Blog etiquette?

Question

For all you bloggers out there I have a question. I put together an article on HUD homes that was very successful(for a newbie). I found the article copy and pasted on another agents blog on Trulia. He had a tiny link at the bottom that said by Investfourmore. I commented that I appreciated the share, but it was a little confusing as to who wrote the article. I alos mentioned that usually only a part of another bloggers article is posted and then linked back to their site.

He responed with "done, thanks" and added a larger link to my site and left the rest of the article in place. What is proper etiquette when blogging? To me this seems like he is basically stealing my article and giving people no reason to visit my site.

He responed with "done, thanks"  and added a larger link to my site and left the rest of the article in place.  What is proper etiquette when blogging?  To me this seems like he is basically stealing my article and giving people no reason to visit my site.

Jack Bobeck · Answer

Link the article to your Google+ account using Google Authorship and start building your blog credits to your own account. Somehow Google always knows who wrote what and when. I am no Google expert. I have my BiggerPockets posts tied to Google Authorship as well.

Jon Holdman · Answer

Ideas spread and that's great.  "The internet" is, IMHO, a powerful asset that spreads knowledge and enhances us as a species.

Copying content is theft, pure and simple.

Al Williamson · Answer

Jon, 
Josh summed it up. Good ideas spread one way or the other.

George P. · Answer

who even reads articles on trulia anyway?

Joshua Dorkin · Answer

Jon - I think Al is saying that people shouldn't worry about it if they get a link back in the post.

There are really two camps on this one....
1 - Many people believe, as Al said, that there's more value in the links from the stolen content then there is loss from others using your content.  I believe that this attitude began when the folks at Google told people that they almost always get it right, and that those links do carry some value. Matt Cutts - the face of Google SEO even says that he just ignores people who steal his content . . . 
2 - Others, like me, believe that even if there is a small amount of value passed by these links from stolen content, the theft is unacceptable regardless.

Jon Holdman · Answer

Al Williamson surely you're not saying its OK to steal someone's content as long as you include a link to their page with the original.

Joshua Dorkin · Answer

Counting on Google to get it right is risky.  I've had content thieves rank higher with stolen content, then I did with my originals . . . then what?

Linda B. · Answer

Mark  Ferguson - It might help dissuade people from stealing your content by putting some sort of disclaimer at the end of your articles.

I believe in the case of duplicate content, Google will read the published timestamps of the articles, and determines which is the original. This should help with higher search engine placement for your original article.  Social bookmarking, as suggested by Jack will also help your cause.

Joshua Dorkin · Answer

Lots of people just don't understand the law, and when they are brought up to speed, they are quick to take down content they have stolen.  Then there are the others who take advantage of the work of other people -- these guys typically need a little stronger encouragement.

Mark Ferguson · Answer

I just looked at his other posts and they are all full articles he took from other sites.  I don't see one original post.

Blog etiquette?

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