Be honest—of all the content that’s out there on the web, how much of it do you really think is great, original content? Less than 50%? Less than 25%? Maybe even just 10%?
The truth is that the web is polluted with, to be perfectly blunt, crap. There are millions of articles and blog posts on the exact same topics with the exact same points and the exact same arguments. There are tons of articles that were clearly cranked out with little thought and little attention to detail. These articles do nothing to enhance the user experience, and they’re just filling up the web, bringing down its overall quality.
Why do you think Google has released algorithm changes, like the Panda and Penguin updates? They’re trying to enhance the quality of their search results and get rid of all the crappy content that’s ruining the internet for so many users.
Unfortunately, a lot of this crappy content comes from internet marketers who are trying to build links, increase search rankings, drive traffic, and so on. Are you guilty of putting out low-quality content?
Here are some of the warning signs that your content is actually regurgitated crap.
Before you publish any piece of content, you should ask yourself is this providing the reader with information they can’t get anywhere else? You should also ask—Is this piece of content going to make the web a little better place?
If the answer to either of these questions is no, then you shouldn’t publish the content. It’s regurgitated crap that doesn’t need to be published. It’s that simple.
There’s nothing wrong with writing about topics that have been written about before, but you need to find new things to say. Address points that other people have overlooked, or bring a fresh angle to the topic.
Some internet marketers mistakenly believe that content marketing is all about pumping out as much content as you possibly can. They believe that the more articles you publish and the more links you get, the better your search rankings will be and the bigger your web presence will be.
The problem is that it’s not all about quantity. That’s what all of the recent Google algorithm updates have proven. Quantity doesn’t count for anything. What really matters is quality. Are you producing high-quality content that people want to link to and share with others?
You’re far better off writing 1 amazing, original blog post than cranking out 10 low quality, nearly-plagiarized posts that are filled with typos and grammatical errors.
Coming up with new ideas for content is tough. There’s no doubt about that. One of the most popular ways to come up with new ideas is to check out what everyone else is doing. That’s perfectly acceptable. Other people’s content can be a great source of inspiration.
However, it’s easy to fall into the trap of automatically writing about the same things that everyone else is writing about. It’s all too easy to sit down at the computer to write a blog post only to read a few posts from other industry blogs and to basically rewrite them in your own words.
You have to look in other places as well for your inspiration. Don’t just write about what everyone else is writing about.
Do you want to know the best way to make sure your writing is original? Make it personal. There is only one you, and when you add a personal touch to your content, it becomes fresh, interesting, and original.
Share personal experiences and stories in your content. Let your personality and your attitude shine through in your writing. Write about the things you’re truly passionate about, and let your real perspective show.
When you do this, your writing will not be regurgitated crap. It will be content that your readers will connect with and that you can be truly proud of.
So, now that you’ve read this, it’s time, to be honest. Have you been publishing content that’s actually regurgitated crap?
