat general article that contains three or four points, expanding on each of those points adequately but not exhaustively.

Later, I can go back and write a new fully expanded article about each of those points that offers more detail than was given in the original article. One subject, four articles.

This rather fits in with the suggestion you have made in the past regarding breaking one lengthy article into two shorter ones, but I feel uncertain about how it fits into the quoted statement above.

Could you expand on that comment, please? Thank you.

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Taking an article with 4 points and writing (4) new articles that goes in depth on each of the 4 points is fine with us.

What isn’t ok is taking an article with 4 points and creating dozens or hundreds of articles that only include the 4 points, but reworded.

October 30, 2009 at 11:23 AM

[Reply]

Kris writes:

# Repackaging Existing Articles On Your Website Now and Submitting Them To EzineArticles Does NOT Trigger Our Derivative Content Filters

# Rehashing One Article into Many Versions of the Same Article IS Creating Derivative Content…Something We and Our Users Don’t Want

These two statements are in conflict.

How many is many..
How to write articles for other directories if they are done in a similar way…

You can’t have your cake and eat it too

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

These two statements are NOT in conflict.

See my thoughts in comment #22 below.

How many of your articles that you put into syndication/distribution depends purely on your objectives.

October 30, 2009 at 11:13 AM

[Reply]

Herman writes:

Thanks for clarifying derivative content. Based on your previous posts about increasing your standards I assumed you no longer accepted articles that had already been published on your blog.

Now I can go back to some of those blog articles I posted 3 years ago and submit them to EzineArticles.

[Reply]

Shannon writes:

Chris, please forgive if you’ve answered this before. I’ve tried to go back in the blog postings as I believe I remembered this topic before but I can not find it now. I also posted this question in Penny’s last post but no one chimed in.

I am clear on submitted articles that were already posted on your blog. But, what about posting to your blog or website AFTER the article has been accepted by EzineArticles?

I started this whole thing more as an experiment to see if I could write articles and then I kept on going – at least in a few niches. Looking back now, I’ve accumulated a good amount of articles.

I am wondering if I would now like to save and post these articles after the fact if that would make them still be exclusive? Say, for example – if I write under the name Jane Smith. Could I have a website called jane-smith-articles.com or something to that affect? It’s clearly the same author and the same articles. But, since I’ve already posted them on EzineArticles this would be AFTER the fact.

I have been wondering about this for a while but haven’t pursued it because it would be a lot of work to go back and post these after the fact and I’m still not sure if this would affect the rankings of those EzineArticles articles – (which I certainly would not want to adversely affect.)

But I was wondering if this is OK in terms of exclusivity. Thanks for any insight you can give me. I appreciate your taking the time to explain all of this. Shannon

[Reply]

Julia Angelicchio writes:

Chris Just want to say–Great Video! Short and to the point! Please continue with info videos they really help me.

[Reply]

Art Lewis writes:

Now then, what is the difference between rehashing and repackaging an article? You want my original content and you want to distribute it, but you don’t want me to distribute it through other web properties. Is that it?
As long as EzineArticles has the exclusive rights to distribute original material off my website, it will not trigger your Derivative Content Filters, but if I distribute it through others it will?
What utter hyprocracy!!
Duplicate content is duplicate content. whether I rehash it through others or you syndicate it, it is still duplicate content.
As long as Google continues to use high PR inbound links as a major factor to reach page one, duplicate content will plague the internet whether it is repackaged or rehashed!!
So don’t play semantics with us.
Art

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Art,

Repackaging an article to us would mean that you take an article you’ve already written (and or already published on your website) and then submitted it to EzineArticles.com.

Rehashing an article to us would mean you take an article you’ve already submitted to EzineArticles.com and you rewrote it to say nothing new with hopes we won’t catch it.

EzineArticles doesn’t have exclusive rights to any article…but we require that YOU have the exclusive rights to any article you submit to us. This means we should not be able to find any article you submitted to us, on the Internet under someone else’s name or no name.

October 30, 2009 at 10:51 AM

[Reply]

Indu Priya K writes:

Hi Chris,

Thanks for all the info you are providing.

I recently took an article from my own blog, written by me and rewrote it and submitted to EzineArticles.com

The article got rejected saying it lacks enough original and informative content.

Does it mean I cannot rewrite my own articles from my blog and submit to EzineArticles.com?

Also can you tell me a way to verify if our articles will be accepted by EzineArticles.com prior to submitting to EzineArticles.com? I think this saves lot of your and our time.

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Indu,

I can’t comment without looking up the specific article that got rejected and as a rule, we don’t comment publicly about any article that was rejected.

I recommend that you ask us privately via email to give you specific reasons why we think your article was not substantial enough to be accepted.

To answer your last question, the rejection of an article for being non-substantial is a subjective decision, therefore there is no way to tell you in advance if it won’t be accepted.

October 30, 2009 at 10:55 AM

[Reply]

Indu Priya K writes:

Thanks much Chris.

I am new to EzineArticles.com and still figuring out the rules and regulations.

One last question.

Can I republish my original articles that got listed in EzineArticles to my blog?

October 30, 2009 at 11:04 AM

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Yes, of course.

October 30, 2009 at 11:27 AM

[Reply]

Indu Priya K writes:

Hi Chris,
I am new to EzinesArticles and I need help.

I submitted 10 articles, out of which 5 got accepted and 5 got rejected (categorized under problem articles).

1. Whom should I contact to know exactly why my 5 articles got rejected?

2. I want to keep aside the problem articles for now and want to submit new set of articles. But I am not allowed to do it saying the article limit has reached and I can no longer submit new articles. Will I not be able to submit new articles until I clear problem articles? Please let me know.

November 4, 2009 at 11:31 AM

[Reply]

Penny, Managing Editor writes:

Indu,

We don’t encourage you to submit more articles when you have articles in problem status. How will you learn in your next submissions? I recommend addressing the issues before any more articles get submitted.

Also, we review accounts daily that “run-out” of submissions. I will review your account and respond to you privately.

November 4, 2009 at 3:43 PM

[Reply]

Ed Fry writes:

Google hates duplicate content, but you’re suggesting copying and pasting our existing articles across to EzineArticles. How far can this go – could we get our articles distributed across dozens of article directories and no one suffer? Why would Google want to serve up two or more identical listings in a single SERP?

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Google is already highly efficient at showing the best article for a search query regardless as to how many copies of the article exists on the Internet. They take hundreds of factors into consideration.

If you want to write and submit only original content that is exclusive to your name, we have no objection of course. :) This is what many expert authors do.

October 30, 2009 at 11:06 AM

[Reply]

David Singhiser writes:

Oh, I feel so much better!

Love the videos and the e-mails.

I really was really skeptical that EzineArticles.com could bring traffic to my website, but now MOST of my traffic comes from EzineArticles.com now.

Now I find out that I can post articles from my blog I’ve already written! This is great news!

Thanks so much!

David

[Reply]

Brian writes:

It sounds to me that what you have described as derivative is exactly the basis on which many people sell article submitting software i.e. what is called article spinning where an article is taken rewritten and or reordered many times to create what appears to be a new article but actually has the same content.

Would you agree?

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

We’re systematically banning and writing new code daily to improve our ability to stop software rewritten articles from being submitted & accepted.

October 30, 2009 at 11:01 AM

[Reply]

Brian writes:

Thanks Christopher, so you clearly do agree.

Also from what I have read in your replies and what seems to be escaping a few people is that you are not saying people cannot submit the same article to multiple directories.

My understanding is that it is OK to seek a new audience at a different venue with the same article i.e. you can use the article on your blog, then on an article directory, then perhaps a social site or another article directory and so on.

An analogy would be the Beatles doing a world tour, they sing the exact same songs but to a different audience each time and there is nothing at all wrong with that.

The problem is when someone makes a poor cover of their song and claims it is their own or The Beatles make a poor cover of their own song that adds nothing and try to market it as something new and exciting.

I think I am clear on what you have been saying and agree with you totally, no different to selling the same book in different stores.

Thanks for all your clarifications.

October 30, 2009 at 11:19 AM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

I am so disapponted at the dilution of the excellence that EzineArticles once represented – this just proves how you are degenerating.

October 30, 2009 at 3:26 PM

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Yeah, me too.

That’s why we’re rejecting incoming articles by the tens of thousands before our humans even see the articles.

This is what keeps me up thinking at night.

We’ve ended the era where our human Editors can catch stuff that we must now use our software to identify, filter out or reject before our Editors even see the article.

I get this feeling you thought we only accepted original articles that was never on any website before EzineArticles?

October 30, 2009 at 4:23 PM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

No, I didn’t actually. It’s just from reading this thread I got kind of depressed. Maybe I read it wrong, but I do see a lot of stuff on EzineArticles these days that I never a couple of years back, so perhaps I am not appreciative of the work you do or it might be even worse.

The thought that writers could change a few words and resubmit old articles (that’s what I call rehashed) was galling to me that only ever writes original stuff.

Maybe I am wrong, I don’t know. Does it really matter anyway if nobody else is bothered with it?

One thing that has impressed me though, is your speed of response to my post. That I do appreciate, so perhaps EzineArticles is in good hands after all.

Cheers

Pete

October 30, 2009 at 5:30 PM

[Reply]

Joseph S. Spence, Sr. writes:

Hey Chris,
I like this explanation. It’s great! By the way, I have submitted my 100th article already and am claiming what prize may be available. I think there are many, since I am in the first 100 individuals to submit the 100 articles.

Thanks,
Joseph

[Reply]

Rick Ng writes:

Hi, Chris:
“Derivative Content”, what a nice words for copy cat. For me, I think it’s very clear, whatever you write or articles that’s own by you(you might pay a ghostwriter to write for you), however you want to use it, I think it should be fine, right? That’s my concept and principle of doing things too. I just wanna tell those people that wanna succeed online, just do the things in the best moral and ethic way. It’s no brainer for me. Don’t put too much effort on those hanky panky techniques, instead put you effort on those things that more worth your time. Think long term, put your effort in, and persistence. Then you’re not far from success. It’s just the matter of time.

Thanks & regards,
Rick from Penang, Malaysia

[Reply]

Julia Angelicchio writes:

Hi Rick

Right on! About “Derivative Content” comments. I totally agree. Do the things the best “moral and ethical way”.
Remember in school, when we had to write an essay? You were penalized for copying text or not giving credit for a quote.
I remember in University when a student received a failing grade because he copied an essay off of the Internet.

Maybe I’m wrong, but isn’t that the same thing?

October 31, 2009 at 10:12 AM

[Reply]

rob writes:

Thanks Chris,

Quick question. Say I write unique content on my site, then a couple of days later someone copies that content and sticks it on their site, then I couple of days later I submit this content to ezine – unchanged as you’ve stated is fine – how do you know that I wrote it? Is there a way of telling who created the content first if there is a fine line between when it was created and when it was copied?

Thanks

rob.

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Every day we’re faced with this issue…and the only thing we can do is not accept articles when we can’t verify originality.

I’m not sure a better solution exists yet.

Many members submit new articles to us before their own website purely because of this issue.

October 30, 2009 at 10:41 AM

[Reply]

rob writes:

OK thanks Chris,

Your advice seems to be the best option,

Kind regards,

Rob.

October 30, 2009 at 10:53 AM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

I never place any articles I write for EzineArticles or any other directory on my own website. That to me is madness. Why send somebody to your website to see what they have just read?

I either send them to a page devoted to the topic of my website, or write a more comprehensive article that builds on the original submitted to EzineArticles, and then use that in my resource.

That’s how you get visitors seeking your name, and also staying on your site and giving you conversions.

It doesn’t take much longer, and makes your article significantly more productive.

Cheers,

Pete

October 30, 2009 at 5:36 PM

[Reply]

Lance is in the House! writes:

Peter,

You have stated; “I never place any articles I write for EzineArticles or any other directory on my own website. That to me is madness. Why send somebody to your website to see what they have just read?”

Whereas, I completely agree with this and am always miffed when I go to an author’s website only to see a short list of articles, including the one I just read, I find it odd. After all, if I’ve seen their list at EzineArticles under their profile and then go to their website and blogs and see the same thing, unable to find anything additional on their websites, or maybe only a couple of items, which I had to sift through. Well, I could not agree more.

But, if an author has 500 articles here, and someone clicked in from a search engine, then went to their website, there would be 499 articles they had not read. So, in that case, that is to say in the case of ultra-high volumes, I can see that your comments and my agreement of your comments would be lessened and the argument “might not” apply. So, there is some food for thought, although I agree with what you say and see it far too often.

October 30, 2009 at 5:46 PM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

Mmm..

Good point. I suppose my argument there might be regarding to what page the resource sends the reader.

If it is only a page with a list to 500 other articles, they would likely leave the site. They can read all they want on EzineArticles.

On the other hand, if it is an extended version of the article they have just read, and that then followed either by an opt-in form for more information or a free course, or even a sales page link, would that not be better?

A lot depends on the objective when writing the article. If that is simply to provide more reading material to the reader from the resource link, then I agree with you.

You have a point that made me think, but I think the fundamental question is why is the artcle being written. Once you have decided that, then the landing page must relect that purpose.

Nice point though.

Cheers,

Pete

October 30, 2009 at 5:57 PM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

Excuse the typos, I have cat walking across my keyboard at the moment!

October 30, 2009 at 5:58 PM

[Reply]

Lance is in the House! writes:

Peter,

Yes, these are all good points, and it also reminds me of how I’ve taken paragraphs out of eBooks I’ve written and made them into articles in various categories here from time to time. One unfortunate thing for me is that I write E-Books, not to sell, but to give away. And EzineArticles does not allow url links to .pdf files in the byline box. So, I take them to a website interface face page and allow them to look at a directory of free-ebooks I have written, along with some that others have written who also needed or wanted assistance in distribution.

Cats are hilarious as they walk across key-boards totally oblivious to the rest of the world only wanting attention, it’s funny isn’t it?

October 30, 2009 at 6:04 PM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

Just like women!

I just found this blog/forum – it’s pretty good.

Yes, your use of articles is typical. Have you thought of a blog, and alternating that with your site in your resource? You could make special offers in the blog, also with a link to your website, and keep the content fresh.

Sometimes that gets repeat visitors that would otherwise visit your web page once or twice and that’s it. Depends how often you change the content on your webpage but a blog can change every time you sumbit an article.

Incidentally, reading some of the other posts on this site, I submit the same article to 400+ directories and ezines and it never hurt me on Google! I am still at #1 and #2 for ‘Article Services’

That’s not a boast (I’ve been there for 2 years) – just to show that multiple submissions of the same article doesn’t hurt anybody with Google.

Must go and feed that cat now – the feline kind!

Nice to meet you,

Cheers,

Pete

October 30, 2009 at 6:19 PM

[Reply]

mike writes:

Am I therefore, not permitted to use an article provided to me as an affiliate as is, or do I need to completely change it?

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

How much should you rewrite it before submitting?

100%

In other words, no. You can’t use it. It’s not original content and you don’t have the exclusive rights to the content.

October 30, 2009 at 11:16 AM

[Reply]

Michael Haley writes:

Thank you for the clarification. This really helped. We were unclear about this and withholding great material.

[Reply]

Wendy Dashwood-Quick writes:

Thanks Chris! Really pleased I can still use some of my original material without having to reinvent the wheel so to speak;as there are only so many hours in the day to devote to writing.

Cheers
Wendy

[Reply]

Kevin writes:

Chris can you riddle me this?

I write an article ‘Breast Feed Or Bottle Feed’ and post it on my blog. The reason I have it there, of course, is to attract people to my website and hopefully they’ll buy some of my products or click on some of my ads. Over simplification I know

Now I take the same article and submit it to EzineArticles because it is a fantastic article, well written, and its original content you are more than happy to accept it :) Fine so far.

Google now enters the equation. There are two identical articles out there one on my blog one on your directory. Of course your site has a page rank I can only dream about. I assume that because your site is more important than mine Google will list my article on your site ahead of my own.

I appreciate I’m deviating somewhat from the main tread but my question is this. How long would you leave an original article on a site BEFORE submitting it to an Article Bank in order to ensure the maximum benefit for the author

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

I think you’re asking yourself the wrong question.

Which strategy maximizes traffic back to your website and exposure to your brand/self/company? You can only answer that once you test various approaches for yourself.

Google does as Google does. As a rule, I don’t pretend to know what they will or won’t do and therefore I don’t speculate.

You’re asking me to give you assurances that can’t be given. :?)

October 30, 2009 at 1:47 PM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

Why worry about it? Why not just write a similar but different article? Why do so many people here think they can write great articles, and then more or less admit they only want to do it once?

I can’t understand this at all. If you had just written another for your blog or to submit, then you could have saved yourself all these worries. You might have spent more time wondering about this that writing another article!

I don’t mean to criticize, just give some advice, because this is basic article marketing stuff. Sure, it takes a bit longer, but how much longer than just another blog post?

Also, send the smaller version to the directory so readers feel they are getting a bit more when they follow your link. Also Google won’t bother you.

Cheers,

Pete

October 30, 2009 at 5:42 PM

[Reply]

Nona Sangalang writes:

Hi Chris

Great video. It clarifies my doubts on the issue spot on, many thanks.

Nona

[Reply]

Doran writes:

We.. stated Chris.
Google is changing all the time and is not always predictable. The only way to know what works best, like everything else in your marketing, is to test it out. I appreciate that there is another avenue to gaining exposure to my site. I gave up fretting about google.

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

I’m sorry, but I fail to see how rehashing or repackaging existing articles classes as submitting unique, original articles!

The argument that submitting articles are new just because some people may not have already read them demeans EzineArticles to a second rate directory, as some of the rubbish I have seen recently being accepted tends to confirm.

Get back to good, well written, unique content, fewer virtual sales pages which are becoming more prevalent, and back to the respected site you once were.

Now I see some comments that if you can’t get accepted by Go Articles or Article Dashboard, EzineArticles will have it!

Stuff rehashed existing stuff where Google would put it!

Pete

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

You missed the point then.

We’ve never had a problem with an expert author who submits an article to us that they already had live on their website. This content is UNIQUE to us even though it may not be UNIQUE to the Internet.

The crack down is against authors who rewrite an article 2-200 times and tries to get us to accept all of them.

October 30, 2009 at 4:17 PM

[Reply]

Laura writes:

I know what Chris is referring to. It is a technique writers use to take one article and make many, that say the same thing. Over, and over, and over. As a ghostwriter, I’m familiar with this.

Personally, I like to make things interesting for my readers, and also along the lines of post #28, maintain moral and ethical standards.

To market my OWN sites, I write an original article for EzineArticles. The article on my website is unique. What does a reader gain by clicking on the BIO LINK on the Ezine Article, and landing on my site to read the same thing again, rephrased?

You usually “send” them there to learn “something more.”

I think we should get back to writing, and stop trying to find ways to AVOID writing and beat the system by writing less. I LIKE to write!

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

I find that many are using spinning software these days. You write one article, and then rewrite each paragrapg, or even sentence, and they are permutated.

The problem is, unless you are a professional you don’t quite get each with the proper meaning and the aricles look silly and in some cases even contradictory.

Then each is sent to a different directory, with only some actually making logical sense.

Pete

October 30, 2009 at 6:07 PM

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Laura writes:

That is true, absolutely it is. THIS technique? Must be done right? Or it totally does not work. There ain’t no in between on that. And honestly, I’d rather, personally, write fresh new work anytime. It is actually EASIER to go with fresh, and better in the end anyway.

Spinners don’t work. It takes thinking minds, and it is kind of like being a “wh*re to the craft of “writing.”

October 30, 2009 at 6:20 PM

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Lance is in the House! writes:

Laura,

You make a very good point indeed. It almost seems that your point is “such common sense” that it should not have to be said, but alas, it obviously does because so many people are doing it. All I can think is that people really don’t know what to do, and are trying to do this online marketing thing and incorporate “online article marketing” into the mix to drive traffic and they just are at a loss.

Worse, I see many folks giving advice on “how to write articles” or “how to do online article marketing” that is shallow and doesn’t touch on all these things. Therefore folks who don’t know what to do, just do whatever is easiest, because many new online article writers are having a tough time pulling off a decent article in the first place.

I believe this to be because after folks leave high-school some 75% never read another book their whole lives, and if it were not for blogging, they probably wouldn’t write anything either. One of these days when I finish my 20K article goal, I am going to write some eBooks on these topics to help people do what they do better. Because this problem you’ve identified, I’ve seen too, too many times in fact. I feel bad for those people.

But, I also realize that I am an avid Internet Searcher, completely nuts when it comes to learning new things, and thus, I am an online article reader and I do click on bylines often enough. Perhaps, this might be part of the problem, that so many online article marketers are not placing themselves int he minds of the readers of their articles to see what they see.

And those who do check out what everyone else is doing are copying “bad habits” like this by checking out those they perceive to be their online marketing competition, rather than simply considering the poor readers. As Peter has stated above somewhere it’s “Madening” and I guess, I agree with your comments here as well Laura.

October 30, 2009 at 6:20 PM

[Reply]

Laura writes:

Touche, and good night. Happy Halloween and All Saints’ Day

happy writing to all of you :-)

October 30, 2009 at 6:32 PM

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Peter Nisbet writes:

Yup, I agree.

I didn’t express myself very well, and I did indeed miss the point. I have already written on this thread what I feel about using the same articles on your own website that you have submitted to directories.

I can’t see why people do that when it doesn’t take long to write another based on the first. I rewrite articles for customers frequently and it takes about 15 minutes for 800 words so why?

I was complaining about resubmitting articles to the same directories with only minor changes. I have seen that. However, Chris is right – I picked it up wrongly.

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

I’m having to leave now – my cat seems to think she can type better than me – typical female!

October 30, 2009 at 6:09 PM

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Lance is in the House! writes:

That’s cool, your cat may not be better than you, but I bet she’s a lot better than some of these “derivatively spun” articles I’ve read. The Cat Wins!

October 30, 2009 at 6:11 PM

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Laura writes:

I want to know this cat’s name! Ha ha!

October 30, 2009 at 6:25 PM

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Laura writes:

Night before Halloween and all, and what color is the CAT?

October 30, 2009 at 6:26 PM

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Peter Nisbet writes:

She’s a Tabby and I called her, rather obtusely given her sex (sorry – gender), T.S. after one of my favourite writers (the spelling shows I’m British – Scots actually) for obvious reasons.

However, she tries to do what I am doing on my keyboard so frequently that I should change her name to ‘Copy’!

Pete

October 31, 2009 at 8:45 AM

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Laura writes:

ha ha that is so funny considering this blog topic. Copy Cat.

October 31, 2009 at 10:07 AM

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Peter Nisbet writes:

That’s what makes good writing Laura, and such humor in an article that is not immediatey obviously to many readers, but suddenly hits them, can be a very powerful tool.

I teach that to my customers in my writing course. However, sometimes it doesn’t work because there is a tendency to go overboard with it, such as ‘what you write makes a lorra sense’!

The fact that it does, doesn’t make the attempt a bit too obviously contrived!!

In fact, reading all the threads on this blog, or forum as it appears to resemble more, a lot of people need a lot of help with article marketing, but there appears to be an equal number more than capable of providing it.

One thing to all of them: if you want to have two articles – one on the directories and one on your website, them write two. To do anything else is to sell yourself short, and only you will suffer in the end.

That’s true of spun articles, rewrites using nothing but synonyms (very few are true synonyms), rehashed, repackaged or re-anythinged. Derivative – call it what you like. By the time you have “re-ed” it you could have written a new article that those that ‘reed’ it will like better than just ‘more of the same’.

Why re- this and re- that. derivative, repsun, rewritten, rehashed, ‘pass Copyscape’: all this recycling is great to save the planet, but it won’t provide your readers with a better service.

Write another article – it’s not difficult! Unless your original was re-originated!

(not aimed at you Laura – you are like me, an originator, not a copier).

That’s today’s rant over.

Comments please?

[Reply]

Edison writes:

Thanks for the clarification. I really didn’t know that I could use my own articles from my blog for EzineArticles!

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Peter Nisbet writes:

Why should you want to Edison?

What’s the purpose of submitting your article to EzineArticles except to offer a link back to website or blog, and if you’ve only got exactly the same article there who is going to believe that you are worth visiting?

Offer them something different, and prove your blog is worth visiting.

It only takes a half hour at most to write a decent article and you are highly recommended to take the time – it’s not a lot for what you gain.

Cheers

Pete

October 31, 2009 at 5:15 PM

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Laura writes:

And where is CopyCat on this Happy All Saint’s Day?

October 31, 2009 at 6:30 PM

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Peter Nisbet writes:

Copy Cat was busy writing: I have a large number of customers waiting for me to supply their needs, and am starting full time Friday. I have decided to give up my day job for full time IM and writing.

Trouble is, I now have to keep them all happy because I am relying on them to feed my cat! When the cat tries to type I will pay her in mice according to her worth.

Otherwise I will give up – it was her contribution that made me go that way, and I have a cage full of white mice just ready for sauteeing.

If you think I am kidding, don’t tell the cat or she go on strike. In any case I think there is something wrong with me:

The computer just shut down and told me I had pressed an ‘Invalid’ key! But there is nothing wrong with me – I can walk perfectly well! So I have looked for this Invalid key and can’t find it.

Any help anyone – where is the Invalid key, and why does my computer think that I am one?

Copy Cat over and out

November 2, 2009 at 2:47 PM

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Julia Angelicchio writes:

Peter
Your Invalid Key – is a process for computer protection and doesn’t recognize your ID# or password.

The best thing to do is to turn off computer which has been done. Wait a bit and reboot; everything should be back to normal.

If not, you may have to take it in to a computer tech store and they can help you out for a cost. Good luck! Tell me how to goes. Julia

November 2, 2009 at 3:45 PM

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Peter Nisbet writes:

Thank you for your help JUuia: It is very much appreciated. I read what you suggested and my computer is now working perfectly.

It is nice to know that my computer does not regard me as an invalid. I have a lot learn about computers and about people. Thank’s for helping me to do both.

Cheers,

Pete

November 2, 2009 at 4:02 PM

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Peter Nisbet writes:

Sorry about the JUuia, Julia – it’s ‘That Damn Cat’ again!

Pete

November 2, 2009 at 4:04 PM

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Jack writes:

I have a question concerning “ethics”.

I’ve noticed that MANY articles on EzineArticles.com leads to “Flog” sites (Fake blog sites), filled with fake photos, fake testimonials and blatant lies, and telling some “personal” stories of near mircale-like results using some products.

I wonder what are EzineArticles.com’s policy on these?

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Use the REPORT ARTICLE or REPORT AUTHOR tool and we’ll investigate…and take appropriate action on any article or member who is flagged.

We reject thousands of articles a month purely based on the fact that their landing page delivers a poor user experience, but sometimes we approve articles and the member changes their landing page after we approve their article. In cases like those, we rely on the public and our million daily visitors to let us know (and they do a pretty darn good job of letting us know when they are not happy).

November 2, 2009 at 9:40 AM

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

Perhaps your valuable time could be optimized by trusting your better authors more not to offer you articles that you would refuse, and then spend more of that time targeting those that are not so good.

Have you considered increasing your minimum word count to 500 and disallowing advertising and reviews of the writer’s own products? I have followed resource links through and found the review is an advert, but you don’t have the time to do that.

Are yoiu suggestig that I should inform you when I find such articles?

Pete

[Reply]

Russ Hamel writes:

OMG Chris

The ONLY reason stopping me from submitting articles from EzineArticles.com or any other service for that matter was that I thought I had to ‘spin’ and/or rewrite them. The thought of spending yet another hour or two making sure I was going to red flag the Google duplicate cops really depressed and overwhelmed me.

Thank you… THANK YOU for this clarification.

Here come A BUNCH of articles from Yours Truly!

All the best from Toronto,
Russ

[Reply]

Geoff writes:

I usually find that if I submit to EzineArticles and at the same time place an article on my website when it comes to search engine placement the EzineArticles page wins out.

What I sometimes do is to place the article on my site first, that usually gets it ranked high with Google, and only then submit to EzineArticles.

[Reply]

Shirley Bass writes:

Thank you Chris for clarifying duplicate content and how we can repackage our exisiting website and blog content to EzineArticles.

When I have time, I rewrite the articles (changing the points) I have submitted to EzineArticles, so I have fresh content on my website.

Thanks Again!

[Reply]

Karen Cioffi-Ventrice writes:

The comments here have been very informative, especially from Pete. It’s a relief to know that I can submit my article to numerous ezines as is.

I’ve been wasting time changing them up a bit for each ezine.

The time saved on this will allow me to write more articles.

Thanks!

[Reply]

Christa writes:

When an article about a certain topic is found in several “women’s magazines”, this is, because not every woman is reading all women’s magazines and magazines want that their readers get to know about important topics. Same with article sites. Pete maybe reads all article sites as writing is his profession. There might be lots of people who only read EzineArticles and await to be informed about all what is going on in the category of their interest.
When I have an article of interest on my website, it is hardly found. When I put it on EzineArticles, I might have a better chance of being found as EzineArticles is of course ranking better as my website.
But this is my point of view.

[Reply]

Peter Nisbet writes:

I agree with you to a point Christa.

In earlier threads on this page I have stated that I submit all of my articles to 400+ directores and ezines, not only because many people don’t read EzineArticles , but also because Google doesn’t bother about it too much.

You don’t suffer through this. I also stated (Karen and Geoff please take note:

“It (Google) does not ‘penalize’ the worst or any other, and the ‘best’ is not always the ‘first’ – just the best! ‘Best’ meaning most relevant to the search term (keyword) used by the Google customer.

If you copy content and do it better that the original then it is not impossible for yours to be published, and the original sent to the supplementaries. Google takes several factors into consideration there – one being ‘original publisher’ but not exclusively that.”

This is true. What is also true, Christa, is that you are more likely to get your article published by Google as an EzineArticles Page than if you published it on your own website: but ONLY if others link to it or because EzineArticles has better onsite SEO than you have.

I sometimes get an article published on more than one directory appearing on page #1 of Google – it takes a few weeks for one or two to disappear. I never use a published article on my site so I don’t know if I could compete. I don’t see why not though – I might try it as a test!

So let’s not get overexcited about duplication. Google doesn’t – it just looks for the best, but it takes its time!

Anybody found different?

[Reply]

Juna writes:

I like your point about giving the key points for repackaging articles…great idea!

JUNA

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D Conn writes:

Thank you so much for the clarification!

[Reply]

Carrie Tucker writes:

I submit content to you through Content Crooner, but I don’t see it showing up in my Profile.

Is there something I can do to make this happen?

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Christopher M. Knight writes:

Carrie,

I suggest submitting your articles directly to us.

February 2, 2010 at 10:53 AM

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Carrie Tucker writes:

Will there be an issue if I submit content to you the Content Crooner has already submitted to you?

Should I be sure to submit it to you first, or does it matter?

[Reply]

Penny, Managing Editor writes:

Carrie,

Why would you submit an article to us if an article submitter already did on your behalf? I’m confused by your question.

You cannot submit an article that has already been submitted to us.

February 3, 2010 at 1:16 PM

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Carrie Tucker writes:

Well I guess that is my point. I am not able to find these new articles that are being submitted to you on your site. If they are there, is there any way to get them to display from my EzineArticles profile?

[Reply]

Carrie Tucker writes:

Ok, I’ll ask again.

Why are my articles submitted by Article Marketer and now Content Crooner, not showing up on your site?

Do you suggest that I submit them to you first? And will there be a problem if the are submitted through syndication following my submission?

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Carrie,

I’ve already answered your question on Feb 2nd. :-)

If you want to guarantee your articles show up on EzineArticles.com, then submit to us directly.

February 9, 2010 at 9:31 AM

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Jill Singer writes:

Thanks to all of the long-time article marketers who have spent a great deal of time responding to people’s comments on this.

I think my takeaway is that changing up a blog post – even slightly – before submitting to EzineArticles is probably the best way to go. That should solve all of our moral dilemmas, the concern about Google and duplicate content, and the concern about readers not getting anything additional when they click through to your site.

For me, I have a lot of posts with Top 10 lists. That’s easy to edit, because I’ll just keep the third-tier details for my blog. I also write a lot about vacation destinations. I’ll put the general info in the ezine article and keep the details with links and photos to my blog.

I’d appreciate any feedback on my plan!

Thanks!

[Reply]

Marc, Product Marketing Manager writes:

Jill,

Sounds like you’ve got a good plan! Turning blog posts into articles is often just a case of polishing them for the different venue.

In regard to the vacation destination articles (we call them “localized niche articles”): Be very careful when you’re writing these to be certain they adhere to our Editorial Guidelines. You might want to take a look at these 3 EzineArticles Blog posts to make sure you start off on the right foot:

http://blog.EzineArticles.com/2009/12/joe-cline-author-spotlight.html

http://blog.EzineArticles.com/2009/07/understanding-localized-niche-articles.html

http://blog.EzineArticles.com/2008/07/localized-niche-articles.html

April 19, 2010 at 11:15 AM

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Randy Cox writes:

I’m ten articles new to this game, but I have thousands of old unpublished thoughts in storage. I’ve been trying to figure out what I would do with these and searching the net for answers.

This thread sets the parameters; now I can experiment within them to see what works best.

Thanks to all, the comments have been as useful as the article.

[Reply]

Eric writes:

Okay, here is my question. If I write similar articles for different keywords, at what point do I become derivative content? If I use the same bullet points in multiple articles, does that count? Or am I legit?

I see a huge problem with the definition of derivative content as being “rehashed” simply because that is such a blanket term and leaves way for many subjective interpretations. If I create good, unique content but use all the same essential bullet points and ideas in new ways and for new keywords, all without using a content spinner…is that derivative?

Help me out here. It’s kinda bull to tell someone they cannot “rehash” an article. And even if I did rehash it, how would someone tell?

To me, derivative content should be defined as using an article spinner, because no matter what you write or rewrite for that matter, the only thing people really don’t want to read is something that is spun and poor quality. Isn’t that the truth? And even if I do rewrite an article, does that mean it is bad and no one wants to read it? Maybe I’m just rewriting it to see if I can get this article ranked better in Google and get more traffic.

That’s just how I feel. I’ve been warned about the derivative content policy by EzineArticles folks before, but to this day have yet to get a clear and DEFINED explanation of what derivative content is.

[Reply]

Bill Allridge writes:

Thank you so much Chris, for clarifying this issue. I am still trying to get my first article published in EzineArticles(my first anywhere) And as a result I have been learning a lot about writing including the fact that I enjoy it. I really appreciate all of your tips and advice. Your love of writing is obvious and, perhaps, contagious.
A million thanks to you and the staff at EzineArticles.

[Reply]

Vaclav Gregor writes:

interesting informations, however I was just told by a friend of mine that submiting same content on my blog as well as on EzineArticles can harm my SEO marketing and that google will see it as a duplicit content and I will suffer from having low traffic. So what should I do with this? Do you any tools that I can use for rewriting the article in order to get it perceived as a fresh new one by the google?

[Reply]

Christopher M. Knight writes:

Vaclav,

If you want to guarantee NO harm will come to you, then remove all of your content from the Internet and don’t publish anything online ever again.

I know that sounds crazy, right? That’s the ONLY way to guarantee no harm.

You should never rewrite articles or use software article rewriting tools. That shows an intent to game the system. The search engines see thru that and each month, we get more efficient at detecting highly derivative content and reject it.

Your challenge is this:

How to scale a high volume of highly unique content that adds value to your target market, shows off the depth of your knowledge in your given industry with an intent to help others, and to do so without cheating by crude/rude software article rewriting.

If it were easy, everyone would do it. It is not easy… but it is hugely traffic rewarding to those who go deep and commit to this level of quality in their articles.

Back to your question:

One thing that you can do to mitigate potential duplicate content penalty perceptions is to write and submit articles for syndication that you do NOT host on your website also. ie: Do a campaign solely for creating unique and original content only for distribution.

My gut feeling is that it’s probably ok to submit a percentage of your content that is also on your blog because you don’t see the search engines massively penalizing every major newspaper that posts identical exact-match stories from the Associated Press.

December 15, 2010 at 9:14 AM

[Reply]

Chris watts writes:

Great article. I never considered reapackaging an article before I read this.

[Reply]

andrew.myers@sinclair.edu writes:

Howdy! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group?
There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Thank you

[Reply]

????? ??? writes:

Greetings! I’ve been following your blog for some time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Houston Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the excellent job!

[Reply]

Lilli M. Fiesel writes:

I will right away grab your rss as I can’t in finding your email subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service.
Do you have any? Please let me realize so that I may subscribe.
Thanks.

[Reply]

Courtney, Member Support writes:

Hi Lilli,

At the top right of the page there is a box with text above it that reads, “Get New Blog Posts Via Email.” You may enter your email address in the box and click ‘Subscribe’ in order to subscribe to our blog updates. To sign up for our various EzineArticles Newsletters, you can visit this link: http://ezinearticles.com/subscribe/

I hope this helps!

September 24, 2014 at 2:57 PM

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health beauty supplements writes:

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