Blog atricles - Article sites or unique content?

[nick5014]

I write quite a lot of content/articles for my blog site which i will then also submit to a few good article sites to get my blog more interest. However doing this means i have little content on my site that is unique, and as i often hear that unique content is very important im not sure article sites are the right way to go.

What do you guys suggest?

-Nick

[janeth]

I'd keep doing the same thing but change the articles a little so the content on your site is unique.

[sensei]

Create different (usually smaller) versions of the articles you post on your blog and those can be submitted to other sites. You want your site to be the best source of information in your niche, information that cannot be found anywhere else, at least not that specific information.

[incrediblehelp]

Try getting general interest from other websites rather article directories if you are worried about duplication. Are the duplicate articles on the article websites out ranking your blog postings? If not you dont have to worry about duplication.

[NvestWeb]

Nick,

Maybe I am missing the bigger picture, but why are you redistributing your content when folks can easily pick it up with search engines, or your comments in other people's blogs (linked back to your own)? Plus, providing a feed will encourage subscriptions, and in turn contribute to viral marketing. Enable multiple 'reads', i.e., on the site, in a feed, or via email.

I followed the link in your Post here, and looked at the blog 'entries'. The one I looked at ("An introduction to link building") said "Comments are closed". Encouraging comments is one way to boost traffic, links, and rankings.

Like I said, maybe I am missing something here.

Peter

Sales is more than just a numbers game...

[Bert Kortegaard]

I can understand someone wanting to collect and organize information on subjects of interest. However, my own site is unique.
Korean War Documentary: Site Contents

I, and many other "blog" sites, do this as an avocation. In my case, because I am one of the dwindling Korean War veterans and want to contribute an objective documentary to the newer generations, showing who we were, and what we did.

Since I get over 7,000 hits a day, this also does serve to express thoughts my generation has on more general topics, such as war protesters, the Haditha reportage, and a few others.

[rudyhiebert]

Thanks for the relevant topic. My reply is about unique content. Our daughter's Beagle has taught me something that applies here I think. When she gets bored, a new toy or activity will get her attention until she's explored every inch or it. I think we're not much different.
I keep listeners attention to my soap box when I tell a related story or illustration that is only my experience. Such a perspective cannot be corrected or altered, only taken for what it's worth.

[Jeff Sundin]

Nick I write a lot of articles too and I also used to grant permissions for re-prints on other sites. One day I realized that some of the sites were starting to outperform me on search terms that I wanted to do well with, so I was using my own content against myself.

Now, I give these other sites short teaser versions of the content. Then they link back to my site to get the complete piece.

[rebroker]

Hi,

Jeff reply above is correct. But, what I do is first publish the article on my site. Than, I send a slightly changed version to article sites. This way, if there is duplication, it will be the sites that re-publish my articles.

If your site has any PR ranking, Google will know your article was the original.

Bob
<please add your link to your signature>

[janeth]

Originally Posted by rebroker

Hi,

Jeff reply above is correct. But, what I do is first publish the article on my site. Than, I send a slightly changed version to article sites. This way, if there is duplication, it will be the sites that re-publish my articles.

If your site has any PR ranking, Google will know your article was the original.

Bob
search engine optimization

I thought they went with the site with the highest PR?

[geoffreygag]

Hi Nick,

Main articles most solely sit on your site. Any other article you write.. whether on your blog or shared re-print.. must be teasers or positioned as entry points back to your main article.

gg

[beachconnection]

Interesting query. I've wondered a bit about this myself.

I've found it hasn't made a difference either way for our site, <a href="http://www.beachconnection.net">Oregon Coast Beach Connection</a>.

I get perhaps one hit every few months from any of these syndicated articles.

Now, if it wasn't for the fact we put out a new article every day on this site, I think the article syndication sites might actually hurt us, because of duplicate content being frowned upon by the search engine gods.

A couple years ago, I shot out about 15 articles onto something like 30 syndication sites. I've since abandoned the approach.

As some above have said, use it sparingly, or offer the articles only in teaser form, which then link back to the whole article.

Also, take the time to be picky about which sites you submit to. I submitted a few articles to a handful of high-profile websites that cover specific subjects (like travel in the NW, etc.), and I still get some hits off those every month.

It's nothing compared to our regular traffic-generating concepts, but it works better than just submitting them to sites that shoot your articles out willy nilly.

Then again, you'll also have to be wary of them out ranking you, in which case I would set aside a handful of articles for this that are different or at least fairly different than the ones on your site.

[oimdiane]

Once in a blue moon, and yesterday is an example, we run across an article that just fits the bill so perfectly for our blog's theme that we will run it "as is" (or in the condition we found it). However, personally, the more personal you make your own blog the better. It's very easy to go out to article directories for content, but no one else on the planet can create YOUR blog in your style. Blogs can and do convey information, but the telling of that information is what draws and keeps your readers.

Use articles sparingly, write original posts - that's my vote

[nick5014]

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions, appreciate them all. Sounds a good idea to submit 'teaser' articles, or rearranged versions of them to article sites - as at the moment they are found via google on ezinearticles, for example, long before my own blog so thats going to have to change.

NvestWeb says:

\Maybe I am missing the bigger picture, but why are you redistributing your content when folks can easily pick it up with search engines, or your comments in other people's blogs (linked back to your own)? Plus, providing a feed will encourage subscriptions, and in turn contribute to viral marketing. Enable multiple 'reads', i.e., on the site, in a feed, or via email/

-Well the problem is that search engines are not bringing much traffic in yet, so im trying to promote my blog through other mediums (that link is to my main site not my blog site btw). Thanks for your other ideas though, i will try and be more pro active when it comes to things like commenting on other peoples blogs.