There are lots of myths and urban legends that make their way around the Internet every day, and even the Internet marketing space – where people should be more savvy than average – has its share. Keyword research and search engine optimization are shrouded in mystery, battles are waged over the relative value of profile backlinks, and private label rights articles are considered by some to be the work of the devil, and by others to be the best invention since WordPress.
Take a look at some of these oft-repeated questions and you'll get an idea just how confusing the world of PLR can be.
Question:Will using PLR get my site dinged for duplicate content?
Answer:Google's duplicate content "penalty" is really an Internet myth, born of misinformation, that has been repeated, incorrectly, on forums, in blog posts, and even from people you would generally recognize as experts in the field. The truth is, the duplicate content penalty simply does not exist. Here's what really happens.
Google tries to serve the most relevant pages to its users. As such, when it encounters identical content on multiple sites, it may store some of those sites in what is called the supplemental index. They are indexed, and they can be found via Google and other search engines, and the links from those pages work. They just won't show up as a choice in the search results.
Why? Because otherwise you might end up with a search page full of identical articles. Imagine having to scroll through page after page of the same content before finally coming across something you haven't already read. Not a very good user experience, from Google's point of view, and I think you'd agree. Thus, the supplemental index.
How can you avoid having your articles put in the supplemental index? Simple. Rewrite them before you publish. Make the content unique to you and your site, and you'll never have to worry about not being found in a casual search.
And duplicate content? That really refers to identical content that appears within the same domain. It has nothing to do with similar content on discreet domains.
Question:Isn't all PLR just recycled junk?
Answer:There are lots of great PLR providers online who write and sell top-quality content. Unfortunately, there are even more low-quality products available. Luckily, they're pretty easy to tell apart, if you know what you're looking for.
First, check for samples. Every reputable PLR seller is going to have some kind of sample pack, free eBook, or newsletter you can subscribe to that will be indicative of the quality you can expect from their products. Download a free article or two and judge for yourself.
Next, check with other bloggers and small business owners. Where do they buy from? Chances are they're not buying junk, so ask for recommendations. It's also a safe bet to buy through the affiliate links of marketers you know and trust. They're not going to risk their reputation by promoting poor quality products.
Finally, look for sellers who are available to their customers. Anonymous PLR sellers who are unwilling to put a name on their site or furnish contact information beyond a form you can fill out may indeed have something to hide.
Question:Can I rewrite PLR?
Answer:You can, and you should. Private label rights articles and other content are meant to be rewritten. While it was, hopefully, written by a professional, that writer is not you. Without your voice and your unique thoughts and opinions about the subject, all you'll have is a listing of facts. If you look at private label rights articles as a jumping-off point for your own works, you'll have a much more positive PLR experience.
Question:Do I have to give credit to the original author of the PLR?
Answer: No. With most private label rights content, you are considered the author. Be sure to check the license of each PLR package you buy, though, because some sellers forbid you from claiming authorship unless you significantly rewrite the content. Instead, they ask that you use phrases like "presented by…" or "edited by…"
Question: I have a bunch of PLR articles on my computer. Can I bundle them up and sell them?
Answer: Not usually. Very few PLR packs are sold with PLR resell rights. You may use PLR for personal use on sites you own, in newsletters you publish, or as content in eBooks you intend to sell, but you typically cannot sell the source files to anyone else.
Question: Won't everyone know I don't write my own articles?
Answer: Here's a little known secret of online marketing – a lot of people use other sources of content. Some use free reprint articles from directories, some hire ghostwriters or solicit guest posts, and some use PLR. If you wish to keep your content tricks secret, simply take the time to rewrite the PLR you buy, and no one will ever know you didn't write every word yourself.
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