Can you Copy Content from Another Website?
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Can you Copy Content from Another Website?

Last modified: February 9, 2023

FAQ
Can you Copy Content from Another Website?
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Creating website content is a long, boring job that can sometimes seem like it isn’t worthwhile. Especially when you have little incoming traffic and there is lots of content on the internet already. However, can you copy content from another website? What are the consequences of using content that is first published on another site?

Names for Copied Content

Copied content is also known as plagiarism. It is very frowned upon in many parts of the world as it offers no unique perspective to a reader, who has probably read the same content before. However, it is still a common practice in many parts of the world and internet.

Plagiarism isn’t just described as the re-use of an entire paragraph/article on a page. In some cases, plagiarism can just be the copying of a single line. In some cases this can be challenging. For instance, some statistics need to be worded in a certain way in order to maintain their accuracy or message.

And you can’t change the quotes of people from news articles. Therefore, it’s acceptable to copy content in certain scenarios.

When is it not Acceptable to Copy Content?

It is not acceptable to copy content when you’re copying entire paragraphs. For instance, you copy a blog post or a whole product description. Online plagiarism checkers often look for texts that have more than 15% of the content similar to other content on another site.

And you don’t need to have plagiarism just from one website. You can copy from multiple sites and mix them together and this would still seem like plagiarism.

So, what Happens when you Plagiarize Content?

Google and other search engines take a dim view on plagiarism. They call it duplicate content and based on the page publication (to determine original content), plagiarism can cause your website to be ranked lower online. This will lead to less traffic and fewer sales on your website.

In addition, if you plagiarize a popular article, this can look very unprofessional. You might see your conversion rate drop significantly or your reputation be ruined. Therefore, plagiarism should be discouraged at all times. All product descriptions, website content, blog articles, etc. should be written afresh. You can quote other articles and people, but be sure that they’re given credit.

Keep Reading

Final Word: Can you Copy Content from Another Website?

Copying content from another website is risky. While some apps like AliExpress and Oberlo allow you to copy content from product descriptions, these should be changed as soon as possible. Your content should be fresh, new and unique. If you’re struggling you can use apps like this one, to speak to product writers who can help you develop strong product descriptions.

The more unique your content, the better it will rank and the better branding you will achieve.

One thought on “Can you Copy Content from Another Website?”
  1. Avatar for Albert B. Albert B. says:

    Right now I’m building two separate stores in Shopify. While editing one of them I noticed I didn’t like the product page template. But I do like the other one’s. Is there any possible way to copy the product page template from one store to another??? I have only primitive if not basic skills editing the .liquid files. I appreciate any advice

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