Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

How to Share Great Content Without Plagiarizing

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At my recent blogging workshop in Barrie, Ontario, I heard a great question:

Can I post other people’s content on my blog, or is that plagiarism?

Some beginner bloggers are unsure about the idea of writing their own content. They may not feel confident about their writing skills or they just don’t see themselves as an expert. I can relate – sometimes I feel like a downright imposter!

Sharing other people’s valuable content is truly a win-win-win proposition. It’s also the heart of connective content – the content you don’t have to create from scratch (check out this primer about connective content).

Let’s just clear up any confusion about what you can and cannot share. NOTE: As you know, I’m not a lawyer or copyright expert. Please use common sense and if you’re not sure, ask!

Share-button-on-keyboard Sharing links

As corporate blogging expert Debbie Weil says, links are the currency of blogs. People expect to find them and will be disappointed if they don’t.

You’ve got free rein to share links to other content that’s been published on the Internet. Because you’re sending your readers directly to the other site, there’s no confusion about who produced the material.

Before you send your readers away, however, here are a few things to remember:

  • Leave a trail. Set external links (to someone else’s site) to open in a new browser window. That way, your readers can easily find their way back to what they were originally reading on your site.
  • Label your links. Use the “Title” tag to briefly explain where you’re sending them (for example, place your mouse near this text). On social media, include the original author’s name in your update.
  • Have your say. If the other person’s content is the highlight of your blog post (e.g., you’re linking to a video or an important news story on someone else’s blog), put your own slant on things by telling your readers who created the content and why you think it is beneficial information.
  • Lead the way. Use the permalink (“permanent link”) for each specific post, rather than the blog’s main page (here’s a video about how to find the permalink).

Sharing quotes

Quotes can be a compelling introduction for a blog post, whether they’re inspirational, authoritative, comical, powerful or just beautifully written. Throughout your post, quotes from well-known experts can lend credibility and support for the ideas you’re presenting.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when sharing quotes:

  • Keep it brief. The longer the quote, the more likely you could be found in violation of copyright laws.
  • Check your source. If multiple names are attributed to the quote, do your best to confirm who said it first. Also, if you haven’t heard of the person, be sure this is someone you feel comfortable endorsing.
  • Be a journalist. As Darren Rowse of ProBlogger suggests, “If you can’t find an existing quote to use from someone – create one by approaching them for a quick comment or interview on your topic.”
  • Inspire yourself. If you’re stumped for new content, you can use a quotations site as an idea generator to inspire your next blog post.

Sharing entire articles

Some experts are happy for you to reprint their articles in full. Usually, the only cost for this is that you include their biographical information (also known as an author resource box) and a live link back to their site.

Check the end of their article for a copyright statement and/or reprint policy. When in doubt, ask!

Most authors will appreciate hearing when you’ve shared or linked to their content (here are a few ways to make that connection).

Now that you can confidently share other people’s content on your blog, I hope you’re feeling less pressure about being a weekly blogger. Just be sure to balance your blog with all four types of blog posts and all three types of content.

How to Find the Permalink for a Blog Post (Video)

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Why would you want to use a permalink instead of just linking to the blog?

One of the benefits of blogging is that you can quickly and easily update your content on a regular basis. And that consistency will be the key to your success.

Blogs organize content by displaying posts in reverse chronological order. If you send someone to a blog’s home page and the blog gets updated with new content, the post you referred to may not be so easy to find.

Magnifying-glass Permalinks make blog content easy to find

Each individual blog post has a permalink (permanent link), and if you use that, your readers will always end up in the right place.

Here is a brief video that demonstrates how to find the permalink for a blog post.

Do Your Blog Readers Need a Better Map?

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Lost-and-confused-225w-149h Something has been troubling me lately. With 450+ blog posts and counting, I want to make sure that both new visitors and regular readers can easily find the answers they’re looking for.

This may be the only downside to evolving into a content master and building a mountain of content.

It’s not the first time I’ve had this concern. Last time, I solved the problem (temporarily) by bringing my blog posts together into a book, Write Your Way to More Clients Online, a linear guide through the five steps of the content marketing process.

Since I finished the book last fall, I’ve written many more posts that I want you to see. I’ve put together tips, resources and information that will help you with your blogging and content marketing. But only if you can find it!

Sure, I’ve organized my posts into categories, and there’s a search box on the sidebar. You can always find the titles of my most recent posts, and I even brought in a third-party “widget” that shows you my most popular ones.

But is that enough? Especially for someone who might be so new to blogging that they’re not familiar with how blogs work? And aren’t those some of the very people I would like to help with my blog editing and consultation services?

Here are some of the options I’ve been considering:

  • Write another book – Yes, absolutely! I do plan to write another book, but probably not in the next 12 months.
  • Create a “New Here” page – For example, I really like Charlie Gilkey’s version.
  • Add static links to the sidebar – Instead of relying on Typepad’s list of ALL my categories (some of which I’m not using anymore), I could select the most relevant categories and/or posts and link to those.

For now, I’ve decided to go with what’s behind Door #4 – I’ve created a new post called How to Find Your Way Around the Content Mastery Guide Blog to display at the top of my blog, with suggestions that help my new and returning readers find what they’re looking for.

Please check it out and let me know what you think.

In the meantime, if you’ve been blogging for awhile and building your mountain of content, is it time for YOU to create new ways to guide your readers through it?

Five Ways to Find More Time For Content Marketing

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TypingWhether you're starting a new blog or trying to keep one going, a common concern for all of us is finding time to write.

Here are five concrete actions you can take to free up time for this crucial task:

  1. Batch your tasks – Dividing up your article writing time will make the most efficient use of your time and energy, and you'll accomplish more in less time. And once you're in brainstorming or writing mode, don't stop with one post; use that same mindset to work ahead on the next few.
  2. Be purposeful on social media – As soon as you publish a new post and it's fresh in your mind, preschedule 3-4 updates to announce the post to your social networks (I call these conversation starters). That way your content marketing task is done, and it won't get pushed aside or delayed if you get lost in conversation.
  3. Plan ahead – Have you ever zigzagged through the aisles of a grocery store because you didn't have a list? You'll also spend more time on content marketing if you don't have a plan. Your actions here may include laying out your blog categories, following a weekly blogging system or using a weekly/monthly blog planner. 
  4. Blog on the go – Grab some writing/blogging time while you're standing in line or waiting for an appointment. You may not be at your freshest creative time, but you can come back to polish later. Save and store your work online, either as a draft post in your blogging platform or in a system like Dropbox or Evernote.
  5. Maximize your brain power – Give your blog the best part of your day. You'll get more done faster because you're at the peak of your creativity.

How are you finding time to blog? Add your best tips below and let's learn from each other.